MarEx eNewsletter - September 3, 2009

September 3rd, 2009 Vol. 7, No. 35 Long-Awaited Ballast Water Standards Proposed by Coast Guard Our view: Everyone's boat will float when all are discharging treated ballast water, no matter what the standard. Last Thursday's U.S. Coast Guard announcement of proposed standards for ballast water treatment (BWT), an effort that was as many as ten years in the making, drew mixed ... Read More>>>Back to Top MarEx Mailbag The Mailbag is again full this week, referencing last week's lead editorial and a few other e-news articles, as well. Last week, our lead piece highlighted the change over time being experienced by the maritime industry, especially here in the United States. Specifically, the article, entitled, "Growing ... Read More>>>Back to Top Two US-flag Ships Sold by US Company Might be Scrapped, says BAN Sale alleged by BAN to violate International law; MARAD has received assurances that the vessels are intended for commercial trade. Green campaign group Basel Action Network (BAN) says the two US-flag ships sold by a US company to be scrapped means the US would be breaching international ... Read More>>>Back to Top Crew Blamed for Red Sea Tanker Sinking A Filipino captain and his crew have been blamed for the sinking of an oil tanker that broke in two and sank in the Red Sea, spilling 60 tons of its bunkers, a Suez Canal Co official said. The captain of the Panamanian-flagged M/V ELLI said his ... Read More>>>Back to Top NTSB Alert NTSB TO OPEN PUBLIC DOCKET ON SINKING OF ALASKA RANGER As part of the Safety Board's investigation into the sinking of the FV Alaska Ranger in the Bering Sea, the NTSB will open the public accident docket on Friday, September 4, 2009. On March ... Read More>>>Back to Top PROPOSED CHANGES TO JONES ACT ALREADY IMPACTING SEAFARERS The impact of proposed changes to the Jones Act regarding the use of foreign-flagged vessels in the US offshore sector is already being felt by seafarers according to international shipping recruitment agency Faststream with companies rushing to replace their non-US crews. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ... Read More>>>Back to Top Fort Lauderdale Mariners Club Annual Golf Tournament Join the Maritime Executive and many others involved in the commercial marine & yachting industries for a round of golf in October One of the premier events of the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show season is once again being ... Read More>>>Back to Top October Issue of THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE Closes in 3 Weeks! Click and download the attached PDF to see details on this exciting issue and get advertising information. Maritime business leaders choose The Maritime Executive for its high-quality, in-depth editorial content and distribution aimed squarely at decision-makers throughout the maritime world. This is your chance to advertise in ... Read More>>>Back to Top EMSA's MSS Now Operating Around the Clock On a daily basis, the MSS monitors the SafeSeaNet vessel traffic monitoring system, the EU Long Range identification and Tracking (LRIT) Centre, the CleanSeaNet satellite based pollution monitoring system and multiple sources of information relating to emergencies. From 1st September 2009, the European Maritime Safety Agency's Maritime ... Read More>>>Back to Top McQuilling Services, LLC Weekly Note(s): Numbers 20 & 21 The McQuilling Services Weekly Notes this week focus on (No. 20) "NOAA's Downgraded Forecast" & (No. 21) "Highlights from our Tanker Market Outlook Mid-Cycle Update." • McQuilling Services Weekly Note No. 20: "Bill Disagrees with NOAA's Downgraded Forecast." NOAA's recent Hurricane Cycle Update downgrades ... Read More>>>Back to Top New ASTM Conference on Environmental Requirements for Ships ASTM International Seminar on Environmental Requirements for Commercial and Navy Ships for Efficient Maritime Operations and Effective Environmental Stewardship W. CONSHOHOCKEN, PA: A Seminar on Environmental Requirements for Commercial and Navy Ships for Efficient Maritime Operations and Effective Environmental Stewardship will be held on Dec. 9, 2009, ... Read More>>>Back to Top NOAA Report Explains Sea Level Anomaly This Summer Along the U.S. Atlantic Coast Persistent winds and a weakened current in the Mid-Atlantic contributed to higher than normal sea levels along the Eastern Seaboard in June and July, according to a new NOAA technical report. After observing water levels six inches to two feet higher than originally predicted, NOAA scientists began ... Read More>>>Back to Top U.S. Coast Guard Publishes Two Rules Related to Oil Pollution Proposed rule for non-tank vessel response plans now out, as well as final rule for vessel, facility oil spill response plans. • U.S. Coast Guard publishes proposed rule for non-tank vessel response plans. WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard announced Monday the publication of ... Read More>>>Back to Top Mandatory Direct Observation for DOT Return-to-Duty and Follow-Up Testing Effective August 31, 2009, Direct Observation collections are mandatory for all DOT Return-to-Duty and Follow-Up drug testing. On May 15, 2009, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld DOT's direct observation drug testing rules applicable to return-to-duty, safety-sensitive transportation industry ... Read More>>>Back to Top Bureau Veritas to Class Caspian Ice-Breaking Tugs International classification society Bureau Veritas has been chosen to class two different series of sophisticated ice-breaking tugs for service in the Caspian Sea. The first series is for three plus two 66 m loa ice-breaking and ice management tugs with 50 tonne bollard pull and Ice Class ... Read More>>>Back to Top Horizon Lines Participates in Anti-Piracy Testing U.S. Flag Carrier says it is committed to supporting merchant mariners safety at sea. Charlotte, N.C. (August 28, 2009) - Horizon Lines, Inc., (NYSE:HRZ), the nation's leading domestic ocean shipping and integrated logistics company, recently participated in two separate anti-piracy system trials in an effort to better ... Read More>>>Back to Top Houston Businessman Alec Dreyer Expected to Be Named PHA Executive Director Port Commission to act on recommendation at regular September 29 Meeting. HOUSTON, August 27, 2009: Port Commission Chairman James T. Edmonds announced that Houston businessman Alec G. Dreyer is expected to be named executive director of the Port of Houston Authority. The Port Commission will consider the ... Read More>>>Back to Top PLANETDATA / Maritime Security News PlanetData - The Security News Network is a free news and information resource focused on maritime, global, corporate, cyber, homeland and aviation security, law enforcement and intelligence. PlanetData hosts timely and comprehensive content gathered from over 1,000 online sources, as well as from our editors, contributors and members. This newsletter ... Read More>>>Back to Top Maritime Incidents--September 3, 2009 Maritime incidents from around the world • Abkhazia Threatens to Attack Georgian Ships Abkhazia president gave orders to navy forces to destroy Georgian ships if piracy continues The rebel Republic of Abkhazia has declared to destroy Georgian vessels that breach the ... Read More>>>Back to Top ASA to Sponsor "WRECKS OF THE WORLD: HIDDEN RISKS OF THE DEEP" September 9th Conference will address 8,500+ world-wide shipwrecks that may contain up to 20 million tons of oil, other hazardous materials. Washington, DC: The American Salvage Association (ASA), supported by the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI), International Salvage Union (ISU), Marine Technology Society (MTS), North American ... Read More>>>Back to Top U.S. Coast Guard NMC to Host MERPAC Meeting: National Maritime Center will play host to next all-important Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee meeting on September 22-23, 2009. TSAC Meeting follows immediately at same location on September 24-25. This meeting will be important in that it addresses many of the recommendations that the Coast Guard may ... Read More>>>Back to Top Maritime Industry Job Camp! WGMA announces maritime-related Job Camp scheduled at West Gulf Maritime. All job seekers or those companies with positions available are encouraged to attend. As we all know, our world economy and our maritime industry in particular are in a recession. For many, these are difficult times with ... Read More>>>Back to Top State of the Media Conference State of the Media Conference for the Maritime and Logistics Industry Port of San Francisco Bayside Conference Room, Pier 1, San Francisco, CA November 6, 2009—8 am to 4:30 pm How can you best leverage your advertising budget and your PR ... Read More>>>Back to Top EMAIL UNSUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2009 The Maritime Executive. 3200 S. Andrews Avenue, Suite 100 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316