Maritime Links Editor's Blog

Chief Mate/Master Management Program

2008-05-08T04:52:00.000-07:00

Finally completed the 12 weeks of courses required to sit for the Chief Mate/Master license exam. I’m glad that it is done yet disappointed with what I got out of it.

I’m one of the fortunate ones. My employer, the Army Corps of Engineers, paid all tuition, room, meals, and travel related to the training. They also provided time off with pay to complete the courses. The price for selling my soul is a three year agreement to stay employed by the government. MMP offshore members have everything paid for also but must go on their own time. Other students paid for the training out of their own pocket or their companies paid. Almost all were there on their own time. None had as good a deal as those of us from the Corps.

The courses that were worth the money and time were the two weeks of Advanced Shiphandling which takes place on the simulator. Behind that was Advanced Meteorology, which I felt was relevant and useful. The other nine weeks were a complete waste of time.

Coming into the training, I had very high expectations. I heard rumors that these courses were aimed at experienced deck officers and that there would be new, advanced material to learn. I heard studying would be required and certificates would not be handouts as in other STCW training. I was wrong.

The material covered is old news for anyone that went to a maritime academy. Most exams were taken form the Coast Guard pool and have been seen on previous exams. After four and a half weeks, I finally came to the realization that I was there for the certificates, not to become a better mariner. It got to the point that a student in the ECDIS class didn’t bother to finish the written exam but turned it in as soon as he knew he had a 70% passing grade. Passing was all that mattered.

There is a phenomenon that is often seen in organizations but was perfected on a large scale at MITAGS. I call it the tower of blame, where there are lots of faults but no solutions with regards to the irrelevance of the courses. In this case it started with the instructor blaming the material provided by the school required to be covered in the course. Then the school said the courses could not be improved upon because they were Coast Guard approved and the Coast Guard approved the course because it covered the topics required by the IMO. DNV then audits the courses to ensure the material is covered as outlined in the course. It amazed me that so many organizations with intelligent people could come up with such crap.

One way the Coast Guard and the schools could make the courses worth the money and time is to allow the module covered be the equivalent of taking the test module at the Coast Guard exam center. In the way flashing light can be taken at an approved school and the certificate exempts you from having to take the flashing light test at the Coast Guard, completion of Advanced Stability should exempt you from the stability module of the Chief Mate exam.

The real benefit of the new course requirement is that it will thin the heard. Those not truly dedicated to going to sea will go shore side after a couple of years and those dedicated to sailing will find a way to get through the courses and advance their licenses’. While the obstacles become greater to maintain and upgrade Merchant Marine licenses, it is worth the effort. I wouldn’t want to work anywhere but on the water.

Tribute to Captain Al Brown, Professor Maine Maritime Academy

2008-02-22T23:42:00.000-08:00

First,

I wanted to apologize to the readers for my LONG absence. I have been in graduate school when not working. I plan on having a good career ashore one day- it is a long hard road- but the payoff will be great.

Next and most importantly:
I should have written this a while ago. I heard through the grapevine from friends that a Captain that taught at Maine Maritime had passed away. Anyone who was in the Nautical Science/ Marine Transportation program for the past decade or two would remember Captain Al Brown. I was very sad to hear of Capt. Brown's death. He was the reason that I am a safe mariner- his words were always on my mind. This man was the best teacher in the nautical field I have ever run across.

Captain Brown was tough. I mean tear your hair out- tough. I remember being a sophomore and having to memorize the rules of the road. Not just the rule- but each section word for word. I remember how shocked I was that this man could recite this book cover to cover without cracking it open. I was always very impressed with his dedication to the art of the sea and to his students. he truly cared about our safety.

Captain Brown will be fondly remembered by many alumni from Maine Maritime- and those who attended post- grad training at the academy. He was always willing to take extra time to help if you didn't 'get it' or just needed to talk to someone. He always had a good sense of humor-- And I will never forget my freshman year cruise when we pulled back into Castine. Captain Brown sauntered down the gangway and jumped in a limosine. Not only was he a great teacher- but the man had style and class.

My best wishes to the family and friends he has left behind. Al Brown will be missed by many.

Job Postings on Maritimelinks Blog

2007-12-07T22:05:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

Soon you will notice that the old website is going away- and all will be done here now. I liked the web page- but it didn't make much sense anymore. I can do everything here on this page and it is much less complicated than jumping around from here to there.

I am hoping that you will stick with us and keep coming around. We will still offer some services for those businesses who are interested. I can still run advertisements. My favorite thing here is the job postings- because we all like to see new job listings.

I have reduced my price to $10 for a 30 day job advertisement- so please- any interested companies- give it a shot. Our job page is powered by Simplyhired - a national job website. Not only will your ad appear on my page- but also on the national pages! Not a bad deal.

I hope you will patronize my page by posting a job ad!

Oh- and Happy Thanksgiving (belated)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Updated Post-Graduation Requirement for Kings Point

2007-11-29T04:59:00.000-08:00

Graduates from the US Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point) are required to fulfill an obligation to the Navy and the Maritime Administration (MARAD) since the federal government pays for the education. Traditionally graduates from Kings Point have been able to work shoreside in support of the maritime industry (e.g. cargo planning, port engineer, ship broker, stevedore, port operations) to fulfill the MARAD obligation. I received this email and it appears that has changed. This may be one of the reasons Maine has higher enrollment.

"The current commitment for graduating midshipmen is sail (afloat) or serve on active duty for five years. The shoreside waiver, available up to 2007, has only been approved by MARAD for Shipyard positions and a few maritime related government positions (e.g. NAVSEA, MSC, etc.) You would only be able to hire those alumni who have completed their five year obligation or be willing to hire them and permit them to sail the necessary time to meet their obligations (128 days) similar to those who hire members of the National Guard. MARAD has now authorized "brown water" sailing jobs (tugs, ferries, offshore supply boats) and foreign flag vessels that have MOAs with MARAD (BG LNG, OSG and SeaRiver Maritime) to meet the obligation. Therefore, there are now more than enough afloat positions for the entire graduating class.

Pete Rackett '61
Executive VP
USMMA Alumni Foundation"

Pilot Loses His Bearings, San Fran a Nation Disaster

2007-11-09T17:11:00.000-08:00

I am a huge supporter of my fellow mariners- and I know that a lot of mariners will not speak ill of their own kind - in lock step with those who wish to protect the industry, but when something as tragic as this latest accident happens I have to break ranks and speak my mind:

The San Fran Pilots Associations - and most pilot associations are fundamentally flawed. They fill their ranks with under qualified personnel and pay them more than they are worth. Yes- the exams and the apprenticeships are difficult- but I have noticed in my career that it is very difficult for unlimited tonnage mariners to get into these associations. After sailing for a number of years (I did my own pilotage in and out of ports) and observing/ listening to the pilots - I have seen a fair number of poor pilots. This does not mean that I think all the pilots are bad- there are some who are exceptional- but they don't weed out the bad ones.

I would say that 75% of the pilots I have met came from the tug/barge community and had less than 1600 ton licenses. I ran into one pilot who had a 100 ton license (Which amounts to nothing and has very lax standards). I have even run across two pilots who could not even swim. This is a license requirement- why would the Coast Guard or the Pilots Associations let this slide? The amount of nepotism and who-you-know politics in getting a pilots job is ridiculous.

Even the skilled unlimited tonnage officers that run the nations hopper dredge fleet and sail in close quarters are excluded from the pilots programs. Officers from these dredges would probably be the MOST qualified for the job because they know the harbors like the backs of their hands. The pilots reject time from dredge officers intentionally. Instead of hiring the master mariners that have dedicated their lives to the study of sailing and ship handling - the pilots associations hire tug boat skippers with little to no large vessel experience. I appreciate what the tug boaters do for us- and they play an enormous role in our economy. But the pilot associations should be required to hire the best of the best from the community of practice: Individuals with master mariners licenses - unlimited tonnage- any oceans.

I was lucky enough to speak my mind today on national radio- though I didn't get a lot of air time and didn't get to make my entire point. I had the opportunity to discuss the accident briefly on The Savage Nation. (The Savage Nation is a conservative talk show hosted by the great Dr. Michael Savage. Savage is my favorite radio personality because of his strong conservative values and razor sharp wit.) Anyways- I heard Savage talking about the accident - so I couldn't help myself- I had to call in. Savage, a civilian/ recreational boater himself has sailed under the bridge and brought up the question that is on my mind - "How could you possibly hit that bridge?" and he is correct- it shouldn't even be possible these days with all of the technology. RADAR, ARPA, GPS, LORAN, AIS- there is just no excuse for this accident. I have sailed through the bridge as well and I would think you would need to intentionally aim for it- just because there is so much water.

In my quick conversation I didn't get a chance to say everything I wanted to. I should have mentioned that the Coast Guard grossly under reported the spill and has caused even more damage by lack of response. Had the emergency response been more organized- this disaster could have been minimized. I think the responder crew on scene was surprised to see how big the spill was- since they were told it was 140 gallons (Turns out it is more like 58,000 gallons)

As mariners we need to take a hard look at the people that are making the big decisions in our industry and how our major organizations do business. I think that we (professional unlimited tonnage mariners) should start our own pilots associations and run the old guard out of town.

Spill Links::

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/11/09/sanfrancisco.bay.spill.ap/index.html?section=cnn_latest
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071109/sc_afp/usenvironmentaccidentindustryspill_071109195753

Looking for Writers

2007-10-31T18:17:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

I've been out of the blogosphere for some time- I just don't have a lot of time at the moment- going through grad school and working on some other projects. I would love to get someone who is interesting in writing to start contributing here.

I know there are a lot of students out there that might have spare time. Blogging is a good way to express your opinions and can be fun too.

I am in a transition right now with the business and in my personal life- but I would like to keep this site up and running with some help from some motivated mariners who would relish in a place to vent thier frustrations with the industry as well as bring to light some of the newest and coolest innovations around.

Shoot me a message if you have some interest!

Interesting Duties While at Sea

2007-10-01T22:53:00.000-07:00

I have heard of all kinds of interesting jobs out at sea. I had one job that sounds cool when you say it, but it was actually the most boring job I ever had- which was chasing submarines on a ship for Military Sealift Command.

I saw this today on my Yahoo! homepage. Some lucky sod gets to sail around with the Egyptian God of the Dead, Annubis lashed to his boat. I posted the quote that went along with this REUTERS photo...

"A 25ft (7.62 meters) replica of the Golden Anubis, an ancient Egyptian jackal-headed god of the dead, sails away fromTower Bridge on the river Thames, to take up a position in Trafalgar Square ahead of the 'Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of The Pharaohs' exhibition, London October 1, 2007. REUTERS/Ian Langsdon (BRITAIN) "

So I would ask- what is the most interesting job you have had sonce you began shipping- and what would you like to do the most? I am not sailing right now for medical reasons, but I would love to be on an small breakbulk ship on a run to some strange small countries - like islands in the south pacific. That would be a gas!

Share your thoughts with me!

Maine Maritime Academy Enrollment at All Time High!

2007-09-14T23:17:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy lately with graduate school and my job that I have had almost no time to work on the site or the blog! I appreciate all the people that consistenly check my page and hope that my inactivity will scare you away!

Okay- so I don't want to talk about the same old same old this time around. You know, safety, pay, schedules, geo-politics... Nope. I would like to talk about my old stomping grounds- Yes that is right. I am a Mainiac. I am not from Maine, but I sure as hell went to the best Maritime school in the world. That is right- I said it- Maine Maritime is the best school in the country (if you want to work on a ship, that is).

Since I have been in the industry I have run across a lot of different officers- both deck and engine- and I can say without a doubt that the Maine Maritime grads were always the hardest workers. Maybe it is the cold, the isolation, the endless chipping of paint on the TS State of Maine-- Hell I had a Casual (California) Maritime cadet on my ship a few years back that said they did not have to do Maintenance on their training ship! The kid could hardly figure out which end of the needle-gun to stick on the deck!

Yes, I would have to say that I am very biased. I wasn't much of a fan of Maine Maritime when I left- I was actually dying to get away (Most of my friends could say the same). But there was something about the place that taught me how to put in a good hard days work. They taught me how to get along with my shipmates and instilled some pride in me that I might not have had otherwise. I still haven't managed to donate any money to the school yet- and I have heard rumblings from some old-timers that my class has been the worst about donating money in the history of the school. HA! (we already paid to work for them- what else do they want?)

But, the last time I went back to my old school I was happy to see the place getting a face-lift. The dorms were being renewed- new furniture- a fresh coat of paint- they even did some landscaping.

I almost didn't recognize the place.

So I was pretty happy to read an article in the Ellsworth American (a local paper, with a corresponding web-page) that said MMA was at an all-time high for new enrollments. I think that the renovations may have something to do with the increase in the student population. Well, I hope that with all the fluff on the outside that Maine Maritime will continue to pump out the rough and tumble stock of cadets (Officers) that aren't afraid to get thier hands dirty.

And hey- if any of you new kids read this and want to write about your experiences- I would love to hear it. You can submit something here- or if you would like to you could email me at webmaster (at) maritimelinks.net I am looking for some young blood to write for us part time- and YES we will pay for article submissions (upon approval). so if there are any cadets out there with some writing ability and a nose for the news- send me a resume and a short article.

Awesome Weapons:: Pentagon holds off on using ray gun to keep order

2007-09-01T17:28:00.000-07:00

Pentagon holds off on using ray gun to keep order::Perception of civilian torture feared

Here is the link to this AP article from the Gazette

WASHINGTON - Saddam Hussein had been gone a few weeks, and U.S. forces in Fallujah, west of Baghdad, were being called unwelcome invaders. One of the first big anti-U.S. protests of the war escalated into shootouts that left 18 Iraqis dead and 78 wounded. It would be a familiar scene in Iraq’s next few years: Crowds gather, insurgents mingle with civilians. Troops open fire, and innocents die. All the while, according to internal military correspondence obtained by The Associated Press, U.S. commanders were telling Washington that many civilian casualties could be avoided by using a nonlethal weapon developed during the past decade. Military leaders, including one at Air Force Space Command in Colorado Springs, repeatedly and urgently requested — and were denied — the device, which uses energy beams instead of bullets and lets troops break up crowds without firing a shot. It’s a ray gun that neither kills nor maims, but the Pentagon has refused to deploy it out of concern the weapon might be seen as a torture device. Perched on a Humvee or flatbed truck, the Active Denial System gives people hit by the invisible beam the sense their skin is on fire. They move out of the way quickly and without injury. On April 30, 2003, two days after the first Fallujah incident, Gene McCall, then the top scientist at Air Force Space Command, typed a two-sentence e-mail to Gen. Richard Myers, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman. “I am convinced that the tragedy at Fallujah would not have occurred if an Active Denial System had been there,” McCall told Myers, according to the e-mail obtained by AP. The system should become “an immediate priority,” McCall said. Myers referred McCall’s message to his staff, according to the e-mail chain. McCall, who retired from government in November 2003, is convinced the system would have saved lives in Iraq.
A few months after McCall’s message, in August 2003, Richard Natonski, a Marine Corps brigadier general who had just returned from Iraq, filed an “urgent” request with officials in Washington for the energybeam device. The device would minimize what Natonski described as the “CNN Effect” — the instantaneous relay of images depicting U.S. troops as aggressors.
A year later, Natonski, by then promoted to major general, again asked for the system, saying a compact and mobile version was “urgently needed,” particularly in urban settings. Natonski, now a three-star general, is the Marine Corps’ deputy commandant for plans, policies and operations. He did not respond to an interview request. In October 2004, the commander of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force “enthusiastically” endorsed Natonski’s request. Lt. Gen. James Amos said it was “critical” for Marines in Iraq to have the system. Senior officers in Iraq have continued to make the case. One December 2006 request noted that as U.S. forces are drawn down, the nonlethal weapon “will provide excellent means for economy of force.” The main reason the tool has been missing in action is public perception. With memories of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal still fresh, the Pentagon is reluctant to give troops a space-age device that could be misconstrued as a torture machine. “We want to just make sure that all the conditions are right, so when it is able to be deployed the system performs as predicted — that there isn’t any negative fallout,” said Col. Kirk Hymes, head of the Defense Department’s Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate.

Now- for all of the people who think that carry weapons on the ship is a bad idea- this sort of weapon could be the answer in the future- a non-lethal but extremely painful ray that could deter boarding terrorists and pirates. I think that science will be able to develop small scale versions of this technology within the next 5 years if the pentagon will ever approve of its use. A trial by fire in Iraq could send us into an era of non-lethal combat-- This could help keep our forces overseas out of trouble and it could also be essential in protecting ships.

Got a good sailing story? Some good news about our military?
If anyone has an article you would like to post here please contact us!
Right now I am slacking off on the blog - while working on graduate studies - any news from our readers would be most appreciated!

Maritime Academy Students- need some cash? we will pay for unique articles-
email the webmaster(at)maritimelinks.net

Coast Guard Court May Find New Home

2007-08-09T22:22:00.000-07:00

This story should really hit home with anyone who has been in trouble with the US Coast Guard. I frequently find articles on mariners being tried for various offenses- often substance related- or for accidents. In an article by the Baltimore Sun there are many allegations that are quite serious and may have effected the fair treatment Merchant Mariners:

In two internal memos obtained by The Sun, Ingolia issued private instructions telling other judges how to rule, a practice legal experts and judges from other agencies call inappropriate, and a possible violation of federal laws that require judicial rules to be published and subject to challenge.

Attorneys on the chief judge's staff and an attorney on the commandant's staff who helps write appellate decisions have met privately with prosecutors about open cases, according to internal e-mails and court records, an ethical breach that defense attorneys and legal experts are calling obstruction of justice.

Records at the Coast Guard's docket center in Baltimore are rife with complaints from defense lawyers who describe hostile hearings, with judges behaving as advocates for the Coast Guard and taking over the interrogation of mariners.

One judge expressed fear for his job if he didn't rule in favor of the Coast Guard, despite his belief that the mariner had offered compelling evidence of his innocence, according to court records.

Currently there is Bi-partisan support in the senate to investigate this thouroughly and possible remove the courts from the Coast Guard control. There is also a hearing coming up in which three former judges are going to testify against the organization to the unfair treatment of mariners. Judge Jeffie J. Massey, who retired this year, said in a sworn statement that she was told by Chief Judge Joseph N. Ingolia to always rule in the Coast Guard's favor and came under intense pressure when she did not. Analysis of the court's records reveal a striking imbalance in the decisions of its judges. Mariners have lost virtually every case before the court over the past eight years. Of more than 6,300 charges filed by Coast Guard investigators since 1999, mariners have prevailed in only 14 cases - three of which the agency is still pursuing; trying to reverse the initial decision on appeal. Including dismissals, the Coast Guard wins or reaches a settlement in 97 percent of its cases.

Here is the original story by the Baltimore Sun http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/bal-te.judges24jun24,0,3992043.story
Related Reports
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/bal-justice,0,7599876.storygallery

Get ready for some Lobsta bub!

2007-08-09T21:54:00.000-07:00

Yeap... Discovery Channel has done it again. They had a hit with The Deadliest Catch... so now they are going to put the lobstermen on TV. It is only fair right? Well, I personally am sitting here watching this show right now and I have gotta say- this ain't entertainment.

Then again, I didn't see the appeal of Deadliest Catch either. One thing they fail to mention on these shows is that there are other mariners out there that have to put up with all these wingnut fishermen. Talk about a dangerous job! Throw in the sail boaters that are drunk and sleeping in their cabins and you've got yerself some fun mid-watches.

I went to Maine Maritime, so I had friends who were into the lobstering work during breaks from school. I believe I have a classmate or two that might be running their own boats. I just don't think that this makes for good TV. If you have watched TV in the last couple of years though, you may have noticed that there are a lot of copy cat shows of other shows that probably shouldn't be on the air anyways.

Take a good look at the Discovery Channel Network... you have Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, and Discovery Health. These channels all offer a wide range of mind numbing drivel- such as What not to Wear (My wife has this on from time to time), Flip that House, House Hunters, and just about anything else that can get them promo bucks from Home Depot.

So before you get caught up in watching this new Lobstering show... remember what you are really watching. Deadliest Catch 2. Just more garbage in the TV wasteland.

Oh, and if you didn't hear already- the TV show Man vs Wild- the host, who is supposed to be a real tough-guy suvivalist was reported to have been staying in cushy hotels during the tapings- his crew had rigged many of the survival 'tricks' to make them easier for him to handle.

Congratulations Coast Guard on One Million Lives Saved!

2007-08-01T22:32:00.000-07:00

This is probably one of the best stories I have seen in a long time. All the negative news that we see about the number of people killed in Iraq, the death of Pat Tillman, and the failing conflicts, the military seems to get a lot of negative press these days.

Well, cheer up! The United States Coast Guard is making good news! But, only Maritime Bloggers seem to be covering it. Today I got a message from John Konrad over at gCaptain (http://www.gcaptain.com/) telling me about the landmark story.

Here is the Story from gCaptain
http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/one-million-rescues-by-the-united-states-coast-guard/
---------------------------------------------> Re posted for your convenience

While we were celebrating our numbers and sending you to Robin Storm’s post on recent Coast Guard rescues yesterday the saviors of the sea were reaching their own, much larger, milestone; 1,000,000 Rescues!

In a press release today Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff wrote:
“What began as a revenue enforcement agency with a fleet of ten cutters established by Alexander Hamilton more than 200 years ago has evolved into the world’s premiere multi-mission, maritime and military service. It’s fitting that we celebrate the Coast Guard’s 217th birthday this August 4th as we recognize its brave men and women for saving more than 1 million lives over the course of its long and storied history.”

How were the numbers calculated?
The number of lives saved was calculated by the Coast Guard historian’s office through research of logs and records from the Coast Guard, the Revenue Cutter Service, the US Life-Saving Service, the Lighthouse Service and other agencies that eventually became the modern Coast Guard. In addition to tallying the total number of lives saved, the historian’s office has compiled a list of the top ten rescues in the Coast Guard’s history. The list shows the breadth of the Coast Guard’s efforts to save lives in peril on the seas for over 217 years.
Very Impressive, especially considering these heroes do it knowing “Ya gotta go out but nobody said anything about having to come back!”
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WARNING:: CHINESE PRODUCTS=POISON
FICHER PRICE TOY RECALL-- LEAD PAINTED TOYS
One quick note- I just saw on the news that there is another major recall from China. This time? Well this time it is toys that have been painted with toxic paints.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Toy-maker Fisher-Price is recalling 83 types of toys -- including the popular Big Bird, Elmo, Dora and Diego characters -- because their paint contains excessive amounts of lead.

The worldwide recall being announced Thursday involves 967,000 plastic preschool toys made by a Chinese vendor and sold in the United States between May and August. It is the latest in a wave of recalls that has heightened global concern about the safety of Chinese-made products.
Read the whole story here ::::CLICK HERE::::

Our country is open to serious danger just through our own open market. Our supply chain is at risk because of the large number of products we receive from China. If we were to ever have a serious conflict with China, I would not be suprised if they attack us at home through the use of poison in packaged foods and other dangerously defective products.

Bush allies slam his support of maritime treaty - The Boston Globe

2007-07-31T21:51:00.001-07:00

WASHINGTON -- Some of President Bush's allies are criticizing him for promoting a landmark maritime treaty that would commit the United States to obeying hundreds of pages of international law, including provisions allowing foreign officials to order the US Navy and Coast Guard to release certain detained ships.

I am not really sure what to think about this treaty because I have not read it. There are some very important military officials that say it will be good for the country and good for our security, and it is also going to expand our oil rights further than what we are currently allowed which would possibly increase our domestic production and lessen our need for foriegn oil.

There is also the argument that we are submitting ourselves to the will of the United Nations and losing more of our national sovereignty. I am not a fan of anything that increases the power of the One-world government. I think that it would be best to stay away from anything that forces American to become less 'free' as a nation.

I would really like to hear some comments from people who know more about the subject- I will also return later on this week after looking up some information about it.

read more digg story

New Gadgets: Navigating Through Ice Just Got Easier

2007-07-25T21:48:00.000-07:00

I got home from my day job today and got my new copy of Maritime Reporter and Engineering News (http://www.marinelink.com/) I tore through it as usual searching for strange news and gadgets. I saw something that I thought was truly useful in the gadget section- something I hadn't sen anywhere else yet- The Sigma S6 Ice Navigator. As a mariner who is no stranger to the frozen north, I have a real appreciation for this type of technology.

What we have here is a high resolution imaging device that can track up to 1,000 targets on the water- i.e. Big Ice Cubes. This will probably be outfitted on every ice-navigating vessel that can afford it. It is produced by Rutter Technology (http://www.ruttertech.com/).

Something else in the product section that I thought was cool was the SeaQuantum high performance coating- A self smoothing performance coating that reduces hull friction and fuel costs. Your ship may not be a race car- but you can squeeze a little more performance out of her by using something like this! This is made by Joten (http://www.jotun.no/)

In the communications arena we have the new OceanStar by Martek Marine Ltd. (http://www.martek-marine.com/) This will make the crew happy- it can pull in international television and high speed broadband internet. It sounds much better than the system that was installed on my last ship- where the signal kept dropping every time we made a turn or sharp roll. This should give you the clarity you want when you are in the middle of watching a great action movie!

There is a pretty good discussion going on over at gCaptain (www.gCaptain.com) about my last blog entry having to do with the Somalian pirate take-over of the Danish ship and self defense. I am a big advocate of guns and giving people the right to defend themselves. This is always a topic that gets people riled up- as there is no correct answer, it is all driven by personal experiences- it should be interesting. But don't be afraid to post a comment or two over here as well- I welcome your input!

Maritime News Around the Globe - July 23rd 2007

2007-07-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

New Zealand Captain Fined For "Almost having an Accident"

The news hasn't been to crazy lately, but I found somethings that I thought were cool or weird. A ferry captain in New Zealand was fined $750 plus court costs for failure to report a 'near incident'. I found myself thinking about all of the near incidents I have had and was thinking about how much money that would add up to.

I am not really sure what rules govern the seas in New Zealand, but I think dragging a Ferry captain for getting too close to some rocks, but not actually hitting them is a little insane. When I was dredging we used to get right next to the rocks. I could have jumped off of the bridge wing and landed on the rocks. I would say that my number of near misses would range in the hundreds. That is if you go by the New Zealand Maritime standards. I guess it all depends on what you consider 'reportable' - but I probably would have blown this off too.

"The conviction was welcomed by MNZ general manager of maritime operations John Mansell said." I personally think that it is ridiculous and the nanny state crap needs to stop. Having the 'autorities' get involved when there was no accident is just crazy. There was no property damage, no loss of life and they are raking this poor captain over the coals.... no wonder it is getting hard to keep people in the business.

Here is the article so you can read the whole thing... this just blows my mind.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4138019a11.html

China Launches Maritime Satellite Mobile Phone Service
July 23, 2007
China Transportation Telecommunications, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Communications, has announced the launch of a maritime satellite mobile phone service in Beijing.
The service will enable users to make calls with a mobile phone in deserts, in the sea or on high mountains where a GSM or CDMA signal is unavailable. With a size close to that of common mobile phones, the maritime satellite mobile phone only weighs 210 grams. The mobile phone has all of the new functions of the latest mobile phones available for GSM or CDMA networks.
At present, only a few developed countries in the world have opened this service, according to Michael Butler, president and chief operation officer of Inmarsat. Yang Kongyi, director of CTT, has told local media that the service covers Asia and the most part of Africa and it is expected to cover the entire world by 2008. Repost of the article at chinatechnews:

http://www.chinatechnews.com/2007/07/23/5662-china-launches-maritime-satellite-mobile-phone-service/

Just another way that China is whooping our ass at the international shipping business. I wish that we could compete with them on the price point of products, but when you have an unlimited supply of labor that is extremely cheap- I guess that sets you apart from the competition. I think that the US should impose strong tariffs againt Chinese companies for the substandard labor standards- bordering on slavery- and for the problems we have had with chinese goods in this country in recent times. - I personally am very leary of any food products for myself or my pets that have been in contact with any chinese companies. (But it is hard to know which products get their supplies from china...)

Octopus helps unearth ancient pottery
Posted 20 minutes ago
South Korean archaeologists say they have discovered a sunken vessel packed with ancient pottery, in an exploration prompted by an octopus which attached its suckers to a plate.
The National Maritime Museum says the 12th-century wooden vessel was found buried in mud flats off Taean, south-west of Seoul. It says more than 2,000 pieces of 12th-century bowls, plates and other types of pottery were heaped inside the 7.7 metre vessel. "I believe the pottery might have been made for royals and the ruling elite of the Koryo Dynasty," which ruled the peninsula from 916 to 1392, museum head Seong Nack-Jun said. The exploration began in early June after shards of celadon pieces were found attached to the suckers of several webfoot octopuses, which a fisherman had netted. The museum has since retrieved about 540 pieces, which were scattered around the vessel.
-AFP

http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/24/1986867.htm?section=justin

And the Somali pirates are asking for $1.5mil for the return of the Danish ship and it's crew. The vessel Danica White with five crew members was hijacked on June 2, about 240 nautical miles off the Somali coast while heading to Kenya's Mombasa port to deliver construction material. "We were informed yesterday that the pirates are demanding $1,5-million (about R14-million) in order to release the vessel," said Andrew Mwangura of the Kenyan branch of the Seafarers' Assistance Programme. Three other vessels - one from Taiwan and two from South Korea - are also currently held by pirates off the coast of war-torn Somalia. Recently, a Panama-flagged cargo vessel was reported to have gone missing in Somali waters. The International Maritime Bureau said this year had seen at least seven pirate attacks off Somalia's 3 700km of unpatrolled coastline.

I would reccommend to anyone of my friends sailing in these waters or other hostile territories- to make sure you have some type of weapon with you on the vessel you sail on.

Critical Times: The Maritime Industry Manning Shortage

2007-07-19T23:23:00.000-07:00

Anyone working in the maritime industry knows that there is a manning shortage that seems to be worsening. As someone currently working in the Tug and barge industry, I know there is an unquenchable need from companies to fill all billets, particularly mates. This shortage can be linked to several factors such as an aging current work force that is approaching retirement, the shift from crews made up of haws pipers and academy guys to boats with almost all academy guys for officers, stagnant pay for so many years, over regulation, and personal liability.

To illustrate the age gap, on the vessel which I am currently working on the person that is nearest to my age is 20 years older than me. Three of the eight are do to retire this year. This is not isolated to my boat, but out of all the ships and tugs I have sailed on, my observation has been that there is a missing generation within the industry. Talking to the guys on the boats they for the most part agree with that statement. The industry was slow during the 80s and part of the 90s and guys just got out of it. For a lot of people once you leave the industry you never want to get back into it.

The second contributor is the shift from a hawspiper/Academy mix to a primary Academy make-up for officers. With the shift in regulations and license requirements the Coast Guard has made it very difficult for guys to start on deck as an AB and move up through the ranks. This has resulted in the dependence on the academies to produce officers for the industry. The problem with this is that now the primary sources of officers have the credentials and background and are choosing to shift to a shore side position. In years past employees would shift around in the industry so there was never a real shortage. If a guy was working in New York Harbor he would just shift around in the harbor so the employee was never really going anywhere, they were still in the industry. This is not the issue now, I am finding that my friends and my self are thinking about or have already made the choice to move ashore. I guess what I am trying to say is that the demographics are changing to more college boys, and they have the credentials and the foresight to move to more favorable careers.

This comes to the last two points, which are probably the biggest isssues, the pay and the quality of life. First I will talk about the pay. It is a well-known fact that the pay has been stagnant for such a long time that, every year you stay in the industry you are making less than the prior year. Every time I look in the paper and I see that a principle of a middle school makes more than a captain of an ATB carrying millions of gallons/ dollars of product and equipment, the college educated workforce realizes this as well. Not to mention that the Captain is a moving target for a lawsuit and prosecution by false courts contrived by the Coast Guard-- there are no accidents, only negligence in this industry. Why would you want to stay in an industry that is so vilified when you know that if there is any mishap that you are pretty much screwed? What job in the country has as much liability as the maritime business? That is something we starting out in the industry hear over and over again, “You are only good as your last job”

The industry as a whole is facing a huge problem and it is going to take everyone in all sectors of the industry to come together and let the government know what a vital role they play in the nation. It is critical that we lift regulations and red tape to attract people to come into the industry and end the constant fear of jail time, civil penalties, and losing your license to work. A rise in pay would help attract new people and bring back some people that may have left shipping for greener pastures.

High Profile Oil Spill off of Ibiza Means More Trouble for Merchant Mariners

2007-07-13T16:38:00.001-07:00

Maritime workers near the Balearic island of Ibiza are cleaning up three local hot spots after inspectors discovered a sunken merchant ship which had leaked ten tons of fuel into the waters earlier this week. The beaches that the spills have effected are tourist attractions.

The ship, Don Pedro, was transporting 150 tons of fuel (gasoline?) and 50 of diesel fuel from Ibiza to the eastern Spanish city of Valencia when it sunk on Wednesday after it hit some rocks. Inspectors discovered the leak, which is currently 3.5 miles long by half a mile wide, development Minister Magdalena Alvarez said in a press conference on Thursday.

Emergency services said they had rescued 20 crew members from the Don Pedro roll-on/roll-off cargo ferry after it rammed a small promontory just off Ibiza in the early hours. Two ships were at the site and floating dams were to be set up to try to minimise the impact of the leak, that was near the coast, the rescue services said in a statement.

This small oil spill will be damaging to the maritime industry although it pales in comparison to some of the past oil related catastrophes because this incident will have less environmental impact. This spill has become worldwide news because it has landed in the middle of a tourist attraction. Pollution has been a hot topic for many years now, starting with the Exxon Valdez, then the spill of of the Galapagos Islands, and the cover-up of oily discharge by OSG employees. This spill is just going to add more fuel to the fire, empowering environmental groups that would like to see us shut down. Should we expect tighter regulations in the future... can it get any worse?

Old Tech Meets New Style: The World's Sexiest Sextant

2007-07-08T11:17:00.001-07:00

I never thought I would see a modern styled sextant. I really never thought I would see a sextant in a trend-setting magazine like WIRED. This piece really caught my eye. If you are a collector of nautical gear, this would be a great addition to add to your display case. At $1,500+ I am sure that this will be more for the wealthy yachtsman than the average merchant vessel.

Photograph by Martin Timmermann

WIRED magazine recently ran an article that was a real surprise to me: It was about a sextant, and a very good looking sextant at that! This old school navigational device has some sexy styling that any nautical buff would be proud to get their hands on. Take a look at the story and the picture of this excellent piece of retro nautical tech.

Security Farce: Holes in Maritime Security

2007-07-04T12:39:00.000-07:00

The following was mailed to me from a friend who recently had to deal with the Coast Guard in port:

I recently had the Coast guard come aboard and do a surprise security inspection. I got scolded for not checking their ID and checking their bags, and we did not have all vessel access points locked up like fort Knox. We just happened to be at a fairly nice area with a lot of recreational craft around and I asked the Coast Guard personnel, pointing to a small sailboat fifty feet from the vessel “what that was?” He said “A sail boat” So I asked him, “what is up with that?” Why are you busting my balls for not checking your ID when the dock checks your ID, is fenced in, has security barriers, security cameras, and security guards. Do you think that me checking your ID is going to make a bit of difference? Why would someone go though all the trouble to do us harm when anyone with three brain cells could figure out that you would just have to be on that sailboat to get close? Not to mention that all attacks on vessels in recent history have been water born attacks, the USS Cole, that French tanker in the Middle East. He just looked at me with a blank look on his face, and soon left.

I guess I just get fired up when they put all these security measures in place that limits our freedom. I am not even allowed to walk down the dock and get a newspaper in my own country, and then I am asked to play this game of checking IDs and the sort, when I can see clearly that they have all security on one side of the dock and nothing on the other side. All at the expense of us Mariners.

My take on all this security insanity:

The Coast Guard is not looking at all aspects of maritime security- and the most irritating part is that they are overlooking the obvious. There is absolutely no security in the marinas and small vessels are not being policed. It is really apparent when you are navigating out of large cities like San Francisco, or when pulling out of the mouth of the Columbia. Trying to get past buoy #10 on the Columbia River is a nightmare, small vessels darting directly under your bow. All you can do is pray that you do not run them over. The Coast Guard does not see this as a problem? What is going to happen when the terrorists catch on to this? They will go rent a small boat, load it up with explosives, and drive it straight into the first tanker they find.

I have a feeling it will take a maritime disaster of this magnitude to wake the Coast Guard 'Officer Elite' up to the reality of maritime security. There are too many Coast Guard desk-jockeys deciding what is best for the Merchant Marine community. If they spent more time conning a vessel and less time writing flawed policy- perhaps our security situation would be a little better.

Trapped fisherman cuts off own fingers with pocket knife

2007-06-26T18:26:00.000-07:00

Here is the (AP) article on the Grays Harbor fisherman.
SEATTLE (AP) - With his hand wedged between his boat and a log, and his future son-in-law off getting help, William Messenger decided he was out of time. He pulled out a pocket knife and sawed off two of his fingertips to free himself from the sinking vessel.Minutes later, his son-in-law arrived with help, a pry bar and other tools to separate the boat from the log. Messenger was rushed from the Wynoochee River in southwestern Washington to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where a hospital spokeswoman said he was in satisfactory condition Monday. She did not know if surgeons had been able to reattach the fingertips.

Grays Harbor County Undersheriff Rick Scott said Messenger, a 51-year-old fisherman from Ocean Shores, might have made a different decision if he had known how quickly his future son-in-law, Jarrad Todd, would arrive."Hindsight is 20-20. If he'd have known help was not that far away, he might have held off taking the steps that he did," Scott said."It's one thing to think about doing that, but it's another to actually execute the plan."Messenger and Todd, 29, were fishing on the Wynoochee on Sunday afternoon when rapids swept their 16-foot drift boat into a log jam. The side of the boat slammed against a log, pinning Messenger's left index and middle fingers. The pressure of the water held the boat in place.The boat was turned upstream at a 45-degree angle and began to fill with water. Todd escaped and went to a nearby home in Aberdeen for help, Scott said.
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This is a perfect example of why it is so important to have communication methods when you are out on the water. Most small boaters do not carry any kind of radio and cell phones are often times out of range in remote areas such as this part of Gray's Harbor. A VHF radio can be purchased for a pretty reasonable price- I would reccomend it strongly. The Coast Guard could have responded to that call very quickly and saved the man's fingers.

I usually don't care to cover small boating news, but this is only the second time I have heard of a man cutting off a body part to save himself-- the other example was a trapped rock climber.

F15 Jet Crash - Crews Search for Pilot and Aircraft near Tillamook Head Ore

2007-06-26T18:09:00.001-07:00

F-15 Crash off the coast of Oregon - Pilot is still missing

An F15 fighter jet has crashed in the ocean over the Oregon coast. US Coast Guard crews found the crash site but are still searching for the pilot- so far there has been no sign of where he might have bailed out. Local mariners are being asked to look out for the pilot or floating debris that might indicate the general location of the pilot.

read more digg story

Pasha Bulker Transformer

2007-06-25T22:56:00.000-07:00

Pasha Bulker Transformer? Thats one way to get her off the beach!
Transformer Mania is setting in folks- this is a pretty awesome example of creative fan art. I was really surprised to see the ship get up and run away!
Take a Look!

Anyone Find Anything Better or Funnier Than This? Let me know if you do!

Also, I have been meaning to post this video, although I am sure that most people have already seen it on YouTube- this was an accident from quite a while ago- and I didn't even remember hearing about it. I must've been out to sea when this went down or something (or just spaced out as usual). This video is NOT funny.

U.S. Coast Guard Regularly Railroads Mariners in Court- Time for a Change

2007-06-25T22:48:00.001-07:00

Merchant Mariners involved in any kind of accident are subject to a far more harsh justice system than the rest of America. An accident on a ship these days can land the crew in jail for 'gross negligence' even if it was an honest mistake. The Coast Guard is currently being investigated for its unfair legal practices when dealing with mariners.

Most mariners will never have a serious accident in thier careers, but those that do can expect to spend a lot of time and money defending themselves in court. At the very least most mariners can expect a long suspension and fines from the USCG. Some extreme cases involve long jail sentences- but many not so extreme cases invole the slammer as well. This politician is taking up the side of professional mariners- which is great! I am glad to see a democrat looking out for the people and taking care of our maritime workforce- we are already stretched thin and taxed with union dues, license fees, and tons of crazy regulations.

One might think that the Coast Guard doesn't trust us to navigate the high seas? Well- they should really review their own records before pointing fingers and putting people in jail. I love the Coast Guard and respect their service and dedication- we all appreciate the lives that they save. However, the Coast Guard has a long history of navigation mishaps and probably should not be the governing body prosecuting mariners. Props and Kudos to Representative Elijah E. Cummings- a Baltimore Democrat. Thank you for looking out for our Merchant Marine and realizing how tough we have it in a court of law.

Exmar Shipmanagement Selects Seawave Integrator for Communications

2007-06-23T00:26:00.001-07:00

Picture from Iridium.com

Exmar Ship management will be getting it's 25 ship fleet decked out with some of the coolest technology to hit H2O. Seawave and Iridium Satellite will be providing the Integrator communications solution to the vessels. It has taken a long time for email access to make its way to deep sea vessels and Seawave and Iridium are making it happen. Seawave and Iridium have excellent technology and have done well applying it to the marine sector. If you are looking for a communications solution for your fleet or vessel, you should really take a look at what they have to offer. Looks like the crews working for exmar have it pretty good! Click the link below to read the company press release:
read more digg story

Preserving the Jones Act - Call Your Representatives

2007-06-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

This is a theme I have heard before as a solution to our current labor shortage- the government should provide temporary foreign worker 'visas' for the maritime industry. This has always been something the industry bigwigs have kicked around when labor was running low. Why pay American workers more when you can pay 3rd world workers less right? I have seen many many articles on this topic. This is precisely why we have the protections of the Jones Act.

Well, George Bush is pushing the immigration bill- the one that will allow 12million illegals stay and work and draw welfare- and he is pushing really hard since it was rejected earlier this month. This bill is going to dilute the American workforce with low wage earners. Increasing supply of labor and decreasing demand, a flood of aliens that no longer has to work under the table or worry about INS will seek better jobs. Many companies are salivating at that prospect.

I think that the Labor Unions to include the MM&P and every other AFL-CIO member union are doing their membership a diservice by promoting this sort of initiative because it is going to lower the bar for their membership. Suddenly shipping companies will be able to hire cheap immigrant labor when they are given the proposed 'Z visas'. Guess what jobs will be on the chopping block? The ones that Americans aren't willing to do- like going to sea? Ordinary seamen and AB's will be first- then we will see the licensed crew positions taken over as well. It may happen slowly- but it is going to happen if this bill goes through. I heard that the house GOP has introduced a new 'tough' bill today- but I will believe it when I see it (which I haven't).

My advice to anyone who wants to keep American jobs safe-- Go read the bill- it is huge and 70% sounds okay- but 30% is garbage that we can't allow. Like letting illegal aliens that have commited crimes stay in the country and obtain the Z-visas. This is just one of many problems that must be solved. At this point it would be best to oppose this bill outright to keep your birthright safe- and ensure a future for your children.

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The USS Stennis was home to a meeting of the maritime officials and business leaders to explain the role of the Combined Task Force and how it is essential that they work together with the maritime communities to keep trade free and open to all merchant vessels from all nations.
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Stennis Hosts Maritime Law Symposium Military.com - USAAboard USS John C. Stennis -- Combined Task Force (CTF) 152 hosted a maritime law symposium aboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) for business leaders while ...See all stories on this topic