Articles Posted in Interesting Info

“I realize it was a fake spaceship, but dangit it was a ship nonetheless and Mr. Spock served on it. Here’s to one of the great humans of our time.” Rob Almeida

Rob Almeida is Partner and Chief Marketing Officer at gCaptain Maritime & Offshore News – gcaptain.com.

Super Typhoon Nuri’s maximum winds reached 180 mph on November 2, 2014, as it roared over the Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines and south of Japan. According to the U.S. military’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Nuri has tied with Super Typhoon Vongfong for the strongest tropical cyclone of 2014, and it’s headed towards the Aleutians, the Bering Sea, and the far northern Pacific this weekend. Nuri’s winds could back off to hurricane-wind status and the forecast could change between now and Friday, so check the weather for the latest on Super Typhoon Nuri. The crab and cod fishing seasons are currently underway in the Bering Sea.

The Coast Guard Cutter Terrapin, ported in Bellingham, returned September 1st, after a patrol to help control drug trafficking from Southern Baja California. The 42-day patrol involved cooperation with both United States Customs and Border Protection, as well as the Mexican navy.
On August 21st, a boat was reported as suspicious by the partnered air patrols in the area, and the Terrapin intercepted it. Smugglers, claiming to be Mexican nationals, as well as an estimated 90 bales of marijuana totaling nearly a ton in weight, were found. Suspects, vessel, and marijuana were all turned over to the Mexican navy.
The Terrapin primarily serves Washington’s western coastline by patrolling and responding to various calls.

Federal regulators proposed new commercial fishing restrictions in the Aleutian Islands last month in an attempt to aid the declining population of the Steller sea lion. The federal Marine Fisheries Service plans to close all commercial fishing for Atka mackerel and Pacific cod around Attu, the farthest island in the Aleutian chain. It also proposed restrictions but not a complete ban for the same fish in the central islands of the chain, west of Dutch Harbor. The fisheries service stated the closures are needed to reduce the competition between fishermen and sea lions in search of food.
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On Thursday morning, Sept. 2, an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico caught fire, forcing its 13 crew members overboard into the sea. The workers who had been aboard were spotted from a helicopter, huddled together and floating in protective suits a mile from the platform. An offshore supply vessel called the Crystal Clear picked the crew members up and brought them to a nearby platform where they were later taken to land by helicopter.
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Trident Seafoods has announced the purchase of Icicle Seafoods’ surimi seafood plant in Bellingham, Washington. The sale is scheduled to close on August 16, 2010. Trident is recognized as one of the largest seafood companies in North America. The transaction is part of Trident’s plan to expand its retail presence and become more vertically integrated. Trident harvests, processes and markets a wide range of products including pollock, salmon, crab, and cod. The most recognizable surimi product consumed in the United States is artificial crab and lobster. Trident targets fisheries in the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and off the coasts of Washington and Oregon. Icicle has indicated the proceeds of the sale will be reinvested in the company.

Highland Light Seafoods, a Seattle Seafood Processor headquartered in Seattle, has agreed to pay a $135,00 penalty for violations of the Clean Water Act. The violations stem from an inspection of the 160 foot WESTWARD WIND in December of 2008 and involve multiple alleged violations over a five year period. The EPA charged that the WESTWARD WIND was not in compliance with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit (NPDES). Allegations included improper discharges of waste product, failure to maintain records, excessive discharges of waste. A Spokesman for the EPA stated that “monitoring is the cornerstone of the NPDES Program and provides real time input for the company on the effectiveness of its operation. Using monitoring to improve operations is an important step in reducing the effects of discharge on the environment.

Looking out the window of the maritime law office of Beard Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC, it was impossible to miss two of the Deadliest Catch featured crab boats tied up in front of its office. Both the ROLLO and the KODIAK have been docked at the west wall of Fisherman’s Terminal since yesterday. The west wall of Fisherman’s Terminal serves as the last stop for many Alaska fishing boats to make their final preparation before heading north to Alaska. Beard Stacey & Jacobsen’s office is located at Fisherman’s Terminal in Seattle to better serve its clients. The firm represents maritime workers of Alaska, Washington and Oregon, and you can’t do that from an office in Houston, Boston or New Orleans. Based upon 25 years of experience representing fishermen in the Pacific Northwest, the lawyers at Beard Stacey & Jacobsen understand fishermen, they know how fishing accidents happen, and they know how those accidents can be prevented. They have successfully represented thousands of clients who have been injured working aboard ships in Alaska, Washington and Oregon. They have recovered millions dollars in compensation for their clients located throughout the United States.

A Hong Kong flagged bulk carrier, LUZON STRAIT, lost engine and generator power outside the entrance to the Columbia River Bar on Thursday. The Columbia River Bar pilot on board the ship was able to safely anchor the vessel outside the shipping channel. The cause of the loss of power was unknown, but the vessel was able to troubleshoot the problem and regain power. A marine inspector has been dispatched to investigate the cause of the mechanical problem and conduct sea trials before determining whether or not the vessel can safely continue to its intended port of call in Portland, Oregon.