[By J. Edwin Nieves, public affairs officer, Coast Guard Auxiliary Division 6]
In the early days of World War II, demand skyrocketed for vessels to fill the needs of the U.S. sea services. The Coast Guard was no exception as they competed with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army for new construction as well as privately owned ships. Facing a high demand for vessels, the service turned to the U.S. fishing industry as a source for its cutters. These emergency acquisitions included East Coast trawlers, whalers from both coasts, and East Coast menhaden fishing vessels, such as the Emergency Manning vessel Dow (WYP 353).
During World War I and World War II, the menhaden fishing fleet became a ready reserve for the Navy and Coast Guard. Both services needed small, shallow draft vessels for coastal convoy escort, mine planting, minesweeping, and anti-submarine net tending duty. Many of these vessels were purchased or leased, while others were loaned to naval forces by fishing businesses as their contribution to the war effort.
Menhaden fishing vessels were designed to harvest schools of small fish in coastal waters, primarily in the Chesapeake Bay. Their very long and narrow design sported a distinctive plumb bow, elevated pilot house to spot large fish schools, a center hold to store the catch and low freeboard to haul full fishing nets on board the vessel. The ungainly design of these vessels was well suited to harvesting large quantities of fish in sheltered waters, but not high seas combat operations.
The Coast Guard patrol vessel EM Dow, formerly the Menhaden-type fishing vessel Annie Dow, was a wartime acquisition under charter (lease) by the Coast Guard. Vessels like the Dow were given the prefix “EM” for “Emergency Manning.” In preparation for military service, these fishing vessels were armed with one or two one-pound cannons fore and aft. This addition usually required sections of iron plating on the deck, which added to the pilothouse and parts of the superstructure for crew protection. Additional communications gear and combat equipment contributed to making the cutter top heavy. These additions had a negative impact on the stability and sea-keeping qualities of these would be fighting vessels. In World War I, the USS James, a menhaden fisherman converted to Navy minesweeper, capsized in a gale off the French Coast.
The Dow was 134 feet in length, nearly 22 feet wide with a draft of 11 feet—typical dimensions for a menhaden fisherman. After conversion to military service, Dow’s gross tonnage increased to over 240 tons with a complement of 37 officers and men.
In June 1943, EM Dow entered Coast Guard service at the Baltimore Naval Shipyard under the command of Lt.j.g. Edward Doten. The Navy assigned EM Dow to the Eastern Sea Frontier based in Norfolk, Virginia. Soon after entering service, the ungainly cutter was re-assigned to duty as part of the Navy’s Caribbean Sea Frontier. Late in the summer of 1943, it traveled down the East Coast, crossed The Bahamas island chain and arrived at its new homeport of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
From San Juan, the Navy assigned Dow to patrol the western coast of Puerto Rico. The cutter focused mainly on the approaches to the port of Mayaguez and the Mona Channel, an important commercial waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Sea. The Dow performed anti-submarine patrols and escorted commercial vessels in coastal Caribbean oil and bauxite convoys. It also provided search and rescue support for the U.S. Army Air Corps’ Ramey Field in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, current site of the Coast Guard’s Borinquen Air Station.
Early in October 1943, a tropical storm began brewing along the equator to the southeast of Puerto Rico. Later know as Hurricane San Calixto, the storm reached Category 2 strength on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale and began swirling to the northwest toward the Windward Passage.
Early on Oct. 13, 1943, the Dow received orders to proceed south of Mona Island to meet the Coast Guard Cutter Marion. Had the local naval command understood the seriousness of the weather conditions, the mission might have been aborted. The weather quickly deteriorated as the Dow headed on a collision course with the storm’s path. As the Dow closed with the hurricane, Doten ordered a series of maneuvers and course changes to avoid the heavy seas, but later altered course to steer the old fishing vessel’s high bow directly into the towering waves.
The vessel’s narrow beam and low freeboard were no match for the hurricane’s high winds and heavy seas and by the afternoon of next day, the Dow began taking on water. First the cutter lost electricity and radio communications and then its engines failed. After using a hand-held blinker to signal the Marion that he was taking on water and in need of assistance, Doten gave the order to abandon ship. The Dow was abandoned about a quarter mile south of Punta Higueros, Puerto Rico, before winds and heavy seas ran it aground. All of Dow’s 37 crewmembers were ferried to the safety of the Marion.
In 1996, the Naval Historical Center conducted a survey to identify wreck sites in Puerto Rico. It located a wreck in northwest Puerto Rico directly across from Punta Higueros on the eastern shore of Desecheo Island. The wreck lies in 30 feet of water in an area known locally as “Tornado Cave.” Further research into this site could confirm the wreck’s identity and whether or not it is the Dow. A search through several databases, including Puerto Rican newspapers has not identified any other maritime accidents in that location.
Although records indicate that the Coast Guard sold EM Dow’s submerged hull to a local salver in 1948 for fittings and usable equipment, location of the vessel’s final resting place remains unconfirmed. Regardless of its exact location, the fishing vessel and Coast Guard cutter builders would never have imagined the Dow would meet its fate so far from its Chesapeake Bay home.
Marine research organization ProMare, which organized the aborted effort to make an unmanned Atlantic crossing with the Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS400) released the first details of the voyage and the fault that caused them to scrub the mission after just three days. They said that repairs were ongoing on the vessel and that testing would soon begin before they scheduled a new attempt at the crewless research voyage.
The Mayflower departed the UK on June 15, and during its three days of operations, the vessel cruised at an average speed of seven knots covering a distance of 450 nautical miles in a west-southwest direction. During this time the ship performed well and demonstrated its ability to handle ocean conditions according to ProMare.
The IBM-sponsored autonomous vessel prototype however developed a “glitch with the ship’s hybrid propulsion system” that resulted in a loss of full power and speed. Following a remote assessment, ProMare’s support team determined that it was likely due to a mechanical issue with the ship’s generator that was not possible to repair without human intervention. A command was issued to the vessel’s systems to turn around and head back to the UK.
The vessel was able to travel for an additional 30 hours before its speed was reduced to around three knots. The MAS400 then automatically went into a mode to conserve enough power for its communication and video systems. A support boat reached the unmanned vessel on June 19 and attached a tow line to begin the recovery process.
Once back at base, ProMare said that it determined that the issue had been caused by a fracture in the flexible metal coupling between the ship’s generator and exhaust system. MAS400 uses solar panels to draw energy from the sun. An onboard generator switches on automatically to top up the battery when required. Following the fracturing of the coupling, MAS400 had to rely solely on solar power, but the bad weather and rough seas at the time meant that MAS400 did not generate enough solar power to continue its journey.
MAS400 is currently in dry dock in Turnchapel Wharf, Plymouth, UK undergoing a thorough inspection and repair. The generator has been removed and a replacement ordered. ProMare is performing a redesign of the coupling and is also taking the opportunity to upgrade some of the edge computing devices to increase the onboard processing power.
“Despite the setback, we’ve learned a lot and we’re more encouraged than ever that the Mayflower will safely navigate the world’s oceans in the near future,” said Brett Phaneuf, Director of the Mayflower Autonomous Ship Project.
The team highlighted the results of the first voyage saying that they were able to successfully monitor the operation of Mayflower and the supporting software. Based on IBM Automation software, the AI Captain demonstrated its ability to correctly assess the current environment, identify and avoid hazards and maintain situational awareness using the ship’s edge computing capabilities. Significantly, the distributed nature of the software allowed hotfix updates to address the shifting needs of the control software during the recovery effort.
The ship’s science experiments and live streaming of video and data from the ship also performed well for the time they were operational. The MAS400.com web portal displayed live video and data to over 40 thousand followers during the days of the Atlantic crossing attempt.
ProMare said it aims to have MAS400 back in the water in the next few weeks. Following tests and long-range trials, the team will make a decision about the ship’s next missions and the timing of next Atlantic crossing attempt.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reports that it has detained a Ukrainian citizen on charges of sea piracy, making him the first citizen to be brought up on charges of being a modern-day pirate. The unnamed male suspect was captured by the SBU after returning to Ukraine and attempting to hide his identity.
The strange story begins when the man was assigned to work as a security guard aboard a vessel sailing in the Indian Ocean. He was employed by an international security firm that contracted with the ship’s owner to provide security while sailing in dangerous regions of the globe.
However, instead of performing his duties as a security guard, the Ukrainian authorities reported that he took a gun from his employer’s office on the vessel and seized the ship. He held the captain of the unnamed vessel at gunpoint and demanded $500,000. He ordered the crew to alter course.
Negotiations ensued over the next four days before representatives of the shipping company were able to persuade the individual to surrender his weapon. They reportedly paid the individual $6,000 to release the captain and permit the vessel to proceed on its route.
Technology found on the suspect during the raid along with a large amount of US currency (SBU photos)
The story, however, does not end there. Unsatisfied with the solution, the individual then seized additional weapons from the office on the ship and threatened to throw the security company’s property overboard unless he was given $100,000. The company reportedly refused to pay and the man began throwing things overboard before he was overpowered by the crew.
Apparently from the reports of the SBU, the man was not detained because the events happened in international waters and after leaving the vessel, he made his way back to Ukraine. The security forces said after arriving in his homeland he changed his passports and place of residence serval times using an alias and fake papers.
The SBU apprehended the man in the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Mykolaiv during a “special operation.” The police displayed some of the technology and cash found during the raid. He was taken into custody and is being brought before a court on charges of using violence, robbery, or other hostile actions against the crew of a seagoing vessel. An investigation is being conducted by SBU investigators working along with the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
The spread of new variants of COVID-19 and the resurgence of the virus, especially in parts of Asia, is leading to a new round of restrictions that will impact crew changes and cruise ships. Starting today, July 22, Singapore reintroduced strict restrictions in an effort to contain the latest wave of the virus with other countries in the region following suit.
Singapore’s latest restrictions supersede rules issued only three days earlier and now expect to continue for at least a month. Residents are being limited with social gatherings of no more than two people and events are canceled or limited in size. Among the services that are being restricted, there is no dine-in food and beverage service or indoor exercise classes and other services which require removing masks. Work from home is strongly encouraged.
The restrictions are also being extended to the two cruise ships, the World Dream operated by Genting’s Dream Cruises and Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum of the Seas. In mid-June, both cruise ships had been permitted to increase to a maximum of 50 percent capacity after the last restrictions were lifted, but the limit is now again being lowered to a maximum of 25 percent of capacity. Similar to onshore, food and beverage is restricted to cabin service or take away from the restaurants with additional limits on the capacity in the entertainment and activity centers.
While the two cruise ships expect to again continue to operate through the latest round of restrictions in Singapore, Port Klang Authority GM Capt. K Subramaniam told The Malaysian Reserve newspaper that it was not possible to proceed with the plan to operate cruises in the Malacca Strait due to the resurgence of the virus. The port official said that Penang and Selangor are struggling to keep their Covid-19 case numbers down. He said it is uncertain when the cruises can begin.
In March, Genting Cruise Lines announced that had been given permission to start one and two-night cruises from Penang for Malaysians. The plan was to follow a similar routine to that in Singapore limiting the cruise operations but providing the opportunity for citizens to travel. The cruise line positioned its cruise ship the Star Pisces at Port Klang in anticipation of starting these cruises.
Similarly, Genting’s Dream Cruises is preparing for a resumption of cruises from Hong Kong scheduled to begin on July 30. The cruise ship Genting Dream arrived in Hong Kong at the beginning of June for a quarantine period and recently the company highlighted that its crew has been vaccinated as part of the precautions before the two- and three-night cruises begin. Royal Caribbean International is also scheduled to begin cruises from Hong Kong in the fall.
Despite the latest restrictions, both Genting and Royal Caribbean highlighted the success of their protocols aboard ship. Both lines have been operating cruises from Singapore since late 2020 with only one passenger having a confirmed case of the virus, that being last week aboard the World Dream.
Above image is used for illustration purposes only / Credit: Shutterstock
Transport Canada issued an overview of the new Vessel Safety Certificates Regulations and Canadian Vessel Plan Approval and Inspection Standard. The regulations came into force on June 23, 2021, and the standard was put in place at the same time.
Applying to all Canadian vessels and any foreign vessels in Canadian waters, the regulations specify which vessels require certification and inspection. The standard (TP15456) outlines plan submissions and inspection standards for Canadian vessels requiring a vessel safety certificate.
The new Vessel Safety Certificates Regulations update and modernize old regulations and Canada’s inspection regime. The regulations explain the vessel safety certificate requirements for all Canadian vessels and foreign vessels that operate in Canadian waters.
A Focused Inspection Campaign (FIC) on safety of navigation will take place in Australia from 1st August to 30 September 2021. The purpose of the campaign is to determine the level of compliance with the safety of navigation requirements of international Conventions, as well as the familiarity of the master and officers with their processes for ensuring safety of navigation.
Initiated by AMSA, this Focused Inspection Campaign (FIC) is specific to Australia and will apply to foreign-flagged ships and Regulated Australian Vessels (RAVs) arriving at an Australian port.
AMSA encourages ship owners and masters to familiarise themselves with the requirements of SOLAS Chapter V, Australian Marine Order 27 and their safety management systems implemented onboard,
As part of its Safety Flashes, IMCA provides lessons learned from three incidents relating to hatches and doors onboard. The first two incidents are findings from a tour of the engine room on a management inspection of a vessel and the third is an example of proper exercise of the “Stop Work Authority”.
#1: Fire door held open by wire
A fire door in the engine room was observed to be wired open – it was being kept open with a piece of wire. Investigation highlighted:
Lack of safety awareness of the crew on the fire doors’ main purpose; and
No-one challenged this unsafe condition.
IMCA notes that the deeper question as to why the door was wired open, is not dealt with here. Was it for convenience? Was it that the engine room was overheating?
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at Port of New Orleans has recently issued notice no. 21-035 to advise the maritime industry of the importance of foreign AGM-free certification inspections.
Asian Gypsy Moth (AGM) is a destructive forest pest known to spread via ocean-going vessels in international trade. The AGM season usually starts from late May to September. The AGM regions in general are Northern China, Japan, South Korea and Far East Russia. A ship that has called at a port in the regulated area during this period is considered high risk and, in general, required to obtain an AGM-free certificate at the last port of the regulated area. An AGM found on a vessel may require that the vessel be ordered into international waters, required to undergo treatment, re-inspected, or refused entry.
As such, the CBP New Orleans recommends that all vessels that called ports in AGM region during the high-risk flight season to arrive with a valid foreign AGM free certificate. This may prevent CBP from discovering AGM infestation onboard vessels in port, thus reducing the requirement for an infested vessel to be ordered removed from port for cleaning in international waters.
Captains of vessels arriving from AGM regions during the AGM high risk season are encouraged to have vessel crewmen inspect their vessels for AGM prior to arriving in the port of New Orleans,
The Port Authority of Valencia handled a total of 2.83m TEUs during the first half of 2021, up 11.65% compared to the same period in 2020 and 3.34% more than in 2019. Containerised exports grew by 27% and imports by 16% while those in transhipment grew by 4.4% compared to the same period in 2020.
Ro-ro traffic was 6,314,320 units, 16.85% more than in 2020 but 7% down compared to 2019.
In June 2021, total freight traffic was up 11.11% compared to 2019 and 20.6% compared to June 2020. Containerised cargo grew by 11.33% compared to 2019 and 23.2% compared to pandemic-hit June 2020. These data reflect the capacity of the Spanish and world economy to recover the path of growth after a year marked by a health and economic crisis.
Full containers for exports grew by 17% more than in the same month of 2019 and 35% more than in 2020. Both in June and in the year to June, all productive sectors recorded positive figures, especially strategic industries such as construction materials, agri-food and automotive.
By country, the highest traffic of full containers was with China with a total of 303,124 in the first half of the year, 27% more than in 2020, followed by the United States, with growth of 6.75% and in third place Turkey with an increase of 13%. Among the countries with the highest growth in containers, India (49%), Morocco (54%) and Italy (58%) stood out.
(Image Courtesy: INDIA LOGISTICS – https://excellenceawards.logistics.gov.in/)
Indian Government announces “The National Logistics Excellence Awards”, Arthur D. Little is the Knowledge Partner
The National Logistics Excellence Awards was announced by the Logistics Division, Union Ministry of Commerce & Industry on 19th July in partnership with Arthur D. Little as the knowledge Partner along with CII & FICCI and other eminent industry players.
The “National Logistics Excellence Awards” is to promote and appreciate excellence by industries and service providers in the logistics sector. This will also be a platform to recognize and highlight the innovation and transformation happening in the Indian logistics sector. An output of this effort will be a repository of case studies that will be a compilation of the best practices to be referred to and followed by the industry veterans.
The carefully curated award categories are extensive in order to cover every aspect of the logistics sector, which is critical for every industry and more so with the global health pandemic. There will be 32 different award categories namely:
In addition there will be the following cross categories:
The Process-
Entry Submission:
The last date for submission of entries will be 15 August 2021. Applicants are required to submit entries via duly filled online submission forms, along with supporting data, case studies and references.
Screening and Evaluation Round:
The submissions received will go through a preliminary round of elimination based on the eligibility criteria and feedback received from stakeholder references provided by applicants.
The submissions will further go through a screening process based on pre-defined evaluation parameters.
The finalists for National jury round will be declared by 19 September 2021.
National Jury Presentation Round:
The shortlisted applicants will be required to present their case submissions in front of the National Jury panel. The jury will review the finalists and determine the winners, which will be announced on 31 October 2021.
“This awards are expected to put a spotlight on the best practices in the logistics industry and applaud the phenomenal work done by user industries to climb the next step towards digital transformation and technological advancements and make India globally competitive,” said Barnik Chitran Maitra, Managing Partner & CEO, Arthur D. Little India and South Asia.”
A recent report by Arthur D. Little and the Confederation of India Industry (CII) highlights the need for immediate attention, given the high logistics cost of 14% of GDP in India compared to 8-10% of GDP in the US and Europe. Titled Reimagining India’s supply chain: A bold vision for 2030, the report, brings to light these issues and sets a promising Vision 2030 and roadmap for ensuring global competitiveness of India’s supply chain. The report was released by Mr. Pawan Kumar Agarwal, Special Secretary (Logistics Division), Government of India, at the CII National Packaging Conference earlier in December 2020.
These awards will also recognise organizations who have taken measures to address the inadequacy of resources due to the COVID-19 pandemic which the sector has suffered from. The awards hold a very high credibility being solely based on logistics and for the organizations who came out as a helping source in the current scenario.
The ‘National Logistics Excellence Awards’ will spotlight change makers driving innovation and transformation in the logistics sector in the face of many challenges, as third-party logistics players / service providers or user industries.
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