Uscg News

The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, and the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) in New London, Connecticut, have signed a comprehensive memorandum of understanding (MOU) to team up on addressing critical technology challenges in national defense and maritime security.The MOU builds on a previous agreement signed in 2019, broadening and specifying more precisely the scope of collaboration between APL and RDC. It outlines plans for collaboration on initiatives in areas such as additive manufacturing…

Eastern Shipbuilding Group hosted the keel laying ceremony for the U.S. Coast Guard’s future Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC), USCGC Ingham (WMSM-917), the third vessel in the new Heritage Class built at the Nelson Street facility. The presiding official for the U.S. Coast Guard was Rear Admiral Chad L. Jacoby, Director of Acquisition Programs & Program Executive Officer (CG-93). Congressman Neal Dunn (FL – 2nd District) was the senior official in attendance."Today marks another pivotal…

HII christened Legend-class national security cutter Calhoun on Saturday at its Ingalls Shipbuilding division.Calhoun (WMSL 759) is named to honor Charles L. Calhoun, the first master chief petty officer of the U.S. Coast Guard. Calhoun served in the U.S. Navy for three years during World War II and was honorably discharged in 1946 as a torpedoman second class. He enlisted in the Coast Guard that same year and held varying positions of leadership over the course of his career.“Today’s…

The University of Houston’s College of Technology will host the 12th Annual Maritime Risk Symposium (MRS 2021), in collaboration with the National Academy of Sciences, from November 2-4, 2021, at the at the University of Houston’s Student Center-South.The Maritime Risk Symposium is an annual three-day conference in which government and maritime industry leaders, port representatives, researchers, and solution providers convene to examine current and emerging threats to maritime security.

In my May 2020 MREN USS Enterprise column I made a reference to the benefits of titanium as a hull structural material.It related to the life of the USCG cutter Bear and I concluded the column with a suggestion that titanium would be a particularly useful and cost-effective structural material for sail training vessels, aircraft carriers, research vessels, cruise vessels, tugs and Staten Island ferries. I made this suggestion assuming that the hull design (shape) would have to be mature…

Fairbanks Morse, a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management, has acquired Ward Leonard Operating, LLC, a provider of motor and control solutions for military applications. This acquisition will expand the scope of power and propulsion equipment and aftermarket services that Fairbanks Morse provides to its core customers, including the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and the Canadian Coast Guard."The acquisition of Ward Leonard expands the Fairbanks Morse product portfolio into complementary technologies, positioning us to serve as a power systems integrator to the U.S. Navy and U.S.

While work on maritime autonomy has proceeded at speed globally, a pair of U.S. companies – Metal Shark and Sea Machines – have jumped to the fore in delivering solutions that have evolved from the research & development department to work on the waterways.When talk turns to “autonomy” in the maritime sector there are more questions than answers. It is generally agreed that the technology is ahead of both legislation and business concerns, such as insurance. It is also generally agreed that short…

Vestdavit won a tender with Pascagoula, Miss. shipbuilder Halter Marine to supply marine davits for the U.S. Coast Guard’s new Polar Security Cutter (PSC). The 460-foot vessel will support U.S. operations in Arctic and Antarctic waters.Two HNFE-5000 davit systems from Vestdavit will launch and recover the Coast Guard’s ‘Over the Horizon’ rigid-hull inflatable boat, designed to intercept fast and non-compliant vessels, from the PSC’s enclosed bay. The lead PSC is scheduled to be delivered to the Coast Guard in 2024.“The PSC is a robust…

The Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) teamed up with Coast Guard Cutter Campbell’s crew this summer to evaluate five technologies as part of the RDC’s annual Arctic Technology Evaluation. The Campbell crew conducted the evaluations during their two-month deployment supporting joint Arctic operations off Greenland’s western coast, returning to their Kittery, Maine, homeport on Sept. 29, 2020.“Testing various technologies by cutter crews for operation in cold and Arctic environments provides highlights on what works and what may need improvement…

Unique among the nation’s armed services, the Coast Guard’s missions include national defense, law enforcement, natural disaster incident management, recreational boating safety and environmental protection. This diversity of mission scope presents opportunities for the Coast Guard at the strategic, operational and tactical levels as the service works to make their efforts as effective and efficient as possible.Contributing to the service’s overall execution effort is the Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC), based in New London, Connecticut.

The National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) made this announcement regarding changes to its operations in light of the growing COVID-19 threat:The National Vessel Documentation Center (NVDC) is closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and, as the situation evolves, is prepared to adjust operations accordingly. During this time of heightened concern, and in response to recommendations from the CDC regarding precautionary measures to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the NVDC will be suspending walk-in customer service until further notice.Customers are reminded that there are several options available for submitting applications and amplifying documentation; via e-mail (.pdf filing), fax, and USPS.

W&O won a subcontract from Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) for the United States Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPC), Coast Guard Cutter ARGUS (WMSM-915), and the long lead time materials for Coast Guard Cutter CHASE (WMSM-916). W&O was selected as the major supplier of valves on board this new ship class.The Offshore Patrol Cutter is the U.S. Coast Guard’s largest shipbuilding program. The U.S. Coast Guard’s current contract calls for Eastern Shipbuilding Group to build up to 9 OPC’s to replace the medium endurance cutters.The new Offshore Patrol Cutters will be built at Eastern Shipbuilding Group’s facility in Panama City, Florida. Construction activities began in 2018.

On August 18, 1990, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) was enacted into law. Section 4202 of that Act amended the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA or Clean Water Act) to require tank vessels and marine transportation-related facilities to prepare and submit to the US Coast Guard plans for responding, to the maximum extent practicable, to a worse case discharge, and to a substantial threat of such a discharge, of oil or a hazardous substance carried in bulk as cargo.

The US Coast Guard issued a bulletin stating that it has reconsidered its previous interpretation of ‘next scheduled drydocking’ with respect to ballast water management system (BWMS) compliance dates. Due to drydock slippage, the Coast Guard has determined that existing extensions with a compliance date stipulated as the ‘first scheduled drydock after (date)’ will not be affected by circumstances such as drydocking for emergency purposes or to install an exhaust gas cleaning system (scrubber) that did not involve a statutory out-of-the-water survey. (3/11/19) [http://mariners.coastguard.dodlive.mil/2019/03/11/3-11-2019-ballast-water-compliance-date-extensions-next-scheduled-drydock/].(Source: Bryant's Maritime News)

Crew members from Coast Guard Station New London rescued two people after they abandoned their sinking fishing vessel near Fishers Island, New York, Sunday morning.At approximately 7:30 a.m., watch standers at Sector Long Island Sound received a radio call from the crew of a 55-foot commercial fishing vessel stating their boat was taking on water in one of their fish holds.The command center issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched a Coast Guard Station Montauk…

CLEVELAND — The U.S. Coast Guard and local agencies rescued 46 ice fishermen from an ice floe that broke free near Catawaba Island, Saturday.An additional estimated 100 people were able to self-rescue themselves from the ice floe either by swimming or walking on ice-bridges that were still connected to the floe initially.At 8:13 a.m., Coast Guard Station Marblehead received notification from an Ohio Department of Natural Resources representative that there were approximately 100 people stranded on an ice floe and that there were an additional 30 to 40 people in the water.

The U.S. Coast Guard’s mission of keeping the seas safe will soon get an additional boost from space with two polar satellites. The two satellites, called “cube satellites” or “cubesats” for their small size of about 60 square centimeters, or a little under 2 feet, will be part of a payload on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California Nov. 28. Although the Coast Guard has used satellite technology for years, these two are the first to be entirely dedicated to a Coast Guard mission. The initiative is part of the U.S.

Royal Caribbean International chose Optimarin to provide its USCG compliant Optimarin Ballast System (OBS) for three flagship vessels. Optimarin has now retrofitted its BWMS tech on Independence of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas, with installation on Grandeur of the Seas set for Q1 2019.Optimarin has now sold approximately 700 OBS units, with more than 500 installed and operational, of which approximately 250 are retrofits.Alongside full IMO and USCG compliance, OBS has certification from a comprehensive range of classification organizations, including ABS, BV, DNV-GL, LR & MLIT Japan.

Optimarin received an order for 10 retrofitted Ballast Water Management Systems from Höegh Autoliners.The contract follows previous individual orders over the past two years, with the USCG approved, UV-based technology now set to be on-board 15 ships within the firm’s advanced RoRo fleet.The order follows less than a month after the Norwegian-headquartered supplier signed one of its biggest contracts to date, for the delivery of 36 systems to Ardmore Shipping. Optimarin has now sold well over 650 systems, with more than 500 installed and operational.

Marine Safety Center issues Ballast Water Management System Type Approval Certificate to Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.The Marine Safety Center issued the 11th U.S. Coast Guard Ballast Water Management System Type Approval Certificate to Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., after a detailed review of the manufacturer’s type approval application determined the system met the requirements of 46 CFR 162.060.The treatment principle of the HiBallast BWMS consists of filtration with electrolysis during uptake and neutralization during discharge. This approval covers models with maximum treatment rated capacities between 75 m3/h and 10,000…

The Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Natonal Center of Expertise, industry experts provide technical training for future LNG fueled vessel inspectors.The Coast Guard’s Liquefied Gas Carrier National Center of Expertise (LGC NCOE) partnered with Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville to coordinate a four-day “LNG as Fuel Workshop” Sept. 17-20, 2018, for future inspectors of LNG fueled vessels, with support from industry experts and the Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Center.Together, this team of LNG as fuel specialists provided Coast Guard marine inspectors from across the U.S.