Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Bryant’s Maritime Blog–9 November 2011

Headlines: Bering Strait – Port Access Route Study; MARAD – Buy America Waiver; DOT – passenger vessel ADA rules; effective dates; BOEMRE – commercial leasing for wind power on Maryland OCS; Mexico – cruise ship disabled following engine room fire; Seattle – oil spill response drill; Somalia – two hijacked vessels released by pirates; Somalia – pirated vessel attacks warship; and Great Lakes Storm of 1913.

November 9, 2010

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Bryant’s Maritime Consulting - 4845 SW 91st Way - Gainesville, FL 32608-8135 - USA

Tel: 1-352-692-5493 – Email: dennis.l.bryant@gmail.com – Internet: http://brymar-consulting.com

Note: This blog is one section of the Bryant’s Maritime Consulting website. Visit the site for more extensive maritime regulatory information. Individual concerns may be addressed by retaining Dennis Bryant directly. Much of the highlighted text in this newsletter constitutes links to Internet sites providing more detailed information. Links on this page may be in PDF format, requiring use of Adobe Acrobat Reader. Comments on these postings are encouraged and may be made by clicking the envelope that appears at the end of each posting. Be aware that the daily blog entry is a single posting, even though it contains a number of individual items. He who is lost, hesitates.

Bering Strait – Port Access Route Study

clip_image004 The US Coast Guard issued a notice stating that it is conducting a Port Access Route Study (PAWS) to evaluate the current vessel routing measures and determine the need for modifications regarding the Bering Strait. Comments on this issue should be submitted by May 9, 2011. The results of the study may lead to future rulemaking or appropriate international agreements. 75 Fed. Reg. 68568 (November 8, 2010).

MARAD – Buy America Waiver

clip_image006 The Maritime Administration (MARAD) issued a notice stating that it has made a preliminary finding that a Buy America waiver is appropriate for purchase of foreign mobile harbor cranes under the Federal-aid/American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) for the Port of Searsport, the Port of Stockton, the Port of West Sacramento, and the Port of Davisville. Comments on this finding should be submitted within fifteen days. 75 Fed. Reg. 68661 (November 8, 2010).

DOT – passenger vessel ADA rules; effective dates

clip_image008 The Department of Transportation (DOT) has modified the effective dates of certain provisions of its July 6 rulemaking concerning the application of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to passenger vessels. The effective date for the provision relating to ensuring that passengers with disabilities are able to use accessible cabins (49 CFR § 39.39) has been stayed through January 3, 2012. The effective date for the remainder of Part 39 has been stayed through January 3, 2011. These changes are intended to make the DOT rules consistent with those promulgated by the Department of Justice. 75 Fed. Reg. 68467 (November 8, 2010).

BOEMRE – commercial leasing for wind power on Maryland OCS

clip_image010 The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE) issued a notice inviting submissions describing interest in obtaining one or more commercial leases for construction of a wind energy project(s) on the outer continental shelf (OCS) offshore Maryland. Submissions must be received by January 10, 2011. 75 Fed. Reg. 68824 (November 9, 2010).

Mexico – cruise ship disabled following engine room fire

clip_image004[1] clip_image012 The US Coast Guard issued a news release stating that it, the Mexican Navy, and a container ship are responding to a cruise ship that is disabled off the coast of Baja California following an engine room fire. The fire has been extinguished, but the ship has no propulsion. There are 3,299 passengers and 1,167 crew members on board. (11/8/10).

Seattle – oil spill response drill

clip_image004[2] clip_image014 clip_image016 clip_image018 The US Coast Guard issued a news release stating that it, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Washington Department of Ecology, and private stakeholders will conduct a drill on Lake Washington on November 9 testing their spill response equipment’s compatibility with the USACE vessel Puget. (11/8/10).

Somalia – two hijacked vessels released by pirates

clip_image020 The EU NAVFOR issued press releases stating that pirates have released the crude oil tanker Samho Dream, hijacked on April 4, and the chemical tanker Golden Blessing, hijacked on June 28. (11/7/10). Note: Unofficial reports indicate that the ransoms paid for release of these two vessels were $9 million and $7 million respectively, establishing new highs for this international crime.

Somalia – pirated vessel attacks warship

clip_image021 The EU NAVFOR issued a press release stating that pirates off the coast of Somalia used the previously-hijacked vessel Izumi to attack the warship SPS Infanta Cristina. The warship was escorting a cargo ship bringing supplies to the African Union Military Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The pirates quickly broke off the attack when they realized their error. (11/8/10).

Great Lakes storm of 1913

clip_image023 In early November, 1913, a blizzard struck the US Midwest and the Canadian province of Ontario. The Great Lakes storm of 1913 reached its highest intensity on November 9. A total of 19 ships were sunk and another 19 were stranded on Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie. Cargo losses were in excess of 68,300 tons and were valued at over a million dollars. More than 280 mariners lost their lives in the most destructive natural disaster to ever strike the Great Lakes.

If you have questions regarding the above items, please contact the editor:

Dennis L. Bryant

Bryant’s Maritime Consulting

4845 SW 91st Way
Gainesville, FL 32608-8135

USA

1-352-692-5493
dennis.l.bryant@gmail.com

http://brymar-consulting.com

© Dennis L. Bryant – November 2010

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