Bryant's Maritime Blog: Bryant’s Maritime Blog

Headlines: DHS – global trusted shipper program; DOJ – crewman sentenced for murder on the high seas; USCG – Great Lakes Maritime Strategy; BOEMRE – comments sought on deepwater drilling EA; BOEMRE – response to natural gas leak in Gulf of Mexico; Louisiana – orphan anchors to be retrieved; Columbia River – response to oil release from derelict barge; Senate – hearing on Gulf Coast Recovery; House – bill introduced on recovery of Gulf States; House – bill introduced re payment of full costs of offshore oil spills; House – bill introduced to implement National Commission recommendations; House – bill introduced re offshore whistleblower protections; Senate – bill introduced to research Arctic oil spills; Senate – bill introduced to study offshore oil spills; Senate – bill introduced re sharing of revenues from Arctic OCS; Senate – bill introduced re payment of full costs of oil spills; Senate – bill introduced re payment of full costs of oil spills; California – diesel emissions reduction program; IMO & EU – meeting re environmental issues; India – suspected pirate vessels disrupted; Somalia – pirates release fishing vessel; and DOD – piracy challenges maritime security off Somalia.

January 31, 2011

Bryant’s Maritime Blog
Bryant’s Maritime Consulting - 4845 SW 91^st 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. Keep misbehaving.

DHS – global trusted shipper program

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a news release stating that Secretary Janet Napolitano met in London with IMO Secretary-General Efthimios Mitropoulos and other stakeholders to discuss the methods to collectively strengthen the global supply chain. (1/28/11).

DOJ – crewman sentenced for murder on the high seas

The Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a news release stating that a former crewman on a fishing boat has been sentenced to 78 months in prison to be followed by three years supervised release after being convicted of murdering the master during a heated argument. At the time, the vessel was in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 18 miles off the coast of Louisiana. (1/20/11).

USCG – Great Lakes Maritime Strategy

The Ninth Coast Guard District, headquartered in Cleveland, released its Great Lakes Maritime Strategy. The strategy describes a five-year vision for mission execution and partnership for maritime issues on the Great Lakes of North America and their connecting waterways. (1/28/11).

BOEMRE – comments sought on deepwater drilling EA

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE), issued a news release stating that it is seeking public comment on the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the first Exploration Plan (EP) for deepwater activity in the Gulf of Mexico completed in accordance with the new safety and environmental standards. The Supplemental EP, submitted by Shell Offshore, includes three proposed exploratory wells in approximately 2,950 feet water depth approximately 130 miles off the coast of Louisiana. Comments should be submitted within ten days. (1/28/11).

BOEMRE – response to natural gas leak in Gulf of Mexico

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE) issued a news release stating that it is overseeing the response to a natural gas leak from an out-of-production rig in shallow water off the coast of Louisiana. (1/27/11).

Louisiana – orphan anchors to be retrieved

The Unified Command issued a news release stating that BP gas been directed to begin the first of a three-phase program to retrieve orphan anchors in Louisiana waters. The small anchors were deployed to keep oil response boom in place during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Many of these anchors were left behind when the boom was removed. (1/27/11).

Columbia River – response to oil release from derelict barge

The US Coast Guard issued a news release stating that it and other stakeholders are responding to an oil release from a derelict barge partially sunk on the north bank of the Columbia River upstream from Vancouver, Washington. (1/27/11).

Senate – hearing on Gulf Coast Recovery

The Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs conducted an oversight hearing on Gulf Coast Recovery. (1/27/11).

House – bill introduced re recovery of Gulf States

Representative Castor (D-FL) introduced a bill (H.R. 480) to establish programs to aid in the economic, environmental, and public health recovery of the Gulf States from the damage and harm caused by the blowout of the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon and the resulting degradation of the Gulf over time, and for other purposes. Official text of the bill has not yet been posted. (1/26/11).

House – bill introduced re payment of full costs of offshore oil spills

Representative Holt (D-NJ) introduced a bill (H.R. 492) to amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to require responsible parties to pay the full cost of offshore oil spills, and for other purposes. Official text of the bill has not yet been posted. (1/26/11).

House – bill introduced to implement National Commission recommendations

Representative Markey (D-MA) introduced a bill (H.R. 501) to provide for the implementation of the recommendations of the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling, and for other purposes. Official text of the bill has not yet been posted. (1/26/11).

House – bill introduced re offshore whistleblower protections

Representative Miller (D-CA) introduced a bill (H.R. 503) to provide whistleblower protections to certain workers in the offshore oil and gas industry. Official text of the bill has not yet been posted. (1/26/11).

Senate – bill introduced to research Arctic oil spills

Senator Begich (D-AK) introduced a bill (S. 203) to direct the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to institute research into the special circumstances associated with oil spill prevention and response in Arctic waters, including assessment of impacts on Arctic marine mammals and other wildlife, marine debris research and removal, and risk assessment, and for other purposes. Official text of the bill has not yet been posted. (1/26/11).

Senate – bill introduced to study offshore oil spills

Senator Begich (D-AK) introduced a bill (S. 204) to amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to permit funds in the Oil Spill Liability Trust to be used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Coast Guard, and other Federal agencies for certain research, prevention, and response capabilities with respect to discharges of oil, for environmental studies, and for grant programs to communities affected by oil spills on the outer Continental Shelf, and to provide funding for such uses and for other purposes. Official text of the bill has not yet been posted. (1/26/11).

Senate – bill introduced re sharing of revenues from Arctic OCS

Senator Begich (D-AK) introduced a bill (S. 205) to amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to require that oil produced from Federal leases in certain Arctic waters be transported by pipeline to onshore facilities and to provide for the sharing of certain outer Continental Shelf revenues from areas in the Alaska Adjacent Zone. Official text of the bill has not yet been posted. (1/26/11).

Senate – bill introduced re payment of full costs of oil spills

Senator Menendez (D-NJ) introduced a bill (S. 214) to amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to require oil polluters to pay the full cost of oil spills, and for other purposes. Official text of the bill has not yet been posted. (1/27/11).

Senate – bill introduced re payment of full costs of oil spills

Senator Menendez (D-NJ) introduced a bill (S. 215) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require oil polluters to pay the full cost of oil spills, and for other purposes. Official text of the bill has not yet been posted. (1/27/11).

California – diesel emissions reduction program

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) issued a news release stating that its Goods Movement Emission Reduction Program has reduced emissions from diesel engines on trade routes in the state, including in and around the ports. (1/24/11)

IMO & EU – meeting on environmental issues

The IMO issued a news release stating that IMO Secretary-General Efthimios Mitropoulos and European Commissioner for the Environment Janez Potočnik met in London on January 27 to discuss issues of mutual concern. Among the topics discussed were air emissions from ships, ballast water management, and ship recycling. (1/28/11).

India – suspected pirate vessels disrupted

The Indian Ministry of Defence issued a press release stating that a Coast Guard patrol aircraft operating west of the Lakshadweep Islands located two suspicious skiffs and an apparent mother vessel. The aircraft descended and passed low over the vessels, which departed the area. Anti-piracy patrols and surveillance in the East Arabian Sea will continue in order to assure merchant vessels using international sea lanes of their security. (1/28/11).

Somalia – pirates release fishing vessel

The EU NAVFOR issued a press release stating that pirates have released the fishing vessel Tai Yuan 227. The vessel had been hijacked on 6 May 2010 in the Indian Ocean approximately 700 nautical miles northeast of the Seychelles. There are indications that pirates have used the fishing vessel as a mothership in recent assaults. (1/28/11).

DOD – piracy challenges maritime security off Somalia

The Department of Defense issued a news article stating that piracy off the coast of Somalia presents a challenge to maritime security throughout the Indian Ocean. The pirates are using larger vessels as motherships, allowing them to operate at extended ranges. Forces in the region have not been using the same level of rigor and discipline in responding to piracy has they have in responding to terrorism. More intensive investigation of financing for pirate activities, equipment, relationships, and supplies is necessary to reduce this threat. (1/26/11).