Bryant’s Maritime Blog–20 May 2011

Headlines: White House – National Maritime Day – May 22, 2011; MARAD – honoring sacrifices of merchant mariners; FMC – Mitsui O.S.K. Lines pays $1.2 million in penalties; FEMA – FY2011 Port Security Grant Program totals $235 million; Gulf of Mexico – container ship and fishing vessel collide, three missing; House – bill introduced re Northwest Straits; EC – reasoned opinions re port state control legislation; EC – reasoned opinion re customs office hours and fees; ReCAAP – report for April 2011; and UK – report on allisions by high speed craft.

May 20, 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. “It is a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” – William Shakespeare.

White House – National Maritime Day – May 22, 2011

President Barack Obama issued a Proclamation proclaiming May 22, 2011 as National Maritime Day, honoring the United States Merchant Marine and the US maritime industry, which has served the nation since its founding. (5/18/11).

MARAD – honoring sacrifices of merchant mariners

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) issued a news release stating that, during the Department of Transportation’s National Maritime Day observance, Maritime Administrator David Matsuda honored the memory of Richard Oliver Kelleher by presenting to his family six posthumous awards for his service as a US merchant mariner during World War II. Mr. Kelleher was only 19 years old when he died after the tanker SS Patrick J. Hurley was torpedoed and sunk on September 12, 1942. During World War II, the US Merchant Marine suffered the highest rate of casualties of any US service. (5/19/11).

FMC – Mitsui O.S.K. Lines pays $1.2 million in penalties

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) issued a news release stating that Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. has paid $1,200,000 in civil penalties. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) is a vessel-operating common carrier headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, that operates in the U.S.-foreign trades and globally. The compromise agreement resolved allegations that MOL violated numerous provisions of the Shipping Act through activities that included: (1) misdescription of commodities; (2) unlawful equipment substitution; (3) providing transportation services to and entering into service contracts with unlicensed, untariffed, and unbonded ocean transportation intermediaries; (4) permitting use of service contracts by persons who were not parties to those contracts; and (5) providing transportation that was not in accordance with the rates and charges set forth in MOL’s published tariffs. Commission staff alleged that these practices persisted over a period of several years and involved numerous service contracts. Under the agreement, MOL has furnished the Commission with information and substantive documentation regarding the service contracts and shipments at issue. MOL also agreed to provide ongoing cooperation with any further Commission investigations or enforcement actions with respect to these activities. (5/19/11).

FEMA – FY2011 Port Security Grant Program totals $235 million

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a Notice stating that funding for the FY2011 Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) will total $235,029,000. The PSPG provides funding for transportation infrastructure security activities to implement Area Maritime Transportation Security Plans and facility security plans among port authorities, facility operators, and state and local government agencies required to provide port security services.  Seven port areas have been selected as Group I (highest risk) and 48 port areas have been selected as Group II.  Ports not identified in Group I or II are eligible to apply as a Group III or “All Other Port Areas” applicant. There is no designated ferry appropriation.  Ferry Systems in Group I and II can apply through the designated Fiduciary Agent (FA).  All other Ferry Systems should apply with the Group III and “All Other Port Areas.” “All Other Port Areas” within Group I, II or III are allowed to receive grant funds from their geographically proximate higher group if the project has regional impact across the entire port area, but not from both funding groups for the same project. Applications must reach FEMA by June 20. FEMA also issued a press release addressing the preparedness grant program allocations for FY2011. As shown in Information Bulletin 362, the ports of New York/New Jersey, Houston-Galveston, Los Angeles-Long Beach, New Orleans, San Francisco Bay, Puget Sound, and Delaware Bay will receive the lion’s share of the grants. (5/19/11).

Gulf of Mexico – container ship and fishing vessel collide, three missing

The US Coast Guard issued a news release stating that a 660-foot container ship and a 163-foot fishing vessel collided in the Gulf of Mexico about eight miles south of Gulfport, Mississippi. The fishing vessel, which had a crew of 16, subsequently sank. Thirteen persons have been recovered. A search for the other three is ongoing. A second news release states that a safety zone has been established in the Gulfport Ship Channel to allow for safe search and rescue operations. (5/19/11).

House – bill introduced re Northwest Straits

Representative Larsen (D-WA) introduced the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization Act of 2011 (H.R. 1858) to reauthorize the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Act to promote the protection of the resources of the Northwest Straits, and for other purposes. (5/12/11).

EC – reasoned opinions re port state control legislation

The European Commission (EC) issued a press release stating that it has asked Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Poland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom to adopt national legislation to implement the new port state control regime in order to comply with EU law. (5/19/11).

EC – reasoned opinion re customs office hours and fees

The European Commission (EC) issued a press release stating that it has asked Belgium to comply with EU customs rules regarding hours of operation and to apply appropriate charges for certain operations carried out by customs officers. (5/19/11).

ReCAAP – report for April 2011

The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre issued its Report for April 2011. During the month, a total of 13 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia. Of these, eleven were actual incidents and two were attempted incidents. This was a decrease from the total number of incidents reported in April 2010 (16), but an increase from the number reported in April 2009 (8). (5/18/11).

UK – report on allisions by high speed craft

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) issued the report of its investigation of contacts made by a high speed craft with quays in Portsmouth International Port, Portsmouth, UK on 31 March 2010 and with a mooring dolphin in Le Havre, France on 29 August 2010. The two allisions highlight the difficulty in maneuvering a light-displacement, high-sided craft at slow speed in confined areas and strong winds. The incidents also point out the restricted ability of personnel on the bridge of such vessels to see objects near the vessel. Report 7/2011 (5/19/11).

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

Dennis L. Bryant

Bryant’s Maritime Consulting

4845 SW 91^st Way
Gainesville, FL 32608-8135

USA

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

http://brymar-consulting.com

© Dennis L. Bryant – May 2011

Redistribution permitted with attribution