North Atlantic Right whales, named ‘right’ because because whaling crews found them to be the right whale to kill. They moved slowly and stayed close to the surface of the water.
The North Atlantic right whales are getting a break from some hit and run traffic at sea. Last year Canada proposed that the Roseway Bay be designated an ‘Area to Be Avoided”. June 1 through December, ships 300 tons and larger are voluntarily avoiding their regular routes in order to avoid hitting the right whales.
One container ship captain told CNN the ‘Area to Be Avoided’ only has a negligible impact on fuel consumption. It’s estimated the diversion will add less than 10 minutes to a 16-hour voyage.
The idea is voluntary, but it seems like in the first month of the new program many of the ships are bypassing the right whales paths. 52 ships avoided the area, but another 35 still passed through the new ’safe zone’. Maybe this is a good idea that will catch on.
In 2003 the the Bay of Fundy became an ATBA, area to be avoided and it reduced the risk by about 90%.
No one likes to be run over while dinning, or for that matter procreating. Both are important things for the right whale to be doing as it is estimated there are only about 350 North Atlantic right whales left in the whole world.
This is a very good idea.
Fishing rope entanglement is one more reason the North Atlantic right whales are dwindling. In 2005 an estimated 72% of them experienced a run in with fishing net, lines and ropes. This evidenced by the lasting scars. The whales can have the lines embed in them causing infections and death.
The North Atlantic right whale was hunted by New England Whalers as early as the 1600’s. Large amounts of oil from their blubber was used for fuel and they made whips and combs from their jaws. Once killed their carcasses float.
It’s been more than 100 years since they were hunted off the coasts of New England. They never made a comeback.
Photo Thanks: #1 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. #2Wildlife Trust/NOAA fisheries
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The U.S. Coast Guard reports 3 tug boats are holding up the barge that was being towed by the Mel Oliver. The river is coated with oil for 100 miles from the center of New Orleans to the Gulf of Mexico.
There is confirmation that the tugboat was being operated without a properly licensed pilot at the time of the accident.
Photo thanks: Petty Officer 2nd Class Chris Lippert
Early reports say the Coast Guard is investigating a report that crew on the tugboat Mel Oliver was unlicensed.
Safety at Sea international is reporting DRD towing tug the Mel Oliver representatives have told the Coast Guard that one crewman aboard had an apprentice mate’s license and that none of the others aboard were licensed at all.
I’ve found some information on tugboat crews.
A typical crew may consist of Deckhands, the number of which depends on the horsepower of the boat and the size of the tow. Deckhand is an entry level position. More experienced deckhands may pickup a tankerman certification.
Engineer. Each boat has a single, assigned engineer who is always certificated as a tnakerman. Engineer is an unlicensed position.
Tankerman. By regulation, the loading and offloading of a tankbarge with a flammable, liquid cargo must be supervised by an individual certificated by the Coast Guard as a tankerman. Some tankermen are contract employees (not a member of the crew) to load and offload a barge.
Pilot. Each boat has one pilot which IS a licensed position. The Pilot shares navigation responsibilities with the Master.
Master. Each boat has one master which IS a licensed position. The Master shares navigation responsibilities with the Pilot and has overall managerial responsibility for the boat.
On the Mississippi River there is the navigable portion of the Upper Mississippi (UMR) the Lower Mississippi (LMR) and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GICW) which is approximately New Orleans to Galveston.
The maximum size of a tow is determined by the dimensions of lock chambers it must pass through. Locks limit tows, typically, to 6 barges on the Upper Mississippi.
There are no locks on the Lower Mississippi. Tows on the Lower Mississippi could be as many as 40 barges lashed together.
The GICW, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway between New Orleans and Galveston is constricted in many locations and the typical tow does not exceed 3 barges.
It turns out American Commercial lines Inc., that’s the company that owns the barge that is hemorrhaging 420,000 gallons of tar-like No. 6 fuel oil into the Mississippi, is in a ‘distinctly unique position’ to deal with just such an event!
In April 2008 American Lines Inc. acquired the final 70% Summit Contracting, LLC. They already owned 30% of Summit since May 2007.
Diving into a huge helping of irony, It turns out Summit’s expertise happens to be in environmental services.
What kind of ‘environmental services’?
Summit offers emergency response and environmental remediation among other services. When accidents such as this one threaten the environment Summit may have been one of the companies called in to contain, and cleanup the mess.
Environmental remediation will certainly be among the services needed to clean up the accident American Commercial Lines was involved with this day. The Founder of Summit Contracting who had an environmental services and civil engineering background was to stay on and lead Summit as a subsidiary of American Commercial Lines.
In a press statement American Commercial Lines Inc. said the Acquisition of Summit “Uniquely Positions ACL to Serve Chemical and Energy Companies.”
Your results may vary.
‘Forward looking statements’ are based on present expectations and beliefs about future events.
American Commercial Lines Inc., reported approximately $1 Billion as of December 31, 2007.
Forward looking statements are inherently susceptible to risks, uncertainty and changes in circumstance.
This gives new meaning to ‘cleaning up after yourself’.
Did Dolly do it?
Weather conditions this morning at 1:30 a.m., reportedly the time of the accident between the Tintomara and the ACL barge, were a lovely and light 3 to 4 mph, gusting now and again to 7 mph. Weather had nothing to do with this accident. Maybe darkness played a part. The Tintomara can travel at a top speed of 14.2 knots fully ladened.
As the Mississippi snakes it’s way to the Gulf of Mexico from this area, it would be hard to belive that the tanker was traveling at its top speed in the dark in this high traffic area. With Class Det Norske Veritas, +1A1 hull the Tintomara was loaded with both biodiesel and styrene.
Photo Thanks: Peter Langsdale Tintomara Feb. 2008 dry docked Gothenburg.
