11231
From: Captainj, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Four missing after ship capsizes, burns near Georgia coast
URL: http://news.yahoo.com/four-missing-ship-capsizes-burns-153942201.html
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Rescue teams were searching for four crew members after a cargo ship caught fire and capsized Sunday off the Georgia coast, the Coast Guard said. Twenty people were rescued from the Golden Ray, a 656-foot- long ship bound for Baltimore that was "listing heavily" in St. Simons Sound near Brunswick, officials said. Coast Guard Sector Charleston was notified by the Glynn County 911 dispatch that the ship had capsized. The Coast Guard "immediately issued an urgent marine information broadcast" and sent ships and two helicopters to the scene. The ship's command and chief engineer were assisting authorities and salvage teams in stabilizing the ship so rescue efforts could continue, the Coast Guard said. Local first responders and towing groups also were aiding the effort. The cause of the incident was under investigation, the Coast Guard said. It was not clear whether weather conditions played a role. Hurricane Dorian brushed past the Georgia coast last week but was centered off Canada on Sunday. The port of Brunswick was closed to boat traffic, and there was an established emergency safety zone in the St. Simons Sound. Ships were not authorized within a half-mile of the Golden Ray. The incident comes one week after a diving boat caught fire off California's Santa Cruz Island, killing 34 people. |
11256
From: Captainj, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Golden Ray Incident: Unified Command Working on Long-Term Salvage Plan
URL: http://gcaptain.com/golden-ray-incident-unified-command-working-on-long-term-salvage-plan/
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The Unified Command responsible the Golden Ray incident in Georgia’s St. Simon Sound is developing plans to remove fuel from the vessel as crews come up with a long-term salvage plan. The response resumed in full on Monday after heavy weather suspended operations for a day on Sunday. “The Unified Command continues to assess all avenues for the salvage plan and the process to remove pollutants from the Golden Ray,” the Unified Command said in an update on Monday. “Complex salvage operations have progressed to include skimming within the hull of the ship, drilling to allow access for internal air quality testing, and developing a lightering plan for pollutants.” Specialists continue to actively monitor air quality around and inside the vessel and so far no impacts on air quality have been detected to date. Response teams, meanwhile, continue to canvas the shoreline and have identified minimal to no environmental impacts within the area. As of now there are approximately 180 responders and 30 vessels assisting in the response, according to the Unified Command. “Environmental inspection teams are continuously scanning the shoreline by air, boat, and foot, looking for evidence of oil. 5,300 feet of boom have been deployed surrounding Bird Island, and 18,400 feet of boom is strategically staged for use as needed,” the Unified Command said. Commercial traffic in the Port of Brunswick has resumed on a case by case basis. The Golden Ray was carrying around 4,200 when it capsized in the St. Simons Sound, at the entrance to the Port of Brunswick, early in the morning on September 8, as it was departing the port with a pilot and 23 crew members aboard. All 24 people on board were subsequently rescued, including four crew members who spent more than a day trapped inside the vessel. The Marshall Islands-flagged Golden Ray is operated by South Korean logistics company Hyundai Glovis and has capacity to carry 6,933 vehicles. The next port of call was Baltimore, according to AIS data. The Unified Command consists of the U.S. Coast Guard, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and Gallagher Marine Systems. Multiple federal, state, local and partner organizations are also assisting in the response. “This is a complex incident and we are taking every possible step to protect the community and the environment, while ensuring the safety of our responders,” said Chris Graff, Gallagher Marine Systems Incident Commander. |
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11261
From: Captainj, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Golden Ray Pilot Praised for Intentionally Grounding the Ship, Prevent
URL: http://gcaptain.com/golden-ray-pilot-praised-for-intentionally-grounding-the-ship/
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ing an Even Worse Disaster... Top officials at the Port of Brunswick are commending the U.S. Coast Guard and a Brunswick Bar pilot for their efforts in preventing an even worse disaster after the pure car and truck carrier Golden Ray capsized in St. Simons Sound last month. At the Brunswick State of the Port address on Wednesday, Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Griff Lynch thanked the U.S. Coast Guard, Brunswick Bar Pilots and port workers for their efforts in the rescuing the crew, the ongoing vessel salvage, and for quickly reopening of the Port of Brunswick following the September 8 incident. “The Coast Guard and our Brunswick maritime community came together in an impressive display of teamwork, focused first on the safety of the crew, and now on protecting the natural environment and the safety of vessel operations,” Lynch said. “In only four days, we were able to reopen the port, protecting the livelihoods of our direct employees and thousands of others across the region. On behalf of the Georgia Ports Authority, I would like to thank all those involved in the rescue and salvage operations.” During his presentation, Lynch also commended Brunswick Bar pilot, Captain Jonathan Tennant, for his decision to intentionally ground the Golden Ray after the vessel lost stability in the bay. Lynch also noted that Captain Tennant remained on board the vessel during U.S. Coast Guard’s initial rescue of twenty crew members on board. The Golden Ray was carrying about 4,200 when it lost stability and grounded in St. Simons Bay as the was departing on September 8. Four of the ship’s twenty-four crew members were initially reported missing, but they were later located and rescued after some 30 hours stuck inside the vessel. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said U.S. Coast Guard Commander Norm Witt, of the Marine Safety Unit in Savannah, and Sector Charleston Commanding Officer, Captain John Reed, are also to be commended for the Coast Guard’s quick rescue of the ship’s crew and river pilot, and for their continuing work to restore normal operations at the port, one of the busiest auto ports in the nation. “I applaud the quick action of the Coast Guard, tugs, maritime engineers and emergency responders in the rescue of the ship’s entire crew and the river pilot on the Golden Ray,” Kemp said. “We all felt tremendous relief as the last sailor was brought to safety. Now that the mission has shifted to recovery, we appreciate the Coast Guard’s efforts to accommodate river traffic while salvagers work to right the vessel and clear the channel. The Port of Brunswick is an important asset to Georgia, supporting employment across an array of industries.” The Port of Brunswick reported this week that it moved 614,000 units of Roll-on/Roll-off cargo in Fiscal Year 2019 for an increase of 4 percent, or 23,000 units, compared to FY2018. The numbers rank Georgia as the second busiest hub for the import-export of vehicles, machinery and other types of Ro/Ro cargo in the United States. During his presentation, Mr. Lynch also announced the development of 40-acre dockside parcel that will help grow capacity to 1.5 million Ro/Ro units per year. As for the Golden Ray, salvage workers this week continued to lighter the vessel, removing over 169,000 gallons of fuel as of Thursday, according to the St. Simons Sound Unified Command. As of the Thursday, the response involved 449 personnel and 71 vessels, with 14,700 feet of containment boom deployed to protect sensitive areas from pollution. |
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11234
From: chaskuchar@stcharles, [DNS_Address]
Subject: sailors are saved. nt
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11236
From: chatillion, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Thank Heavens!(NT)
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