“Sécurité, sécurité, sécurité, saltwater vessel Isolda to depart Andersons K in 20 minutes,” announced George Haynes, a pilot with the Lakes Pilots Association. It was 1228 and, VHF in hand, he stood near the helm of Isolda, a 656-foot Polsteam bulk carrier that had just sealed the hatches over 22,000 metric tons of corn bound for Porto, Portugal, from elevators along the Maumee River at Andersons Grain & Ethanol in Toledo, Ohio.
Lakes Pilot trainee Sean Liljegren observed. Liljegren has already been cleared to pilot vessels in and out of Cleveland, which is considered a medium-difficulty port.
Toledo is a different story. Lake Erie lies only six miles down the Maumee from Andersons K, but Lakes Pilots District 2 considers this water way, known as “the elevators,” as the hardest job in the district. “It’s the final test for a trainee,” Haynes said. Liljegren, a 2010 Great Lakes Maritime Academy graduate with four years of experience as mate on Interlake Steamship Company vessels, joined the Lakes Pilots in May 2015, his piloting skills rapidly propelling him toward becoming a federally registered pilot.
On the drive from the pilots’ office in Port Huron, Mich., to Toledo, Haynes enumerated his concerns about this job, with its six bridges to negotiate. “One is a very busy and narrow railroad bridge, two are bascule bridges, and one — the Anthony Wayne Bridge — is quite low, built when lake ships were much smaller,” he said. The narrow swivel rail bridge, referred to as Norfolk Southern South and located on a bend in the river, has a horizontal clearance of only 107 feet. Amtrak trains cross the bridge at reduced speeds because the passenger terminal is nearby, and freight trains sometimes stop across the swivel span for crew change, no matter what vessel might seek passage.
Denne historien er fra October/November 2016-utgaven av Professional Mariner.
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Denne historien er fra October/November 2016-utgaven av Professional Mariner.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Mariner's role still unknown as autonomous shipping gains speed
Mariners’ role still unknown as autonomous shipping gains speed
Piracy edges closer to home with wave of raids in southern Gulf
In the brief cellphone video recorded by a crewmember on the offshore supply vessel (OSV) Remas, the pirates walk back and forth on the deck of the ship, clenching their guns and using them to point as they order around the crew. Their faces are draped in clothing and bandanas.
Casualties
NTSB: Dredge hit Texas gas pipeline, causing fire that killed four
IMO emissions report raises new concerns about methane slip
A recent report from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) reveals that global shipping emissions increased nearly 10 percent from 2012 to 2018, with the industry facing a growing challenge concerning methane slip.
Bay State brothers find industry niche by making old into new
Zero non-conformities is what you want to hear when the U.S. Coast Guard inspects your tugboat. Once you’ve prepared your vessel, the inspectors come aboard to peruse your paperwork. They ask you pointed questions, to which they expect straightforward answers. Perusal completed, they then scrutinize all of the related safety systems, from bilge to antennas — even the ship’s bell.
Signals
A year into the pandemic, thousands ‘essentially indentured’ on ships
Analysis points to faulty loading, low ballast in Golden Ray rollover
While the salvage of the sunken vehicle carrier Golden Ray has been delayed for months due to COVID-19 and the hurricane season, analysis by the U.S. Coast Guard has determined a possible cause for the rollover: a combination of vehicles placed too high on the ship’s decks, and not enough ballast water gave the placement of the cargo.
Seastreak newcomer pushing through dip in demand
Two years ago, Seastreak LLC took delivery of Seastreak Commodore, a 600-passenger fast ferry, from Gulf Craft of Franklin, La. Designed by Australia-based Incat Crowther, the vessel is the largest of its kind in the United States and was built to meet the burgeoning demand for service in the New York-New Jersey market.
New year in a new world: Navigating COVID's maritime realities
In a matter of days, the decorative time balls will drop, “Auld Lang Syne” will fill the air, and ships at anchor will sound their horns as the world welcomes in the new year.
Advanced props, rudders provide new efficiencies below the waterline
It took a decade or two from the invention of the marine propeller in the 19th century for the technology to become widely accepted. Thereafter, adoption has been nearly universal, but progress toward improved efficiencies has come in fits and starts.
