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Welcome to the Maritime Spotlight. Here you'll find hundreds of pages of information on current and recent developments, port security, government compliance, legislation and court decisions. You can access links to industry resources and organizations and archived materials on maritime matters, as well.


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Status of US Ports (7/8/08)

No significant changes in the security status of US ports have been brought to our attention in the preceding 24 hours. For a summary of maritime security requirements in the United States, access the Port Security page of our Web site - Maritime Spotlight - Port Security.

Alaska – passenger ship grounds

The US Coast Guard issued a

press release stating that it is responding to a passenger ship that grounded near Glacier Bay National Park with 51 people on board. There has been no compromise to the hull and no injuries have been reported. The incident is under investigation. (7/7/08).

CBP – reminder re wood packaging

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a

news release reminding importers to avoid potential losses by making sure that the material used to transport shipments is treated and marked in compliance with International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM 15) before it leaves the country of origin. Shipments that are infested or accompanied by uncertified wood packaging may be rejected by CBP. (7/1/08).

NOAA – survey of sunken WWII subs

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a

news release stating that it will lead a research expedition on July 7-26 to study the wrecks of three German submarines sunk by US forces in 1942 off the coast of North Carolina during the Battle of the Atlantic. (7/7/08).

St. Louis – river re-opened to commercial traffic

The US Coast Guard issued a

press release stating that St. Louis Harbor has been re-opened to commercial traffic. A safety zone remains in effect between mile markers 179 and 184 on the Upper Mississippi River. In this zone, down-bound tows greater than 600 feet in length are limited to daylight transits only. The river remains closed to recreational boating between mile markers 168.7 and 301.2. (7/7/08).

Stonington, Maine – special anchorage area

The US Coast Guard is establishing a special anchorage area in Stonington, Maine on Deer Island Thorofare, Penobscot Bay. The rules, which provide a safe and secure anchorage for vessels of not more than 65 feet in length, come into effect on August 7.

73 Fed. Reg. 38922 (July 8, 2008).

TSA – TWIC Dashboard

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issued an update on the status of enrollment for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential –

TWIC Dashboard. The update shows that 371,949 maritime workers have applied for a TWIC and that 182,152 cards have been activated. (7/3/08).

UK – improper clean-up results in fire

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) issued a summary of its

Preliminary Examination of a fire that occurred on board a container ship in Hamburg on 8 June 2008. A tank container, holding hydrogen peroxide, was unintentionally lifted while the container above it was being unloaded (the midlocks connecting the two containers had failed to disengage). When the midlocks eventually disengaged, the tank container dropped about 30 cm to the deck. The tank frame was damaged and some of the hydrogen peroxide spilled onto the deck. The crew plugged the deck scuppers and spread sawdust on the deck to absorb and contain the spill. The tank container was removed and the sawdust was swept up and put into open plastic containers, which were then placed in the forecastle store. The harbor authorities advised the crew of the possibility that the sawdust could self-ignite. In less than an hour, smoke was seen coming from the forecastle store. The fire in the sawdust was extinguished and the sawdust was properly disposed of ashore. It is recommended that adequate stocks of emergency equipment, including inert absorbents, be carried on board. (7/7/08).

UNCITRAL – Rotterdam Rules – draft

The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) reviewed the Draft Convention on Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea at its meeting in New York from June 16 through 26, 2008. The Commission approved the Convention on July 3, 2008. The Draft Convention will go before the General Assembly of the United Nations on October 20, 2008, and will be signed at a ceremony in Rotterdam in September 2009. The Convention will probably be referred to as the

"Rotterdam Rules". After the Rotterdam signing ceremony, the Convention will be open for ratification. The many nations and non-governmental organizations who participated in the drafting of the Convention view the Convention as a fair compromise. No interest group received everything that that interest group wished to receive in the Convention, but practically all interest groups agreed that the Convention is a fair compromise and is certainly an improvement over the law that governs the contracts for the carriage of goods by sea today. (7/3/08).

Weymouth Fore River – special anchorage area

The US Coast Guard is establishing the Gull Point (PT) special anchorage area in the Weymouth Fore River, Weymouth, Massachusetts. The rules, which provide a safe and secure anchorage for vessels of not more than 65 feet in length, come into effect on August 7.

73 Fed. Reg. 38924 (July 8, 2008).