Drought at the Panama Canal

May 23, 2023

The Panama Canal region is in the midst of a drought, and there simply is not as much water in the canals and lakes as ships are accustomed to. Starting this week, they’ll have to load less cargo. This will have a ripple effect through the shipping industry that will cause costs to rise for some goods.

Drought at the Panama Canal

Drought at the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal region is in the midst of a drought, and there simply is not as much water in the canals and lakes as ships are accustomed to. Starting this week, they’ll have to load less cargo. This will have a ripple effect through the shipping industry that will cause costs to rise for some goods.

Where exactly is the Columbia River Bar?

May 22, 2023

This “simple” listener question sent me down an interesting path of research and talking with experts. The answers show the wide influence the power of the river has in our lives.

Where exactly is the Columbia River Bar?

Where exactly is the Columbia River Bar?

This “simple” listener question sent me down an interesting path of research and talking with experts. The answers show the wide influence the power of the river has in our lives.

A look at ship running lights

May 21, 2023

We’ll take a look back in the Ship Report Archives today, and learn about ship running lights, those essential lights that ships have on at night.

Where exactly is the Columbia River Bar?

A look at ship running lights

We’ll take a look back in the Ship Report Archives today, and learn about ship running lights, those essential lights that ships have on at night.

Mystery ship revealed as USNS oiler heads for Portland

May 19, 2023

So there was this ship in the ocean off Cannon Beach this week that had a lot of people wondering… and well, today – the mystery is solved. That ship came into the river and headed to the ship yard at Swan Island. We’ll talk more today about her, why she seemed a bit mysterious, and why sometimes things that may confuse us as the public may just be part of the regular work day for the maritime professionals here in our region.

Drought at the Panama Canal

Mystery ship revealed as USNS oiler heads for Portland

So there was this ship in the ocean off Cannon Beach this week that had a lot of people wondering… and well, today – the mystery is solved. That ship came into the river and headed to the ship yard at Swan Island. We’ll talk more today about her, why she seemed a bit mysterious, and why sometimes things that may confuse us as the public may just be part of the regular work day for the maritime professionals here in our region.

USNS Mercy heads out to sea after major shipyard refit in Portland

May 18, 2023

Cool ship alert: the USNS Mercy heads downriver this morning from the shipyard in Portland after a major upgrade that took months. She’s a US Navy hospital ship with 1,000 beds, 12 operating rooms, and lots of other services on board.

Image courtesy: Jim Bedient, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

USNS Mercy heads out to sea after major shipyard refit in Portland

USNS Mercy heads out to sea after major shipyard refit in Portland

Cool ship alert: the USNS Mercy heads downriver this morning from the shipyard in Portland after a major upgrade that took months. She’s a US Navy hospital ship with 1,000 beds, 12 operating rooms, and lots of other services on board.

Image courtesy: Jim Bedient, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Out of place ship tells a story of skill in an emergency

May 17, 2023

There’s a ship anchored in an unusual place on the Columbia near Puget Island. Occasionally ships have problems that cause them to stop in places they normally would not. Luckily, we have an abundance of skilled mariners to solve problems and get things back to normal quickly.

Out of place ship tells a story of skill in an emergency

Out of place ship tells a story of skill in an emergency

There’s a ship anchored in an unusual place on the Columbia near Puget Island. Occasionally ships have problems that cause them to stop in places they normally would not. Luckily, we have an abundance of skilled mariners to solve problems and get things back to normal quickly.