Operation Boatlift: a maritime miracle during 9/11

In the midst of all the sad and horrific remembrances of the 9/11 terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, a some events stand out as triumphs of the human spirit in a time of tragedy. One of those in the maritime realm was Boatlift – a spontaneous and heartfelt response to a call from the US Coast Guard for “all available boats” in New York Harbor, to come to the southern tip of Manhattan Island to help in a rescue effort. More than 600 sailors on 150 different vessels heard the call and immediately converged on the scene. Together they evacuated more than half a million people from the wreckage of lower Manhattan. Today we remember Operation Boatlift.

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Here’s a link to the film “Boatlift”: https://youtu.be/MDOrzF7B2Kg

[Note: Image Courtesy Wikimedia Commons]

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A look at the delta variant and global shipping

The Delta variant seems to be a new ballgame in the pandemic in terms of worldwide shipping, hammering markets that previously seemed to be rebounding. Today we’ll talk about this dangerous variant’s destabilizing effects on the global shipping market, which could affect our 90 percent of everything as the Christmas season approaches.

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Interview Series: A look at cargo holds, Part 5

Today is the final installment in our five-part series on cargo hold inspections, featuring Dan Sealy, a cargo hold inspector who works on ships in the Astoria Anchorage.

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Interview Series: A look at cargo holds, Part 4

Part four in our series about cargo hold inspections with inspector Dan Sealy, who works in the Astoria anchorage.

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Interview Series: A look at cargo holds – Part 2

Today we continue my interview with Dan Sealy, a cargo hold inspector who goes down into  the depths of bulk carriers to make sure cargo holds are suitable to take on cargoes like wheat and corn, among others. Today we’ll hear about what a day at work is like for him. My favorite quote from this interview clip is when Dan said he always makes the crew go down into the hold first. If it’s safe for them and they’re willing to do below, then he’ll follow…

Photo Credit: Dan Sealy. Spiral staircase in cargo hold.

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Interview Series: A look at cargo holds – Part 1

Today we begin hearing an interview I did recently with Dan Sealy, a cargo hold inspector who goes down into the holds of bulk carriers anchored off Astoria in the Columbia River.

Part of his job is to check whether holds are in suitable condition to take on cargo. His work is part of the federal government’s regulation of cargoes shipped from U.S. ports.

Today in Part 1, we’ll hear a bit from Dan about the agency he works for and more about his job.

Photo Credit: Dan Sealy. Bulk carrier cargo hold.

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Plane crash debris prompts USCG search and rescue effort

USCG crews on the Columbia River spent part of Monday searching for survivors of a plane crash after a Good Samaritan reported wreckage near Kalama. The debris turned out to be from a crash last March. We’ll talk about how the Coast Guard handles rescues, and how you can prevent an accidental false alarm emergency call.

Photo courtesy US Coast Guard Pacific Northwest on Facebook

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