Ship Report Podcasts : The Ship Report

Something we love to look at: Sunsets

Apr 10, 2020

Here on the West Coast, we treasure our sunsets. But most of us take in this pleasing sight without knowing much about it. Today we look more closely at the sunset.

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Things to observe as you go about your day: The Sun

Apr 09, 2020

We’re used to igrnoring the Sun, pretty much. It rises, it sets. It’s covered by clouds a lot here. But there’s lot’s more to know. Today we talk a bit about the Sun.

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Things to observe in the natural world: Tides

Apr 08, 2020

With many of us having more time on our hands as we stay at home to flatten the pandemic curve, this may present an opportunity to observe the natural world around us more closely. Today we take a look at something that happens every day here: the changing of the tides.

This lovely photo was taken by Astoria photographer Scott Saulsbury. You’ll find his photos on Facebook and also in his book, Light, Water, and Steel: https://www.blurb.com/b/5184191-light-water-and-steel

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Ship adrift? Could be part of the new normal

Apr 06, 2020

This morning, there’s a ship adrift in the ocean off Tillamook. Turns out this strategy might be part of the new normal for ships in the age of COVID-19. The ship is slated to arrive in the Columbia River around 2 pm today, and may be waiting offshore by drifting for awhile.

The trick is to arrive at your berth when there are longshoremen around to help. With social distaincing requirements and health precautions in place, longshoremen are not as plentiful at ports as they were before. So ships want to time their arrival when there are people there to unload the ship. Otherwise, they spend money while they wait. Drifting at sea is free and saves fuel.

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COVID-19: Locally, we are flattening the curve

Apr 03, 2020

Today on the Ship Report we look again at the situation in Florida, where the USCG has declined to airlift sick passengers off cruise ships because local medical facilities are flooded with COVID-19 patients. Locally here in Clatsop County, Oregon, our local officials took action early to keep cruise ships out of our local port, long before there were cruise ships offshore here with ill passengers looking to come into port. Our Ship Report hat is off to them for their foresight, and our gratitude goes to local residents who are staying home and helping to flatten the curve of contagion. With your help, we hope to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our small coastal communities, which would quickly be overwhelmed with patients if that happened. The Ship Report message today is: Stay home, stay safe, and keep your neighbors safe as well.

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USCG limits air rescues of ill passengers from foreign flag ships

Apr 02, 2020

The USCG issued a marine bulletin this week for it’s 7th District, which includes the cruise ship hub of Florida, along with Puerto Rico, Georgia and South Carolina. The temporary change means that if someone needs to be airlifted off a cruise ship because of illness, and that ship is not registered in the U.S. (and most are not for financial reasons), they will consult with a USCG physician and see whether medical facilities on land can handle another patient. Florida has been hit hard by COVID-19 and land based hospitals are struggling to meet demand.

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How is international cargo changing with COVID-19?

Apr 01, 2020

Markets are shifting to adjust to the new normal with COVID-19 hitting some markets hard and helping others.

This lovely photo was taken by Astoria photographer Scott Saulsbury. You’ll find his photos on Facebook and also in his book, Light, Water, and Steel: https://www.blurb.com/b/5184191-light-water-and-steel