The Most Recent Ship Report Podcast:

The busy upriver Columbia

We see a lot of ships go by on the lower river near Astoria, but the river upstream past Longview is often busier, with a variety of vessel traffic all doing local work: tugs and barges  hauling cargo, ship handling tugs, and ships being moved from anchorages to nearby berths.

Archive Podcasts:

Boatlift: Recalling the maritime evacuation during 9/11 in Manhattan, which showed us the best we can be

Sep 11, 2024

Today, on the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on NYC and Washington, DC, we remember “Operation Boatlift”: a stunning display of people helping people – as hundreds of private boat owners joined the US Coast Guard to evacuate stranded victims from Manhattan Island after the World Trade Center collapsed.

It’s an unforgettable look at humans being the best we can be.

Transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript091124.pdf

Link to the film “Boatlift”: https://youtu.be/18lsxFcDrjo?si=q54jead3lglU2zSX

Wheat R Us: our river system is the the nation’s single largest wheat export gateway

Sep 09, 2024

If you hear me talk a lot about wheat on the Ship Report, there’s a good reason: most ships are carrying it. That’s beause the Columbia-Snake River System is the nation’s single largest wheat export gateway. That’s a lot of wheat, and valuable commerce to drive the region’s economy.

A new hometown USCG cutter for Astoria: the USCGC Florence Finch is in town

Sep 04, 2024

Down at the 17th St dock by the Columbia River Maritime Museum is a brand new Coast Guard vessel, and she’s here to stay.

The USCGC Florence Finch is the second new cutter to be assigned to Astoria this year. The David Durien was our first. They replace the two departing cutters, the Alert and Steadfast, who were reassigned earlier this year.

The Florence Finch was named for a courageous woman who served in the Coast Guard during WWII. Today we’ll hear her story.

Transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript090424.pdf

With the advent of September, a look at the “two autumns”

Sep 03, 2024

Some folks say it’s already fall, while others say it won’t happen till Sept 22nd. We’ll take a look at who’s right – and it turns out they both are. As with many things, it depends on how you look at it. Today we’ll talk about the difference between meterological and astronomical autumn.

Show transcript: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript090324E.pdf

A story of survival on the Columbia River Bar

Aug 29, 2024

On this day, 52 years ago, a commercial fishing boat sank on the Columbia River Bar. KMUN comentator Michael McCusker was aboard. He and his crewmates survived, thanks to the quick intervention of fellow mariners.

I’ve shared his story before on the show, but not on the anniversary of its occurrence. Today we take a closer look.

We commemorate the anniversary of his rescue, and talk about what happened to the boat that caused it to sink in a matter of minutes. It’s a cautionary tale about where you should and should not go on the Columbia River Bar in a boat.

And, thanks to Michael, it’s a darn good sea story.

Transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript082924.pdf

Washington ports get electrification grants to provide dockside power for vessels

Aug 28, 2024

In the industry it’s called “cold ironing” – the capacity of a port to provide electric hookups for arriving ships and other vessels. Ports that are so equipped, and ships that are configured to plug in, can reduce air pollution signicantly while in port.

Soon, 11 Washington ports, including, locally, the Port of Kalama, will receive funds to upgrade their facilities to provide shoreside power to ships and other vessels when they are at the dock. It’s a big step forward in air quality control for the region.

Transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript082824.pdf

Mililtary Sealift Command proposes sidelining vessels

Aug 27, 2024

The Military Sealift Command, which has ships stationed on the Columbia, has proposed sidelining 17 of its ships to address a dwindling workforce of mariners.

The situation reflects a wider trend worldwide, especially since the pandemic, where sailors simply don’t want to be away from home for months, with often mediocre compensation, and not enough time off to create healthy work-life balance.

The workforce of mariners in the world is getting smaller as demands increase, and these are the folks who bring us our “90 percent of everything.”

Transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript082724.pdf

The Ship Report comes in small bites as SHIP REPORT MINUTES: The Fast Scoop on Maritime News and Info!

Monday through Friday (except major holidays) watch for 10-MINUTE SHIP REPORTS: Ship Traffic, Marine Weather, News and Interviews

Subscribe to the RSS feed.

The Ship Report is also broadcast Weekdays at 8:49 am on Coast Community Radio Astoria, Oregon

Follow The Ship Report on and