The Most Recent Ship Report Podcast:
Archive Podcasts:
Normalizing water safety: an idea whose time has come
May 15, 2024We do a lot to warn people about water safety, but perhaps not enough to change their minds about how they see it, as a concept in their lives.
For everyone’s benefit: victims, emergency first responders and Good Samaritans, it’s time to make water safety “cool.”
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript051524.pdf
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Today’s maritime term: lightering
May 14, 2024Today we’ll take another look at a specialized maritime term, one that may seem odd to folks not involved in the maritime industry. This word, llightering, has to do with the process of moving cargo, and sometimes fuel, usually from a larger vessel to a smaller one, for the purposes of making the other vessel lighter, and more able to maneuver, especially when it comes to water depth at the dock.
Show transcript here; http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript051424.pdf
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The origin and meaning of a common maritime industry term: bunkering
May 13, 2024Folks familiar with the maritime industry use this word a lot: “bunker” or “bunkering” or even “bunkers.”
It’s not a word whose meaning you can easily figure out just by hearing it, but it refers to the fuel ships use and the process of filling up a ship’s tanks so she has fuel to travel at sea.
Today we’ll talk about bunker and bunkering, and exactly what those terms mean. And how this important maritime function came to be named in such an apparently nonintuitive way.
Show transcript available here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript051324.pdf
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Cruise ships on the Columbia, and why we don’t see blue water cruises all summer
May 10, 2024A look at today’s ship schedule, and a look at why our cruise ship complement for the season, and why we don’t see blue water cruise ships here all summer long.
Show Transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript051024.pdf
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Beautiful weather is here, and with it cold water dangers
May 09, 2024Every spring, we have these wonderful days (like today into the weekend) where the weather just blossoms into full summer mode – and we are understandably giddy with joy.
However, while you’re out there enjoying the beach and the riverside (as well you should!), keep in mind that winter conditions still exist when it comes to water and water dangers – it’s still dangerously cold in both our rivers and the ocean.
So even though the air is intoxicatingly warm, we’re still in the Pacfic Northwest. And that means cold water, strong tidal currents, and rip currents in the ocean, year round.
Show transcript avaialble here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript050924.pdf
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Nightime running lights on ships
May 08, 2024Today, a look back in the Ship Report archives at an interview I did in the early 2000s, with a local maritime professional: Captain Robert Johnson, a now retired Columbia River Bar Pilot who was at the time working in the field in the waters off Astoria, Warrenton and Hammond. In this insider’s look at ship running lights, he’ll tell us what we are likely to see in a ship passing by at night.
Lights on ships are designed with great purpose: they are meant to allow other vessels to see a ship at night and determine how it is traveling, to avoid collision. Lights also illuminate working areas of the ship were crew and pilots need to be.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript050824.pdf
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A look at today’s ship schedule
May 07, 2024Today, a look at who’s traveling on the river today, and a bit about cargo, ballast water, and land transportation for cargo after it gets to port.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/ShipReportTranscript050724.pdf
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How does the “gas pedal” work on a ship?
May 06, 2024Today, an interesting listener question about how propulsion decisions are communicated between the bridge of a ship and the engine room. In a car, we’d call this exchange the “gas pedal.” But it works differently on ships.
Show transcript avaialble here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/Transcript050624.pdf
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Seafarers Happiness Index shows improved morale in 2024
May 03, 2024The 2024 First Quarter Report from the Seamans Mission organization is out, analyzing feedback from sailors from all over the world who answered 10 questions about their work at sea and how satisfied they are with conditions on board ship.
We’ll take a look at the Seafarers Happiness Index, and why things are better than they were last year, and what factors matter most to people working on ships.
Show transcript available here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/Transcript050324.pdf
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Historic win by all-female crew in round-the-world sailing race
May 02, 2024Today we’ll talk about the historic win by the crew of Maiden, the sailing yacht which won the Ocean Globe Race last month. They made history as the first all-female crew ever to win a round-the-world yacht race. They were the only all-female crew competing.
Maiden also competed with an all-female crew in the 1989-90 Whitbread Race, after which the Ocean Globe is modeled. This time, they won!
Show transcript available here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/Transcript050224.pdf
Photo Courtesy of McIntyre Adventure: Maiden crew arrive into Auckland after successful sail from Cape Town. Credit: OGR2023/Aida Valceanu.
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