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Archive Podcasts:
This week: a look at the profession of vessel agent, a vital role in the realm of river commerce
This week we’ll hear excerpts from an interview I did with Columbia River vessel agent Christ Lee Dunham. Her job is essential to the efficient transit of cargo ships on the river.
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Stormy weather at sea
A look back in the Ship Report archives at an interview I did with Capt. Robert Johnson in the early 2000s, about what it’s like aboard a ship, from the captain’s perspective, when their vessel is caught in a storm.
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Who’s on the river today?
A look at today’s ship traffic, which includes a domestic petroleum tanker, a military vessel and the usual complement of bulk carriers. Ships traveling 24/7 on the river as usual.
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Shipbreaking: a necessary and problematic industry
Today, in answer to a listener question, a look at a troubling but necessary industry: shipbreaking.
Where do old ships go to die? The answer mostly is to a shipbreaking yard somewhere in South Asia, to countries like India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
We’ll talk about the hazards of shipbreaking as is it conducted in most cases. We’ll also look at places where environmentally responsible shpibreaking is happening.
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Interesting vessels on the river this week
Today we’ll take a closer look at two unusual vessels on the river this week: the USNS Eagleview, which is currently docked at the Port of Astoria. And the Pan Viva, a ship that had a close call in Alaska recently in bad weather. A lot of difficult, careful work by the Coast Guard and and coorinated resources saved this ship from a disaster.
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More on ship transit times
The topic of how long it takes a ship to get from one place to another on the river can be quite complex.
Today we’ll hear from a river expert who’ll explain more about what factors are in play on the Columbia River that affect vessel transit times.
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Transit times on the river for ships
Today, a look at how long it takes big ships to get from one place to another on the Columbia River.
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Do all big vessels take a pilot on board?
Today, a listener question about marine pilots: which ships take them and which don’t?
In the majority of cases, it’s a matter of the law. And we certainly see a lot of local domestic vessels, like tugs and excursion vessels, and US-flagged river cruise ships, that don’t take pilots. Their captains know the river well.
But almost all large visiting vessels operating in land waterways, worldwide, use the services of marine pilots, for safety reasons.
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A visitor asks about ships at anchor off Astoria
I got a question about ships at anchor off Astoria, one I’ve answered before… but it’s always good to revisit these very visible and wonderfully local examples of “how things work” on the river.
Today we’ll talk about tides and their effects on anchored ships, and what their appearance and position tell us about what is happening on the river.
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When is a sinking ship not a sinking ship? When she’s a split-hull hopper dredge
Today’s riddle: When is a sinking ship not a sinking ship? In this case, this week on the lower Columbia, it’s probably the split-hull hopper dredge Bayport, a ship that is designed to split in half without sinking.
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