U.S. Merchant Marine Academy transfers training ship to Texas A&M University

According to a press release by the Maritime Administration, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy has transferred the training ship Kings Pointer to Texas A&M University. The U.S. Merchant Marine academy is preparing for a renovation of Mallory Pier. The project is expected to take 12 to 18 months during which time there will be no docking facilities for a vessel the size of the Kings Pointer.

The Academy will still use the training ship Liberator and will continue to send midshipmen on commercial ships to obtain their sea time.

In addition to their sea time, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy midshipmen learn about the Amver system and often file Amver reports while underway.

Photo credit: Wikipedia

Amver participant Crystal Serenity rescues Atlantic rowers

Two Atlantic rowers were rescued by the Amver participating cruise ship Crystal Serenity after their rowboat capsized several hundred miles west of the Canary Islands Tuesday December 13, 2011

The rowers, a Dutch and British national, were participating in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge from the Canary Islands to Barbados when their boat capsized.

They immediately activated their Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon alerting rescue authorities at MRCC Falmouth, United Kingdom. Rescue authorities in Falmouth also requested Amver information from the United States Coast Guard. Using an Amver surface picture, the cruise ship Crystal Serenity was located 120 miles away from the rowers and asked to divert to rescue them. The cruise ship immediately changed course to assist the rowers. The rescue was complicated by winds in excess of 25 knots and 10 foot waves.

According to crew members aboard the Crystal Serenity the survivors are in good health and will stay aboard the cruise ship until it reaches St. Maarten.

The Bahamian flagged cruise ship enrolled in the Amver system in 2003 and earned over 6 awards for participation.

Want to learn more about Amver? Check out the Amver video.

Photo credit: Wikipedia

Welcome Wednesday!

The end of the year is near. Despite the holiday rush, you continue to enroll your vessels and save lives at sea. During the holiday rush, take some time to think about the impact that makes in the lives of those you have helped. You, the Amver participant, provide a remarkable service. Thank you. Now please help us welcome the latest members of the Amver team.

• ALLIANCE
• AM CONTRECOEUR
• CENTRANS APHRODITE
• CK BLUEBELL
• CMB ARIANE
• CRYSTAL BAY
• CSCC TIANJIN
• DANCING WITH DRAGONS
• DESERT VICTORY
• DUBAI BEAUTY
• DUBAI BRILLIANCE
• EPIC EXPLORER
• HELIOS LEADER
• INCEPTION
• JIA HUI SHAN
• KALIBLOBO SPIRIT
• MAJESTY
• MS SOPHIE
• NAIAD 1
• NIKITA SCAN
• ORION PRIDE
• OSG ENTERPRISE
• POS AMETRIN
• POS TOPAS
• RASHEED
• RASHEEDA
• SANTA ROSA
• SFAKIA WAVE
• STAR POLARIS
• STENA SUEDE
• STENA SUPERIOR
• TEN JO MARU
• VALE CHINA
• VIL BALTIC
• XIN TONG YANG
• YULIA

Don't forget to check out the Amver podcast, The Quarterdeck!

Photo credit: Fotolia

Amver ship rescues 7

According to a press release by the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Amver participating ship Ocean Titan rescued seven sailors yesterday after the collision of two ships (M/V Florice and M/V Afrodite) south southwest of Lands End within the British search and rescue region.

Using a combination of Long Range Identification and Tracking and Enhanced Group Calling the rescue professionals at Rescue Coordination Center Falmouth were able to divert the Ocean Titan to the distress position where the crew of the Florece had taken to their life raft. The seven crew members, made up of Russian, Polish and Ukrainian nationals, were safely taken aboard the Ocean Titan.

The United States flagged ship enrolled in Amver in 2005 and has earned six awards for participation. The Ocean Titan is managed by Pacific Gulf Marine of Gretna, La.

Photo credit: Marinetraffic.com

Amver awards in China

The Amver team recently returned from Marintec China where we exhibited, recruited more ships in the Amver system, and recognized the 15 companies and 27 Chinese ships that earned Amver awards in 2010. A special thanks to the U.S. Commercial Service and U.S. Coast Guard Captain Barry Compagnoni, Coast Guard Liaison to China, for helping ensure the ceremony was a success. We would also like to thank those companies that came to the ceremony to be recognized as partners in safety at sea. Those present to receive their awards were-

• J.M. Cordeiro, Managing Director of Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (China) Company Limited
• Captain Li Yarong, China Shipping Container Lines Company, Limited
• Zhang Lei, General Manager, Shanghai Costamare Ship Management Company Limited
• Zhang Hongnan, Port Captain, Shanghai Costamare Ship Management Company Limited

Want to join these companies at the next Amver awards ceremony in China? You can if you enroll your ships in the Amver system.

Photo credit: USCG Photo by Beverly Howard

Welcome Wednesday!

We're preparing for the holiday season and reflecting on what an amazing year it has been. It's been amazing because so many ships have enrolled in Amver, ensuring no call for help goes unanswered. Who are these partners in safety? Take a look-

• ADRIATICA
• AMERICAN COURAGE
• ASTI SNUG
• ATLANTIC GLORY
• BAI CHAY BRIDGE
• CALLISTO GLORY
• CHRISTOS THEO
• CK ANGIE
• CROSBY ENDEAVOR
• FRONTIER OASIS
• G. SYMPHONY
• GOTIA
• HOEGH SINGAPORE
• IBRI LNG
• INCEPTION
• KOTA BAHAGIA
• LADY GERALDINE
• MOURMOURA
• MSC LISA
• NORD INTEGRITY
• OCEAN QINGDAO
• ORPHEAS
• QUINN J
• SHARON DEHART
• SIVA ANTWERP
• TORM ISLAND
• VITA

Photo credit: Fotolia

Amver participating research ship saves 93 fishermen

We recently learned the Amver participating research vessel, Atlantis, from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution recently rescued 93 Egyptian fishermen in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Atlantis enrolled in the Amver system in 1997 and has earned another award for participation in 2011.

Here is information from their release:

The research vessel Atlantis, operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), rescued 93 Egyptians aboard a disabled fishing boat in the Mediterranean Sea late Friday night (Nov. 25).

Atlantis was commencing an oceanographic research expedition, steaming toward its first study site, when it was diverted by a mayday call at 9 p.m. from a fishing boat that was relayed to all nearby ships by the Greek Coast Guard. Atlantis responded to the call and began the rescue, coordinating with the Greek Coast Guard and the Rescue Coordination Center.

Following standard security procedures, Atlantis Captain A.D. Colburn III raised the ship’s U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Level from I to II and took protective measures to secure non-crew members inside the vessel, locking all exterior hatches and portholes before boarding the Egyptians.

By midnight, all 93 men were aboard the deck of Atlantis, a ship that had 50 crew, technicians, and scientists aboard. The fishing boat was abandoned with its lights and power on, its position radioed to the Greek Coast Guard.

The Atlantis crew provided blankets, pillows, and clothing, including dry socks for the Egyptians, who had been standing in water aboard their boat and were cold, hungry, and dehydrated. Atlantis’s cook gave them loaves of bread and other food. Crew members stayed on deck with the Egyptians through the night, as Atlantis diverted 88 miles to the Greek port of Kalamata.

Atlantis arrived in Kalamata at 8 a.m. Saturday. The Egyptians disembarked and were processed by Greek officials. After Captain Colburn gave his statement to authorities, Atlantis departed Kalamata at 10:30 a.m. to return to its research mission Sunday.

In a statement to “all hands” aboard Atlantis, Captain Colburn wrote: “On the behalf of WHOI, I would like to commend you for your efforts during the rescue of 93 persons on the fishing boat last night. Foremost on our minds was the safety of the persons needing rescue and also the safety of all aboardAtlantis. We all can be proud that we did our duty as seafarers. It was a long and satisfying night, knowing we helped others in need. Now let's concentrate on our science mission.”

Photo credit: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution