Tag Archives: Maritime

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Coast Guard Bulletin – Corona Virus

The United States Coast Guard has issued a Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB) concerning the Novel Coronavirus outbreak. Read the full Coast Guard bulletin, excerpted below, here.

This information is provided as notice of measures being taken to protect us from this virus. It is not intended to stoke fear or spur actions.

This Coronavirus is Different

An outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) may affect mariners and maritime commerce. 2019-nCoV was first detected in Wuhan, People’s Republic of China and has since spread globally (see https://go.usa.gov/xdbS9). There are several known coronaviruses that infect people, usually causing only mild respiratory symptoms similar to the common cold. However, 2019-nCoV appears capable of causing illness that is more serious. Signs and symptoms include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing.

Maritime Traffic Rules
  • Per 42 CFR 71.21, vessels destined for a U.S. port are required to report to the CDC any sick or deceased crew/passengers during the 15 days prior to arrival at a U.S. port. Guidance to vessels on reporting deaths and illnesses to the CDC can be found here.
  • The Coast Guard will continue to review all “Notice of Arrivals” in accordance with current policies and will communicate any concerns stemming from sick or deceased crew or passengers to their Coast Guard chain of command and the cognizant CDC quarantine station, who will coordinate with local health authorities.
  • Passenger vessels or any vessel carrying passengers that have been to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) or embarked passengers who have been in China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) within the last 14 days will be denied entry into the United States. If all passengers exceed 14 days since being in China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) and are symptom free, the vessel will be permitted to enter the United States to conduct normal operations. These temporary measures are in place to safeguard the American public.
  • Non-passenger commercial vessels that have been to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) or embarked crewmembers who have been in China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) within the last 14 days, with no sick crewmembers, will be permitted to enter the U.S. and conduct normal operations, with restrictions. Crewmembers on these vessels will be required under COTP authority to remain aboard the vessel except to conduct specific activities directly related to vessel cargo or provisioning operations.

Prior Post: COVERAGE CROSSROADS – WHAT TYPE OF CLAIM DO YOU HAVE?

Injury Claim Coverage

Coverage Crossroads – What Type of Claim Do You Have?

Most injuries that occur in the course of one’s employment are covered by the workers’ compensation system in place in the state where the worker lives and works. The rules of that state govern the benefits the worker will receive.  On the edge of these well-defined boundaries, however, the question of which system should cover an injured worker can get interesting.

As an example, a worker in the fishing industry who suffers an injury may be covered under one of several possible types of claims, depending on the circumstances of their individual case. If the worker is injured on a vessel while at sea, their benefits may be governed by the Jones Act as a maritime claim. Or, if they are involved in the loading and unloading of a vessel while it is in port as the primary duties of their land-based job, the worker may have a claim under the Longshore and Harborworkers Act. Some workers are involved in fish processing aboard a vessel but that vessel is tied to land, it is moored, while this work is performed. This may be a state workers’ compensation claim. We often speak with workers whose claims are in Alaska’s jurisdiction and make referrals to Alaska attorneys for these cases. There are situations, though, where a worker in the fishing industry, even if the injury did not occur within the boudaries of Washington State, still has a Washington workers’ compensation claim.  It all depends on the individual circumstances of each case.

If you have questions about your injury claim, feel free to contact our office.  We can be of assistance with a Washington workers’ compensation case, a Longshore claim, or a maritime case.  If we cannot assist you, we will do our best to make a recommendation for where you can get the help you need.

Photo Credit: Kit Case, Fishing boats in Cowitchan Bay, BC

Longshore

Ports of Seattle and Tacoma Form Seaport Alliance

Unified management structure targets increased marine cargo, addresses competitive threats.

The Seattle and Tacoma port commissions plan to unify the management of the two ports’ marine cargo terminals and related functions under a single Seaport Alliance in order to strengthen the Puget Sound gateway and attract more marine cargo for the region.

The Seaport Alliance will manage marine cargo terminal investments and operations, planning and marketing, while the individual port commissions will retain their existing governance structures and ownership of assets.

This unprecedented level of cooperation between the state’s two largest container ports is a strategic response to the competitive pressures that are reshaping the global shipping industry.

Taken together, marine cargo operations at both ports support more than 48,000 jobs across the region and provide a critical gateway for the export of Washington state products to Asia.

“The ports of Seattle and Tacoma face fierce competition from ports throughout North America, as shipping lines form alliances, share space on ever-larger vessels and call at consolidated terminals at fewer ports,” said Port of Tacoma Commission President Clare Petrich. “Working together, we can better focus on financially sustainable business models that support customer success and ensure our ability to reinvest in terminal assets and infrastructure.”

“Where we were once rivals, we now intend to be partners,” said Stephanie Bowman, co-President of the Port of Seattle Commission. “Instead of competing against one another, we are combining our strengths to create the strongest maritime gateway in North America. The Seaport Alliance is the result of our shared commitment to maintaining the economic health of our region through a thriving maritime industry.”

The Seaport Alliance is the outgrowth of talks held under the sanction and guidance of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), the independent federal agency responsible for regulating the U.S. international ocean transportation system.

Subject to further FMC review and approval, the two port commissions will enter into an Interlocal Agreement (ILA), which is intended to provide the ports with a framework for a period of due diligence to examine business objectives, strategic marine terminal investments, financial returns, performance metrics, organizational structure, communications and public engagement. Following the due diligence period, the two port commissions intend to submit a more detailed agreement for the Seaport Alliance to the FMC by the end of March 2015.

During the due diligence period, John Wolfe, Port of Tacoma CEO, and Kurt Beckett, Port of Seattle Deputy CEO, will co-lead the planning work and coordinate with both port commissions.

Commissioners from both ports expect to hold a public meeting next spring to hire Wolfe as the CEO of the Seaport Alliance following the FMC’s approval of the agreement.

The two commissions expect to formally adopt and move to submit the ILA to the FMC at a joint public meeting Oct. 14.

Citizen and stakeholder public review of this proposal will be undertaken throughout the due diligence period. Information about public meetings, how to submit written comments and other related news will be regularly updated on the Port of Tacoma and Port of Seattle websites.
 

 Photo credit: Hollingsworth / Foter / CC BY-SA