The following items are issues that should prove to be of interest to MAPONY/NJ Members. As always, should any Member want to get more detailed info regarding any of these issues, please feel free to contact Ed Kelly.
- SHIP STATS
Attached hereto please find fact sheets detailing vessel movements for May, 2016 and comparative year-to-date JAN/May.
- VESSEL JOHN W BROWN VISITING NYC
We are pleased to advise that the vessel SS JOHN W BROWN will be making a visit to NYC. This ship represents not only our nation’s maritime heritage but also New York’s maritime history as she served as a High School for 37 years.
Donations are being solicited and the organizing group is still looking for sponsors. There are a few openings for evening parties and luncheons. For more information please contact Karen Basciano at kbasciano83@gmail.com or 410-560-8122.
The ship will be berthed at Pier 36 East River by the Manhattan Bridge. It will be open for visitors every day from Friday September 9th to Monday September 19th.
As a reminder, the Marine Society will be hosting a fundraiser aboard the BROWN Friday September 9th from 5-8PM. Cocktails and hors devours will be served. There will also be an auction and the ships store will be open.
On Sunday September 18th there will be a cruise in NY Harbor along with an air show and various entertainment. Tickets are currently on sale on the website. www.ssjohnwbrown.org. A promotional code will be sent out as well for discounted tickets to all members.
If you have any questions or request additional information please reach out to Karen Basciano.
- BOEM OFFSHORE WIND PROJECT LEASE
- As separately reported in our HARBOR HAPPENINGS for June of 2016, BOEM is accepting public comments pertaining to their evaluation of leases to be made for the development of Wind Energy Power projects in the area between the Traffic Separation Scheme Lanes south of Long Island, NY and east of Sandy Hook, NJ.
- On the evening of June 20, 2016, Ed Kelly attended the public hearing held by BOEM in the Middle School of Long Branch, NJ.
- Ed publicly testified regarding the necessity of the safety of navigation, and went on the record as requiring:
- Noting that wind towers have been demonstrated to interfere with radar signals, it would be required to establish a minimum of 2 miles setback from the Traffic Lanes, with a minimum of 5 miles setback from the northwestern entry/exit to the Lanes
- That all lighting be shielded so as to eliminate/minimize any interference with mariner’s night vision.
- That at least one pass-through corridor be established to allow the free passage of smaller coastal vessels.
- That there be a demonstrated contingency plan for any incidents which would otherwise impede normal transit navigation.
- That the towers be equipped with both AIS and cellular telephone transponders.
- MAPONY/NJ will also submit written testimony prior to the July 6, 2016 deadline.
- Public comments regarding this project may be submitted electronically to : www.regulations.gov with the code: BOEM-2016-0038 until July 6, 2016.
- VGM in NY/NJ
The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) SOLAS VI/2 regulation on verified gross mass (VGM) takes effect on Friday, July 1, 2016, at ports worldwide. All terminals in the Port of New York and New Jersey will provide scale weights for use, at the carrier’s discretion, for export containers arriving to a terminal by truck without a VGM.
Under those conditions, a $10 fee may be assessed by the terminals to the ocean carrier. When a shipper has a VGM, please coordinate directly with your ocean carriers for the timing and format for transmitting.
Container weights provided by the railroads are not accepted for VGM purposes.
- For all exports received into Maher Terminals via ExpressRail Elizabeth, a VGM supplied by the ocean carrier via EDI will still be required before a container will be loaded onboard a vessel.
- At PNCT, APMT, GCT New York, GCT Bayonne and RHCT, any export container arriving via rail without a VGM will be assessed a $75 charge, weighed and the weight transmitted to the ocean carrier via EDI, once the charge has been paid.
If you have specific questions about your cargo, please contact your terminal operator
- SCI FOOD TRUCK FEST
The Port Newark Food Truck Fest will take place at The Seamen’s Church Institute’s International Seafarer’s Center, 118 Export Street, Port Newark, on Tuesday July 12, 2016 from 3 to 7 p.m.
Come join truckers, longshoremen, terminal managers, and a host of other Port workers and residents for some good food and good times!
For tickets and information, email portfestival@seamenschurch.org, call 973-589-5828, or simply stop by the International Seafarer’s Center at the port.
I hope to see you there!!
- HUDSON RIVER ANCHORAGES
USCG has solicited public comments regarding the District 1 consideration of a petition for additional anchorages to be established on the Hudson River. We firmly support this petition and MAPONY/NJ will submit written supporting correspondence. The deadline for submittal of public comments is September 7, 2016, and comments can be submitted under Docket number USCG-2016-0132 using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at: http://www.regulations.gov. MAPONY/NJ will circulate our comments to the full membership, and encourage all members to submit comments in favor of this important safety-related issue.
- 50 FOOT CHANNEL
Although NYCDEP has “officially” abandoned the water siphon between Staten Island and Brooklyn, the Great Lakes dredge barge that was scheduled to be re-positioned from Baltimore to complete the required removal/deepening, suffered damage to its’ crane, and the project has been delayed until the crane can be restored to service. It is now estimated that work will be re-scheduled, and the work will be completed in late August, or early September 2016. We will keep all members advised of the updated schedule. Upon “completion” of this project, the Port will have a final 50 ft channel. All parties are reminded that since virtually all NY/NJ berths are dredged to 50 foot, the “actual” draft limitation will be 49 feet due to USCG requirements to maintain at least a 1 foot underkeel clearance in order for the vessel to remain “afloat” while at the berth.
- MARITIME CONFERENCES
The vibrant Port of NY/NJ commercial maritime industry activity has attracted several Maritime-Themed conferences to our area. The traditional Port Industry Day will be held on SEPT 26; for the first time the New York Maritime Forum will include maritime operational matters and will be held on SEPT 13; and for the first time a Northeast Waterways Conference to be held on a date to be advised soon. We will relay info regarding each of these events as it becomes available.
- UNITED SEAMENS SERVICE
- On June 23, 2016 MAPONY/NJ attended the Annual Meeting of United Seamen’s Service. Since 1942, United Seamen’s Service (USS) has provided recreation, communication, counseling, dining and health services for thousands of seafarers at its eight centers worldwide and to those on ships, in hospital or detention.
- USS is the organization that hosts the annual AOTOS (Admiral Of The Ocean Seas) gala dinner which benefits their overseas service centers.
- A sister organization , the American Merchant Marine Library Association (AMMLA) collects donations of both new and used books, videos, CDs, etc and forwards same to American and Allied Merchant and Military ships. On several occasions, MAPONY/NJ has organized book drops that benefit AMMLA
- NEWTOWN CREEK
On June 14, 2016 MAPONY/NJ attended a meeting of the Newtown Creek Citizen’s Advisory Group Steering Cttee. As previously advised the Newtown Creek CAG is an advisory group to the EPA as the EPA plans the remediation of the Newtown Creek superfund site. The meeting reviewed several water quality and health study results. MAPONY/NJ attends in order to represent and further the needs and requirements of the busy Newtown Creek commercial maritime operations located there.
- MARITIME EDUCATION
- On June 2, 2016 the Urban Assembly School of Global Commerce held their Career Day so the students would have an opportunity to meet people engaged in Logistics/Transportation careers and explore their future career choices. Several MAPONY/NJ members attended the function and felt that it was a rewarding experience. Any MAPONY/NJ Member interested in attending future events should contact Ed Kelly for further info.
- On June 17, 2016, MAPONY/NJ presented the MAPONY/NJ Award to Midshipman Black at the US Merchant Marine academy Awards Convocation. Ed Kelly presented the award to MIDN Black.
- 12. POSIDONIA
The International POSIDONIA 2016 Exhibition was held in Athens, Greece on June 6-10, 2016. MAPONY/NJ had created a white paper highlighting commercial maritime activity in NY/NJ which was included in the NYMAR presentation made in POSIDONIA. NYMAR is composed primarily of legal and financial service providers, and made a presentation to attract maritime business to the NY/NJ area. The presentation was well received.