Container ship grounded in Chesapeake Bay refloated following 35-day salvage operation. The Coast Guard and the Maryland Department of the Environment and Evergreen Marine Corporation, in partnership with multiple state and local responders, refloated the Ever Forward Sunday, April 17, 2022 following the salvage operation that began Sunday, March 13. Refloating the Ever Forward, which was hard aground outside of the navigation channel along the entire length of the ship’s hull, required extensive coordination of responders and involved the development and implementation of a comprehensive salvage plan, including dredging and push and pull tugboat operations. “The vastness and complexity of this response were historic, as an incident like the Ever Forward grounding, in type and duration, is a rare occurrence,” said Capt. David O’Connell, commander of Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region. “It was the collaboration of each responding agency, Evergreen Marine Corporation, and dedicated responders that resulted in the successful refloating of Ever Forward while ensuring the safety of the public and response personnel, mitigating pollution potential, and minimizing economic impacts.” Read more.
Coast Guard to host groundbreaking ceremony at Base Boston for Fast Response Cutter pier construction, Massachusetts. On April 14, Coast Guard Fast Response Cutter Homeport groundbreaking ceremony was hosted by Rear Adm. Thomas Allan, commander, Coast Guard First District; Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker; Congressman Stephen Lynch; and Boston Mayor, Michelle Wu. This ceremony marks the start of a large Coast Guard investment in the Northeast, with a $35 million recapitalization of current Coast Guard facilities at Base Boston and acquisition of six new Fast Response Cutters (FRCs) at a cost of $380 million. The FRCs are the Coast Guard’s newest cutter class replacing the Legacy Island Class Patrol Boats and will operate throughout the Coast Guard’s First District from New York to the Canadian border. Read more.
Coast Guard medevacs swimmer near Dauphin Island, Alabama. On April 13, Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a 911 call of three swimmers caught in a rip current off the beach of Dauphin Island. A Coast Guard Aviation Training Center MH-60T Jayhawk aircrew was diverted from a training mission to assist. The swimmers managed to swim back to shore to awaiting Dauphin Island Police Department officers and emergency medical services personnel before the aircrew arrived on scene. The aircrew landed nearby and medevaced one swimmer and transferred two EMS personnel to Ascension Providence hospital in Mobile, Alabama. The swimmer was last reported to be in critical condition. The Coast Guard urges the public to be cautious of rip currents by heeding posted beach flags and warning signs. Read more.
Coast Guard Sector New Orleans holds change-of-command ceremony, New Orleans, Louisiana. Capt. Kelly Denning relieved Capt. Will Watson during a change-of-command ceremony for Coast Guard Sector New Orleans on April 14. Rear Adm. Richard Timme, commander, Coast Guard Eighth District, presided over the ceremony. Denning earned her commission in 1998 and was designated a command duty officer in 2002. She was formerly the Deputy Commander at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans. Watson assumed command of Sector New Orleans in May 2020 and his next assignment is at Coast Guard Headquarters as the Executive Assistant to the Vice Commandant. Read more.
Coast Guard terminates three illegal charter vessels in San Diego Bay, California. Sector San Diego boarding team members and investigators identified three illegal charter boats operating April 9-10, in the bay and terminated all three voyages due to unsafe overloading conditions, insufficient lifesaving equipment and failure to provide a qualified or licensed operator while carrying passengers for hire. “Illegal charters are a serious risk to their passengers and to other boat operators on the water,” said Cmdr. Ronald Caputo, Coast Guard Sector San Diego prevention. “There is a reason for the regulations we put in place. We don’t want lives to be lost. We urge anyone suspecting that a vessel is violating the law to report the alleged violation to Coast Guard Sector San Diego.” Read more.