TTB: NTSB looks at the lessons that accidents teach
Written by Marine Log Staff
Capt. Morgan J. Turrell, director for the Office of Marine Safety (OMS) at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Accidents involving tugs, towboats, and barges can be deadly and are usually expensive.
To discuss the lessons to be learned, Day 2 of Marine Log’s TTB – Tugs, Towboats & Barges free virtual conference on March 24, will kick off with a presentation by Capt. Morgan J. Turrell, director for the Office of Marine Safety (OMS) at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Turrell will review recent NTSB investigations into tug, towboats and barge incidents, explore the lessons they teach and outline current NTSB safety recommendations for the industry.
A USMMA, Kings Point, N.Y, graduate with extensive seagoing experience, Turrell began working at NTSB in September 2003. After joining Princess Cruises as vice president of Marine Investigations in 2007, he returned to NTSB in 2010 and took up his current position in March 2020.
He has led or participated in many notable cases, including the Staten Island Ferry strike in 2003 and the Baltimore Water Taxi Lady D capsizing in 2004.
Turrell also worked on the investigation into the sinking of the Ethan Allen in Lake George, N.Y., in 2005 for which the NTSB awarded him the Dr. Joseph Nall award.
Since returning to the agency, he has represented the NTSB at the International Maritime Organization in London and the Marine Accident Investigators International Forum.
He was the NTSB investigator for the Costa Concordia accident in Italy in 2012.
In 2014, Turrell was named the Chief of Investigations in the Office of Marine Safety. He led the agency’s investigation of the El Faro sinking, including the successful retrieval of its voyage data recorder. In 2017, he was named the deputy director for OMS.
- To inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact David Harkey at dharkey@sbpub.com.
