TOTE ship back under way after losing power

 North Star lost power Tuesday morning due to an electric problem, en route from Anchorage, AK, 45 nautical miles off Haida Gwaii, British Columbia.

The vessel drifted without power until at around 10 pm, when the crew’s efforts to rectify the problem succeeded according to reports, and the 2003 built Orca Class ship was able to resume its voyage under ist own power.

A Canadian Coast Guard vessel and two tugs had been headed for the vessel, but their assistance was not needed.

Delivered in 2003, the North Star is one of two “Built for Alaska” class TOTE vessels that are to be converted to LNG fueled propulsion but, as we reported earlier, both those conversions have been pushed back in the wake of the loss of the El Faro.

Three honored with AOTOS award

The AOTOS recipients shared the evening with a group of American seafarers who were recognized by the USS for specific acts of bravery at sea.

The evening closed with a remembrance for the the 28 American crew members and five Polish nationals lost in the sinking of the TOTE merchant ship El Faro during Hurricane Joaquin. It was led by Mr. Chiarello, who, rather than his own name, chose to have his AOTOS award engraved with the names of those lost in the tragedy.

“Each of us here at this maritime industry gathering will appreciate the gravity and the impact that the loss of the El Faro and her officers and her crew had on TOTE Maritime,” he said. “Within the firm, each of us has shared the anguish and the grief thrust so unmercifully upon the families and friends of those who were lost. Our hearts are torn bearing witness to their suffering.”

“This year,” he continued, “with the leave of the United Seamen’s Service and by the leave of those of you here with me this evening, I’d ask that we put aside any honor meant expressly for myself, and that we honor instead the valiant men and women that comprised the officers and the crew of the El Faro. This evening, they deserve the AOTOS award far more than I do.”

The ceremony included the reading of the names of those who were lost. Michael J. Sacco, President of the Seafarers International Union, read the named of his union members and Paul Doell, President of the American Maritime Officers, read the names of the AMO union members. Finally, Mr. Chiarello recited the names of the five Polish nationals.

For the 2015 AOTOS Awards, U.S. Senator Cory Booker served as General Chairman. Michael Sacco, President of the Seafarers International Union, was Dinner Chairman and F. Anthony Naccarato of American Maritime Officers Service and Joseph Cox served as National Committee Co-Chairmen.

Proceeds from the AOTOS event benefits USS community services abroad for the U.S. Merchant Marine, seafarers of all nations, and U.S. government and military overseas.

USS, a non-profit agency established in 1942, operates centers in six foreign ports in Europe, Asia, and Africa and in the Indian Ocean, and also provides seagoing libraries to American vessels through its affiliate, the American Merchant Marine Library Association.
Edward Morgan is President and Roger Korner is Executive Director of USS.
USS AOTOS Coordinator is Barbara Spector Yeninas.

El Faro search ends without finding VDR

“Over the years we’ve completed many investigations without the aid of recorders and other investigative tools,” said NTSB Chairman Christopher A. Hart. “While it is disappointing that the voyage data recorder was not located, we are hopeful that we’ll be able to determine the probable cause of this tragedy and the factors that may have contributed to it.”

 

The 790-foot U.S.-flag ship operated by TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico went missing on Oct. 1 during Hurricane Joaquin and was located on Oct. 31 in about 15,000 feet of water in the vicinity of its last known position near Crooked Island, Bahamas.

In early October, the NTSB contracted with the U.S. Navy to locate the missing ship, document the wreckage and debris field, and if possible, recover the voyage data recorder.

Sonar equipment towed from USNS Apache detected what was believed to be El Faro on Oct. 31. The finding was confirmed on Nov. 1 when investigators were able to view video of the vessel obtained from CURV-21, a remotely operated vehicle capable of deep sea search activity.

Video revealed that the navigation bridge structure and the deck below it had separated from the ship. The missing structure included the mast and its base where the voyage data recorder was mounted.

On Nov. 11, the navigation bridge was found but neither the mast nor the VDR was found in the vicinity of the navigation bridge structure.

After five more days of searching with CURV-21, it was determined that the VDR could not be located. The search and video documentation efforts of El Faro were completed on Nov. 15.

NTSB: El Faro bridge found, VDR still missing

 The main wreckage of the TOTE cargo ship that went missing during Hurricane Joaquin was found by a search team on board the U.S. Navy tug USNS Apache on October 31, located at a depth of about 15,000 feet in the vicinity of the last known position near the Crooked Islands in the Bahamas.However, the bridge deck had become separated and the search for it — and the VDR — has continued since then.

TOTE pushes back Orca Class LNG conversions

NOVEMBER 9, 2015— The tragic October 1 loss of the El Faro means that TOTE Maritime is having to delay the planned conversion of the first of two “built for Alaska” 839

Judge sets deadline for filing El Faro claims

The Shipowners’ Limitation of Liability Act sets a formula for the amount at which total claims can be capped and yesterday, Judge Schlesinger ordered the vessel’s insurer, Steamship Mutual Underwriting Association Limited, to pay into court $15.3 million as surety for that amount, calculated as the value of the vessel (which is now zero), pending freight which is $2,072,703.50, and $420 per gross registered ton funds ($13,236,300) for death claims.

He also ordered that all claims in relation to the case must be filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida by December 21, 2015 and that any other actions “be hereby restrained, stayed, and enjoined until the hearing and determination of this action.”

A footnote to the ruling said, in part, “The Court notes the rarity of issuing an injunction when the Court has only heard from one side of a case. The admiralty rules are unique and call for such a situation.”

Read Judge Schlesinger’s order HERE

El Faro wreck is missing bridge, VDR not found

The NTSB said yesterday that the Curve 21 remote operated vehicle (ROV) was used to identify the wreck found off the Bahamas at a depth of about 15,000 feet as that of the TOTE ship that went missing on October 1 during Hurricane Joaquin.

The NTSB has contracted with the U.S. Navy to locate the El Faro, document the wreckage and debris field and recover the voyage data recorder (VDR).

The Curve 21 ROV documented both the port and starboard sides of the vessel.

The vessel is oriented in an upright position with the stern buried in approximately 30 feet of sediment.

 The navigation bridge and the deck below have separated from the vessel and have not been located. The team has reviewed sonar scans of the nearby debris field and has not identified any targets that have a high probability of being the missing navigation bridge structure.
 
The voyage data recorder has not been located.
 
Future plans are to redeploy the Orion side scan sonar system to generate a map of the debris field to locate the navigation bridge structure.

TOTE files to limit liability in El Faro law suits

Among the most recent suits filed was one brought by relatives of five Polish members of a riding crew that was aboard the ship when it was lost.

One hurdle facing all these suits is that of the Shipowners Limitation of Liability Act of 1851.

Essentially it  allows a shipowner to limit its liability for a casualty to the value of the vessel and the freight then pending, if any. Shipowners are entitled to limit their liability if any negligence or unseaworthy condition that caused the loss occurred without the privity and knowledge of the owner.I n personal injury and death claims, the knowledge of the master of a seagoing vessel at or prior to the commencement of a voyage is deemed to be the knowledge of the owner.

The TOTE companies have moved rapidly to assert this limitation of liability, filing suit in U.S. District  Court in Jacksonville, FL on October 30.

You can read the filing HERE

Searchers may have found sunken El Faro

NOVEMBER 1, 2015—The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board reports that a search team on board the U.S. Navy tug USNS Apache has found the wreckage of a ship that they believe to be

NTSB: Search fails to locate El Faro pinger

The second stage of the search will now start, attempting to find the vessel using side scan sonar.

 

The USNS Apache arrived at the last known position of the El Faro on October 23, and began searching for the vessel with a Towed Pinger Locator (TPL).

The search area consists of a 10 nautical mile by 15 nautical mile area, in which the USNS Apache towed the TPL on five search lines across the search area in order to detect the acoustic signal associated with the El Faro’s pinger.

The USNS Apache concluded the first phase of the pinger locator search on October 26, 2015, with negative results.

The NTSB says that the TPL’s ability to detect the El Faro’s pinger may be affected by the orientation of the vessel as it lays on the sea floor or the current condition and functionality of the pinger.

The second phase of the search began yesterday, using the Orion side-scan sonar system. The second phase of the search will be conducted over the same search area. This phase will consist of 13 search tracks and will take about 14 days to complete. The side scan sonar system will be used to locate the El Faro, and if found, create an image of the vessel.

If the ship is found on the sea floor, its Voyage Data Recorder or “black box” can be retrieved to help investigators determine the El Faro’s final moments. It is suspected that the ship sank in Hurricane Joaquin on October 1 and is lying on the sea bottom in 15,000 feet of water near the Crooked Islands in the Bahamas. All 33 onboard are presumed lost.

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