World Fleet Ships in the Dry Cargo Category, Which Includes the Beirut “Bomb” Ship Rhosus, Generally are at Far More Risk Than Other Ship Types, Study Shows

Worldwide, a high percentage of dry cargo ships  — the same sort of vessel that carried a cargo of ammonium nitrate

Continue reading

To Pass the Time During Virus Lockdown, Here are Two Books Free Online: The Wreck of the SS Marine Electric. And the Wreck of the SS El Faro

Need a good maritime read during virus lockdown? Here are two free online books — one on the Marine Electric; the other on the SS El Faro to pass the time.

Ready or Not, Here She Comes: The USNS Comfort, Near the End of Her Useful Life as a Hospital Ship, Sails Once More into the Breach on President Trump’s Orders

Ready or Not, Here She Comes. President Trump Orders the USNS Comfort to Manhattan

In the SS El Faro Aftermath, Tote Maritime Legal Team Still Fighting Minor Civil Sanctions Proposed by the Coast Guard

Nearly two and a half years after the El Faro Coast Guard casualty report and four and a half year

Continue reading

From the Archives: The SS Penny, Sister of the Lost Ship SS Poet, Makes One Last Trip

(Circa 1981. The Inquirer had given me a lot of leash to follow the story of the SS Poet and

Continue reading

texas tugboats

Texas Tugboat Update: Bouchard Faces Possible Criminal Penalties for Defying Coast Guard Orders; Has Until Friday to Comply with Civil Orders

Bouchard Transportation, facing financial distress, continued to defy Coast Guard orders to secure an unsafe barge located off the Texas

Continue reading

The Titanic sparked major reforms So did the SS El Faro

Recent Maritime Tales: From the SS El Faro to the SS Poet, to Modern Day “Press Gangs” Off the Texas Coast

Modern Day “Impressment” in the Bouchard IncidentBouchard Barges and the Concept of Modern Press GangesIs the situation with those Bouchard

Continue reading

The Long, Slow Tide of El Faro Reform May Make This the Most Significant Era for Safety Improvement Since the Titanic

No one saw tons of change coming from the initial report on the 2015 tragedy. But the tide keeps rising and rising — to a point where it may now have provided the most significant maritime safety reforms in more than 100 years.

February in Review: From Bad Barges to the Bad Boards of Review to the Marine Electric and the Jones Act

We covered some ground in February. Here is a recap of posts for the month. (Note: Last post here is

Continue reading

Bob Cusick

Author/Family Query: Seeking Paul Dewey, Marine Electric Survivor

Paul Dewey was one of three survivors of the Marine Electric and helped change maritime safety history by testifying at

Continue reading