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COURT DENIES ICICLE SEAFOOD?S MOVE TO REDUCE $1.3 MILLION DOLLAR PUNITIVE DAMAGE AWARD
Posted by: euser
March 08, 2010
Topic: Interesting Information

A King County Washington Superior Court Judge has denied Icicle Seafood's motion to reduce a $1.3 million dollar punitive damage jury verdict against it. The punitive damage award arises out of a November, 2009 jury trial where Icicle Seafoods was found to have willfully and wantonly denied an injured fisherman his maritime rights of maintenance and cure. In the Court's written decision denying Icicle Seafood's motion to reduce the punitive damage award, the Court harshly criticized Icicle for showing intentional indifference to the health of their injured seaman. The Court stated that Icicle was under the most stringent legal obligation to take detailed and affirmative action to ensure that their injured crewman received maintenance and cure.

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ALASKA RANGER DOCUMENTARY - MAYDAY, BERING SEA TO AIR ON DISCOVERY CHANNEL
Posted by: euser
March 03, 2010
Topic: Vessel Sinkings

The Discovery Channel will air a documentary tonight on the sinking of the Alaska fishing vessel the ALASKA RANGER. The ALASKA RANGER was owned by the Fishing Company of Alaska and sank on March 23, 2008 with 47 crewmen on board. Five crewmen perished in the frigid waters but the other 42 crewmen were miraculously saved by the United States Coast Guard. The surviving crewmen escaped what was near certain death from freezing waters and high seas. Many of the crewmen still have reoccurring nightmares of the sinking and the loss of their fellow crewmen.

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Three Crewmen Die When Cruise Ship Crashes While Docking In Egypt
Posted by: euser
March 02, 2010
Topic: Vessel Crashes & Collisions

An Italian luxury cruise ship has slammed into a pier while docking in Egypt leaving three crewmen dead and four passengers injured. The deceased crewmen are reported to be from India and Brazil. The cruise ship, COSTA EUROPA, was carrying 1,437 passengers at the time of the accident. The cruise ship is owned by Costa Crociere, an Italian subsidiary of Carnival Corporation.

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ALASKA CRAB BOAT NORTHWESTERN DOCKS AT SEATTLE FISHERMANS TERMINAL
Posted by: euser
February 22, 2010
Topic: Interesting Information

The Alaska crab fishing vessel the NORTHWESTERN docked today at Fisherman's Terminal in Seattle following the 2010 Opilio crab season. The NORTHWESTERN is featured on the Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch television show. Crab fishing is not all Hollywood though! Each year crab fisherman prove with their lives and career ending injuries just how dangerous working on a commercial fishing vessel in Alaska can be.

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ICICLE SEAFOODS ORDERED TO PAY INJURED SEAMAN ATTORNEY FEES FOR MAINTENANCE AND CURE TRIAL
Posted by: James Beard
January 29, 2010
Topic: Legal Cases and Concerns

Icicle Seafoods has been ordered to pay an injured seaman $ 387,558 in an attorney fee award plus $40,500 in case expenses arising out of a November 16, 2009 jury trial in King County. Dana Clausen, a crewman working for Icicle Seafoods, was previously awarded 1.3 million dollars in punitive damages for Icicle's willful and wanton failure to pay maintenance and cure benefits.

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FOUR CREWMEN RESCUED FROM MISSING TUGBOAT
Posted by: euser
January 28, 2010
Topic: Vessel Sinkings

A life raft with four surviving crewmen from the missing tugboat BETTY has been located 53 miles north of Jamaica. One crewman remains missing. The Coast Guard began searching for the U.S. flagged BETTY after receiving an EPIRB signal indicating the tug was in possible trouble. The surviving crewmen were taken to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Coast Guard called off the air search for the remaining crewman on Tuesday. The cause of the tugboat sinking is not known at this time and will be subject of further investigation by the Coast Guard.

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ALASKA FACTORY TRAWLER FLEET BEGINS 2010 FISHING SEASON
Posted by: euser
January 25, 2010
Topic: Interesting Information

The fishing season opened today for the Bering Sea Factory Trawler fleet targeting Pollock. The total allowable catch this year is 813,000 metric tons. The Bering Sea Pacific Cod season also opened today with a similar quota of 168,000 metric tons.

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EXXON OIL TANKER LOSES POWER IN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND
Posted by: James Beard
January 20, 2010
Topic: Marine Safety

An 832-foot Exxon Oil tanker carrying 25 million gallons of crude oil briefly lost power as it was exiting Price William Sound on Sunday. Two tugs that were escorting the tanker, along with the tanker's automated steering system, were able to keep the tanker on course. The tanker was reportedly without power for approximately 30 minutes. The vessel was able to make safe harbor where it was inspected by the Coast Guard and cleared for sailing. The vessel's next port was scheduled to be San Francisco. The tanker has several layers of backup systems, which include three backup power systems, that allowed it to continue on its voyage. The incident adds evidence to pending legislation for increased safety regulations for oil tankers in Prince William Sound.

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MARATHON OIL DECKHAND DIES AFTER FALL OVERBOARD
Posted by: James Beard
January 20, 2010
Topic: Marine Safety

Deckhand Gary Adams of Waterloo, Ohio has died after falling overboard off the Marathon Oil towing vessel, TRI-STATE. The vessel was reportedly involved in early morning docking operations at the Marathon Petroleum dock near Kenova, West Virginia when the accident occurred. Adams was reportedly untying a mooring line when the TRI STATE was put into gear, causing Adams to lose his balance, fall into the water, and go under the barge. The United States Coast Guard is investigating the accident.

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ALASKA FISHING VESSEL ORDERED TO RETURN TO PORT FOR SAFETY VIOLATIONS
Posted by: James Beard
January 20, 2010
Topic: Marine Safety

The Coast Guard ordered the 77-foot fishing vessel, Topaz, to return to port for safety violations. The order came as a result of an at-sea boarding and safety inspection by the Coast Guard. Violations included failure to have survival suits on board. Survival suits are critical to crew and survival in cases of emergency. The Topaz was conducting a test trawl in a designated area at the time of the boarding. The vessel was escorted back to Kodiak Island where the Topaz's survival suits were waiting at the dock. The vessel was able to return to its fishing operations the following day. Four other vessels were boarded by the Coast Guard in the Kodiak area the following day and found to be in compliance with safety regulations.

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