Boat on the sea
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Late Saturday afternoon, the crew of F/V NAT contacted the Coast Guard in North Bend, Oregon, with news that they were about to run aground on the south jetty of Yaquina Bay as they headed back to port after setting crab pots.

The vessel did indeed ground there, and the NAT crew swam to shore where they were treated for potential hypothermia. According to reports, the captain required further medical care for broken ribs. It’s fortunate that all crew members survived with no worse injuries.

No pollution was been reported during the grounding or in subsequent salvage operations. Why NAT, a 37-foot wooden-hulled fishing vessel hailing from Long Beach, Washington, grounded is under investigation.

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Community Attributes, a Seattle-based research firm, has just released their “Washington State Maritime Cluster Economic Impact Study.” Maritime history in our region, most notably fishing and trade, began when the first people settled here many thousands of years ago, followed by European and American expansion, and since then, we’ve experienced an infusion of cultural influence from around the world, creating a background for success.

While there is no question that our maritime industry is deep-rooted and essential to the economy of Washington State, this past May, the Economic Development Council (EDC) of Seattle and King County issued their “Request for Proposals for a Maritime Industry Economic Impact and Cluster Analysis for the Puget Sound Region and Washington State” in order to collect and provide facts supporting the importance of maritime industry here.

The task of Community Attributes, which was awarded the research work, was to identify and assess the contributions of the maritime industry and its connections with the community, as well as its economic impact and growth potential based on qualified, quantifiable data. The study requirements included:
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Early on November 30, Clint Owens, 41, suffered a head injury aboard Beaufort, N.C.-based F/V SEA ANGELS when part of the rigging equipment struck him. The crew of SEA ANGELS contacted the Coast Guard around 7:00 a.m., as Mr. Owens’ symptoms included short-term memory loss, severe neck pain, jaw injury, and a laceration.

This happened near Ormond Beach, Florida, which is just north of Daytona Beach. The Coast Guard and EMTs quickly arrived in a response boat, immobilized Mr. Owens, and transported him to shore where a helicopter waited to take him to the hospital. His current condition hasn’t been released.

The Coast Guard praised the SEA ANGELS crew for their use of the VHS marine radio. Using a VHS marine radio is more reliable than using a cell phone in these kinds of situations because they broadcast emergency calls to anyone listening, thus increasing the possible number of responses.

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On Friday, November 15, the weather was windy with high waves in Elliott Bay, Seattle. According to reports, a 30-foot dive survey vessel from Ballard Marine Construction, with five crewmembers on board, capsized in the waves, throwing all five into the frigid waters.

The Coast Guard received the call at 1:55 p.m. and answered with two boat crews. Seattle Fire and Seattle Police Departments also responded to the emergency.

One of the Ballard Marine crew was picked up from the water by the Seattle Police Department, and the Coast Guard rescued another three. But the fifth man was trapped in the cold water under the capsized boat, and wasn’t located for about an half-hour. Four of the rescued crew were taken for medical treatment for hypothermia, and are said to be in good condition. However, the man who had been trapped under the hull remained unresponsive in spite of CPR and care at Harborview Medical Center, and he died later that day.

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The 93-foot crab boat ARCTIC HUNTER ran aground shortly after leaving Dutch Harbor on November 1, 2013. The crab boat crashed onto the rocks near Morris Cove early Friday morning and remains partially submerged. Numerous vessels responded to the Mayday message with the SAGA SEA being the first on the scene to help rescue the six man crew. The cause of the accident is under investigation by the Coast Guard. The Captain of the vessel was reportedly given two different sobriety tests, one of which he reportedly failed. Some reports have indicated that the captain has explained he had a beer after the ARCTIC HUNTER went aground and before abandoning ship. Other reports have indicated the captain fell asleep at the wheel. The ARCTIC HUNTER is home ported in Kodiak, Alaska.

Efforts to salvage the ARCTIC HUNTER and contain environmental damages have been spearheaded by Magone Marine. The efforts to remove 12,000 gallons of fuel from the vessel have been hampered by high winds and rough seas. Fortunately, there were no reported crew injuries in this matter.

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The Federal Appellate Court for the Fifth Circuit has entered an opinion, McBride et al v. Estis Well Services, approving punitive damages for seaman in cases involving claims of unseaworthiness. The decision is one of the first Circuit Court decisions to address punitive damages availability in a Jones Act or unseaworthiness action since the Supreme Court of the United States’ land mark decision in Atlantic Soundings v. Townsend. The Atlantic Soundingsdecision declared punitive damages were available to seamen when their employer willfully and callously withheld maintenance and cure benefits. The McBride decision now confirms that punitive damages are also available under the general maritime law doctrine of seaworthiness.

The McBride case involved a barge with a truck-mounted drilling rig on a Louisiana bayou. As crewmen were attempting to straighten the monkey board – the catwalk that extends from the derrick – which had twisted the previous night, the derrick pipe shifted, causing the rig and truck to topple over. One crewman died in the accident and three others were injured.
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American Seafoods Group, one of biggest commercial fishing companies involved in the Alaska pollock fishery, has sold their east coast seafood processing business, American Pride Seafoods. The sale to High Liner Foods was announced October 1, 2013. High Liner Foods reportedly paid $34.5 million for this subsidiary of American Seafoods. The American Seafoods sale of American Pride Seafoods marks a departure from the company’s previous sea-to-plate market integration.

American Pride Seafoods is a value-added frozen seafood and scallop processing business with revenues of $190 million reported in 2012. Typical products include breaded seafood products such as fish and chips, frozen seafood, and seafood packaged for use by restaurants and retail food providers. High Liner Foods indicated that they intend to continue to operate American Pride Seafoods at the New Bedford location without any substantial changes at this time.
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An injured crewman suffering from internal injuries has been airlifted from the 285-foot fishing vessel AMERICAN TRIUMPH. The vessel, part of the American Seafoods fleet, was fishing 30 miles west of Coos Bay off of the Oregon Coast Sunday. The unidentified crewman was listed as being 37 years old. The call for help came at 3:30 P.M. The crewman was evacuated by a Coast Guard motor life boat crew and transported to Bay City where he was ambulanced to the bay area hospital. The crewman was reportedly treated and released from the hospital for further follow up care as may be needed.

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On September 6, the 44-foot fishing vessel, ADRIANNA, ran aground through the surf near Grays Harbor Washington. The incident was reportedly caused when the crewman on wheel watch feel asleep. The Coast Guard is citing fatigue as the cause of the accident.

The incident occurred at around 3:00 a.m. on Friday. Three crewmen were aboard the vessel at the time of the accident. There are no reported injuries at this time. The crew plans to attempt to refloat the steel-hulled vessel at the next high tide. No pollution has been noted at this time, however the vessel reportedly was carrying 1,200 gallons of diesel fuel.

The Coast Guard responded to the incident with helicopters and surfboats delivering pumps to the vessel. “Fatigue continues to be a major problem in the commercial fishing fleet. We’ve had numerous cases of people running aground due to fatigue over the last year,” said Captain Bruce Jones, commander, Coast Guard Sector Columbia River. “In the Pacific Northwest, there’s little margin for error. It’s absolutely critical that mariners always remain diligent and place sufficient emphasis on safety in order to protect life and our sensitive environment.”

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At approximately 10:00 p.m. on Friday, Tidewater Barge Lines reported to the Coast Guard than an unmanned 285-foot grain barge was missing from their Hayden Island facility. Crewmembers of the tug LORI B located the barge floating near the navigation channel and towed it back to Tidewater’s facility.

Upon inspection of the barge’s mooring lines, the Tidewater Barge Lines employee who made the initial report indicated that the mooring cable for the barge was not cut, and the ratchets used to hold it in place appeared to have been intentionally loosened. This incident could have resulted in a major shipping disaster. Either intentionally or negligently failing to secure a barge of this size on the Columbia River could have led to a major casualty. The incident is under investigation by the Coast Guard, and persons with information relating to the incident are asked to contact the Coast Guard Columbia River Command Center at 503-861-6211.

The Tidewater Barge Lines web site indicates that Tidewater Barge Lines is the largest inland marine transportation company west of the Mississippi River. Tidewater Barge Lines provides connections for truck, rail, and waterborne freight throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, their operating area includes 465 miles on the Columbia and Snake River systems extending from the Port of Astoria, Oregon, to the Port of Lewiston, Idaho.

Contact Information
Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC Seattle, Washington
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Seattle, WA 98199
Phone: 206-282-3100 Toll Free: 877-332-5529 Fax: 206-282-1149
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205 E Benson Blvd #321
Anchorage, AK 99503
Phone: 907-751-2588 Toll Free: 877-332-5529

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