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MarEx Mailbag:

Published Jan 11, 2011 8:10 AM by The Maritime Executive

This week’s Mailbag references two articles from our May 28 e-newsletter edition.

Last week, we ran a NOAA press release which trumpets, among other things, “Years of study and effort by NOAA and the U.S. Coast Guard will pay off this summer when two changes to shipping lanes into Boston are implemented. Both changes significantly reduce the risk of collisions between large ships and whales.” The text goes on to say that, “Beginning on June 1, ships 300 gross tons and above will be asked to avoid an area in the Great South Channel from April through July, when right whales face the highest chance of being struck by ships. The channel is a feeding area for the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale. Also, ships transiting primarily from the south and entering Boston Harbor in shipping lanes will travel a slightly different path. The north-south traffic lanes have been modified to reduce the threat of ship collisions with endangered right whales and other whale species.”

MarEx sought the input of Boston Harbor Pilot Association President (Captain) Gregg Farmer, who took issue with NOAA’s actions and brought forth some ideas of his own. You can read the 28 May article, entitled “NOAA Says Changes in Vessel Operations May Reduce Risk of endangered Whale shipstrikes,” by clicking HERE. Below, you can see what one of our other readers thought, as well:
 

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Dear MarEx,

In regard to NOAA's press release about changes to the shipping lanes in Boston, I find it very interesting that they fail to mention that one of their own vessels, the small NOAA catamaran Auk, collided with a right whale this spring while traveling at high speeds in an area that is supposedly under a 10 KT speed limit....with the exception of government ships. They expect mariners to go slow and avoid what they themselves cannot avoid in a 65' boat. Typical. My hats are off to Capt. Farmer and the Boston pilots for the good work that they do, despite bureaucratic meddling.

Sincerely,

Dan Lally

MarEx Editor’s Remarks: It would be interesting to hear NOAA weigh in on Mr. Lally’s remarks.

Our May 28th lead editorial lamented the lack of attention given to National Maritime Day, the general apathy or lack of understanding by the American people as to what the collective merchant marine means to their daily lives, and some things that might be underway in Congress and elsewhere to remedy all of that. You can read the 28 May article, entitled “National Maritime Day: New Awareness, New Hopes” by clicking HERE. Below, you can see what one of our readers, who asked, How Many Maritime Days do we need in the world?, had to say on the matter:
 

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Dear Joseph,

I enjoy immensely your articles and editorials.

I just read that USA has proclaimed National Maritime Day on May 22.

Europe also has proclaimed their day.

However, IMO has a World Maritime Day celebrated during the last week in September every year. Why do we have to have different days?

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I am also the current President of WISTA-UK. WISTA is the Women's International Shipping & Trading Association. This year we are celebrating our 35th Anniversary, The Coral Anniversary, and we have our Annual Conference held at the IMO 16 to 18th September 2009. The web page is wistaconference.org,

We are a non-profit and umbrella organisation with over 1,000 members in over 27 countries, we are hoping to have over 300 delegates descending to London for this conference. If you could help us to spread the word and the work of WISTA we will appreciate it; everyone is invited to attend. We are less that 100 days away, the registration on line will be open in a week or so.

Maria Dixon

MarEx Editor’s Remarks: WISTA is a fine organization with a worthy mission. We provide the following information to MarEx readers on behalf of Ms. Dixon:

World Maritime Day:

Every year IMO celebrates World Maritime Day. The exact date is left to individual Governments but is usually celebrated during the last week in September. The day is used to focus attention on the importance of shipping safety, maritime security and the marine environment and to emphasize a particular aspect of IMO's work.

To mark the occasion, the Secretary-General of IMO always prepares a special message and this is backed up by a paper which discusses the selected subject in greater depth. (The Secretary-General's World Maritime Day message is also available as an audio presentation in English.)

World Maritime Day 2009: Climate change: a challenge for IMO too!

World Maritime Day 2009 will be celebrated at the Organization's Headquarters, on Thursday, 24 September. The theme for World Maritime Day 2009 is "Climate change: a challenge for IMO too!". The 2009 parallel event will be hosted by the United States.