The facts of the tragic sinking of the SWANLAND resemble those in Alaska fish boat cases. Although, as noted in our earlier post, the SWANLAND is a Russian vessel, it was British managed. The British Maritime and Coastguard Agency is therefore conducting an investigation, much as the U.S. Coast Guard would conduct a marine casualty…
The NTSB recently completed its investigation into the sinking of the Fishing Vessel Katmai on October 22, 2008. The National Transportation Safety Board released their report on the disaster, and it concluded that the boat had a number of stability problems that made it unable to withstand extreme storm conditions in the Bering Sea. As…
We often have occasion to praise the princely courage of our Coast Guardsmen, their valor in rescuing mariners in peril. British news sources now report an instance of an actual prince rendering courageous service of the same sort. RAF Search and Rescue and Prince William have been praised for rescue efforts following the November 27…
Before the LADY MARY sank off Cape May, N.J., in 2009 with the loss of six lives, it had been structurally modified “without consulting a naval architect,” federal safety officials said. The scallop trawler’s owners hadn’t assessed its stability. The crew didn’t realize the importance of keeping the vessel watertight during severe weather. And the…
Supreme Court Helps Injured Seamen — CSX v. McBride Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court preserved a legal rule which has for 50 years helped railway workers and Jones Act seamen recover fair compensation for their injuries. Despite a vigorous dissent by the Chief Justice, the majority in CSX Transportation, Inc. v. McBride held that if…
Vessel crewmembers are working people. They don’t benefit from tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. They need the benefits and protection sought by labor unions and the party of labor, the Democrats. They need affordable health care and Social Security. They need good public schools for their children. They need an intelligent energy policy and…
The National Transportation Safety Board (“NTSB”) has determined that the reason that the Empress of the North ran aground on July 23, 2008 was the negligence of the captain. The captain allowed an inexperienced, newly licensed junior third mate to the bridge watch from midnight to 4 a.m.. The NTSB commented that the decision of leadership on the vessel…
On Friday, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) offered a bonus to a salvage contractor to retrieve industrial fuel and dangerous chemicals inside the sunken M/V Princess of the Stars. The ship sank somewhere near Roblon Province. The company Titan Salvage, is owned by Crowley Maritime Corporation. Crowley Maritime Corporation is the largest maritime…
The owners of the ill fated fishing vessel the Alaska Ranger have begun legal maneuvering to avoid liability for the deadly ship sinking in March. The lawyers for the Fishing Company of Alaska (“FCA”) have invoked an archaic piece of maritime law that limits the amount of money that can be sought by survivors or the…
The United States Supreme Court ruled recently on several issues related to maritime casualty. The opinion, Baker v. Exxon Shipping Co., deals with the availability of punitive damages under maritime law. Prior to this decision, the Supreme Court had yet to directly rule on whether punitive damages are appropriate under some circumstances. Before this ruling,…
There was no time that Nick was ever unavailable for me. That’s what I call a friend. That is somebody who cares.
Past Client of BoatLaw Commercial Fisherman, Southeast Alaska
