Learn about recent news in the maritime law industry by reading the following blog articles from
BoatLaw, LLP. Attorney Nick Neidzwski and Doug Williams are experienced in practicing admiralty and maritime law, including representation for Jones Act cases and for those injured at sea. BoatLaw serves the entire Pacific Coast including Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California.

Holland America and Princess Cruises Cancel Alaska Voyages Scheduled for Early 2021 Due to Pandemic

Signaling that the coronavirus pandemic will continue to impact Alaska’s tourist season, Holland America and Princess Cruises have announced that they will cancel several sailings in 2021. Carnival Corp. brands Princess Cruises and Holland America issued statements Wednesday that rules imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and uncertainty around travel restrictions prompted…

February 21, 2024

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Captain of D/V CONCEPTION Indicted for Criminal Seaman Manslaughter in 2020

D/V CONCEPTION caught fire and sank off the coast of California in 2019.  The incident killed 34 people.  On December 1, 2020, the captain of the Vessel was indicted on federal manslaughter charges under The Seaman’s Manslaughter Statute, codified at 18 U.S.C. § 1115. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, the captain…

February 21, 2024

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New Fire Safety Requirements for Small Passenger Vessels Included in the National Defense Authorization Act (FY2021)

In the wake of the deadly fire aboard D/V CONCEPTION in September 2019, lawmakers have advanced a new fire safety bill for small passenger vessels, the Small Passenger Vessel Safety Act.  The legislation was proposed by Senator Dianne Feinstein and Representatives Salud Carbajal and Julia Brownley.  It was rolled into the National Defense Authorization Act…

February 21, 2024

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Deadly F/V SCANDIES ROSE Sinking Lawsuit to Settle Out of Court

The owners of F/V SCANDIES ROSE report that they have resolved lawsuits with two surviving crewmembers and the families of four mariners who died during the December 2019 incident.  The crab fishing vessel was managed out of Washington State and sank near Sutwik Island, Alaska.  The case reportedly settled out of court for more than…

February 21, 2024

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Tulalip Police Officer Missing After Capsizing Incident in Washington

According to the KIRO 7 News Staff, on Tuesday, November 17, 2020, two police officers were aboard a Tulalip Police Department Fisheries vessel assisting another boat when the police vessel capsized just before 9 p.m.  Both officers were sent into the water as a result.  One officer, wearing a life jacket, was rescued at 11:45…

February 21, 2024

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U.S. CDC to Lift Ban on Cruises in U.S. Waters, but Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line Extend Voluntary Suspension Through the End of the Year

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Oct. 30, 2020, that it would soon lift a ban on cruises in U.S. waters.  The agency detailed the requirements that cruise lines must meet in order to resume operations. The initial phase of restarting the cruise industry will require vessel operators to “demonstrate…

February 21, 2024

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Washington-Based Fishing Vessel Owner Drowns in Sitka, Alaska

On Monday, Nov. 2, 2020, Ronald Cameron, 65, of Bellingham, Washington tragically drowned near a fish processor in Sitka, Alaska.  Mr. Cameron owned F/V ALLYSEN MORIAH, a 75-foot fishing boat operated out of Bellingham.  He was attempting to tie off the vessel during windy conditions when he fell in the water and perished. This incident…

February 21, 2024

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NTSB Releases Preliminary Report in Fatal Dredge WAYMON L. BOYD Fire

On September 29, 2020, the National Transportation Safety Board released a Preliminary Report following investigation of the August 21, 2020 fire around dredge WAYMON L. BOYD. The vessel was a 152-foot-long cutter-head suction dredge that reportedly struck a submerged 16-inch liquid propane pipeline during early morning dredging operations in Corpus Christi, Texas.  A gas plume…

February 21, 2024

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