Tanker crewman airlifted after eye injury off Florida - Professional Mariner - Web Bulletin 2018

Tanker crewman airlifted after eye injury off Florida - Professional Mariner - Web Bulletin 2018

Dredging St. Johns River

Dredging St. Johns River - Dutra Group

EL FARO _ lost at sea _ Hurrican Joaquin

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/02/us/hurricane-joaquin/


The EL Faro has been missing for days. 
We remain hopeful the Coast Guard finds the crew today.
Dwayne Clark
Jacksonville Florida Maritime Lawyers

Seaman seeks $5M for wrongful termination after head injury

GALVESTON - Claiming he was wrongfully terminated after receiving a head injury on the job, a Galveston County seaman is seeking $5 million from his former employer. James Gowdy filed a Jones Act suit against Kinder Morgan Inc. on Jan. 13 in Galveston County District Court. He alleges he was injured on March 24 while working aboard the M/V Audrey. According to the original petition, Gowdy and a co-worker were tightening a mechanical wench when the co-worker lost control of a stainless steel teeter bar. The bar then shot across the deck and struck Gowdy in the head, the lawsuit states. Gowdy claims he recalls nothing after the incident until he woke up five hours later in a Sulphur, La., hospital, the suit says. The suit states that Gowdy sustained contusions and abrasions as well as injuries to his neck, legs and other parts of his body. He says he was unable to maintain his balance after the injury and unable to return to work. Gowdy claims his employment was then terminated. He consequently seeks a jury trial along with the $5 million in damages. The Buzbee Law Firm is representing the plaintiff, and Galveston County 56th District Court Judge Lonnie Cox is presiding over the case.

Jones Act Repeal Would Hurt Jacksonville Shipping Companies

Sen. John McCain’s proposed repeal of an 80-year-old maritime law could, if passed, shake up Jacksonville’s most entrenched trade lane and endanger three hometown shipping companies dependent on it. McCain, R-Ariz., argues that requiring all goods shipped between the nation’s ports to be transported by U.S.-built ships and sailed by American crews is protectionist and raises prices by excluding foreign competition. Supporters of the Jones Act counter that the law preserves security and the domestic maritime industries. The repeal of the law “would be devastating,” said Fred Schloth, Sea Star Line LLC’s assistant vice president of marketing. “When you look at [shipping] rates to Puerto Rico, they’re already competitive and can’t come down more.” Read more: Jones Act repeal would hurt local shipping firms - Jacksonville Business Journal

Ship engineer files Jones Act suit in Galveston

GALVESTON - An Alabama seaman is suing his employer for $75,000 for injuries he reportedly sustained on the job. Leslie Vincent Tapia accuses Supreme Offshore Services Inc. of failing to furnish him safe and proper equipment on board the M/V Warren Thomas. "Such a failure to provide proper working equipment proximately caused and resulted in the injuries and damages sustained by the plaintiff," the suit says. Under the Jones Act, the suit was filed Jan. 6 in Galveston County District Court and claims the vessel was not seaworthy. Tapia worked as an engineer on the Warren Thomas.

Seafarers International Union (SIU) President's Report: Jobs Plan

This from the SIU President: December 2009 -- Current Issue Many Seafarers understand both the benefits and the responsibilities that go along with our union’s affiliations to groups like the AFL-CIO, the Maritime Trades Department and the International Transport Workers’ Federation. Belonging to those organizations (and others) helps boost our voice on key issues. It gives us important strength beyond our numbers. It also means we provide grassroots support whenever possible.

Piracy Driving Up Shipping Costs - Africa's Dangerous Waters

While almost all the attention on and, hence, resources for combating piracy in African waters have of late been focused almost exclusively on the waters off the Somali coastline (see my most recent report on the "Return of the Somali Pirates"), a bloody attack last week is a reminder that the Gulf of Guinea on the opposite side of Africa can be equally dangerous—if not more so—even if it does not grab headlines with spectacular heists like this week's capture of the Greek supertanker MV Maran Centaurus as it was transporting more than two million barrels of oil destined for the United States.

Coast Guard still probing death of tugboat crewman - Tugboat Marlin

The U.S. Coast Guard says it is still investigating a 4 p.m. Sunday incident in which a tugboat crewman died. The 52-year-old crewman from the tugboat Marlin was found aboard the vessel unconscious and unresponsive.

Horizon Lines settles class action with $20m payment

HORIZON Lines has agreed to pay $20m and freeze freight rates in its Puerto Rico trade lane for two years to settle a class action lawsuit brought by disgruntled customers. New York-listed Horizon Lines has also agreed to pay its lenders 1.5% higher interest and a one-off sum of $1.8m in consideration for being allowed to exclude this expenditure from calculations that determine its compliance with covenants

Lady Mary Video

Underwater footage of fishing boat Lady Mary The Coast Guard working with the New Jersey State Police verified the position of the fishing boat Lady Mary, which sank southeast of Cape May on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, with the use of a remotely operated vehicle. The external survey by the ROV shows the Lady Mary generally sitting upright on the bottom. The survey did not reveal any evidence of the remaining missing crew members. (Video provided by the US Coast Guard and New Jersey State Police) Uploaded by ssiditsk on 05/06/09

Jones Act Article

Here is a short blog post on the Jones Act.

This firm like ours at Clark & Watson specializes in Jones Act cases. We have spent our entire careers learning the law and how to protect the rights of seamen who work on tugs, ships and other craft, on the water.

Dwayne Clark and Kristen Watson