The Ship Report

Stabilizing cargo at sea We'll talk about today's ships, including one that has a cargo that must be securely lashed down. We'll talk about how ships keep cargo in place as they bounce around at sea.

Ships, grain and rain - why it can take longer to load wheat in the PNW Today we'll talk about the many grain ships that are currently on the river, and why it can take longer to load them than other kinds of ships, especially in the rainy PNW.

Who's on the river today? A look at today's ship traffic, including a Jones Act tanker carrying cargo between US domestic ports.

What causes wind to come from one direction or another? Today we'll look at the marine weather forecast and talk a little about wind. Why does the wind come from the west, or some other direction? And a look at ship traffic.

Who's on the river today? Today we'll take a look at ship traffic, and at how the Columbia remains what it has historically been when it comes to cargo: an big export region for raw materials.

A look at wind, waves and ships We'll look at ships on the river today, and also talk about the relationship between wind and waves.

A look at who's on the river, and ship paint and colors Today we'll take a look at ship traffic and talk a little about the fairly standard color scheme you see on the bulk carriers that anchor here.

How local shipping gets back to normal after bad weather on the bar We've had some interesting weather this week, including a thunderstorm warning that didn't quite materialize. But along with that storm came bad weather at sea, so difficult that the Columbia River Bar was on red status for the past day or so. That means ship traffic has been halted going in and out of the river temporaril...

Stormy weather continues offshore We got through our odd and threatening forecast yesterday, but while things have calmed down on land, they remain turbulent in the ocean offshore.

With spring break upon us, beware spring runoff in the river It's spring break and folks will be out enjoying the river. There are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to the Columbia and related waterways, and that includes spring runoff and all it brings: cold water, fast currents and dangerous debris in the river.

A look at today's ship schedule We'll take a look at who's coming and going on the river today, and at some of the patterns we see in ships that come here often.

NTSB Report recommends local bridges be included in national safety inspections The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), as part of its investigation into the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore a year ago, is recommending that 68 bridges nationwide be evaluated to determine their hardiness in case of a ship strike. The Baltimore bridge was hit by a 1000 foot long contain...

The first day of Spring is here Today we'll talk about the vernal equinox, the first day of astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Did you know that the sun rises exactly in the east today and sets precidely in the west? We'll talk about this and other interesting fact about the first day of spring.

Water depth, and the complexity of rivers At high tide the river off Astoria seems like a wide uninterrupted expanse of river. At low tide, mudflats abound. Today we'll talk about the complexity of rivers and why they pose challenges for vessels.

A bit about hail - a startling weather phenomenon that's been happening lately We've been seeing abrupt, short lived hail storms lately. So today we'll take a look at what causes hail and other related solid precipitation.

A really big wave offshore, and a look at the concept of significant wave height We recently saw a 63-foot wave off the mouth of the river in the ocean, recorded by a data buoy offshore. While this is a big wave for us, it's also within the parameters of a set of wave parameters called "significant wave height."

A bit of weather coming in, and possible effects on the bar We've got a bit of stormy weather coming in, and so a good time to answer a listener question about the Columbia River Bar, and how ship traffic is affected by weather.

USNS Matthew Perry arrives in the river this morning Today we have a Military Sealift Command cargo ship headed to Portland to the shipyard at Swan Island for repairs and maintenance. We'll learn a little today about this interesting military vessel.

Lots of anchored ships today Today we have an abundance of anchored ships on the river, so many that a couple are waiting offshore. We'll talk about how that can happen.

Who's on the river today? A look at today's ship traffic on the Columbia.

The Polar Star and Operation Deep Freeze Each year the USCG heavy icebreaker Polar Star heads to Antarctica to spend the Northern Hemisphere winter opening a channel through the ice during the Antarctic summer. The ship has just completed her mission and is heading home to Seattle. We'll talk about why this unique ship was there, and why her mission is so important.

What's happening in the anchorage? The Astoria Anchorage is an interesting place, with lots going on out there on the water. Today we'll take a look at some of the common but interesting things you might see if you're out on the Riverwalk or driving through town. Whether it be vessels or aircraft, a cargo ship or the US Coast Guard, what you're seeing are carefully planned maneuver...

Who's on the river today? A look at today's ship schedule.

The Columbia River Ship Channel Today, a look at another largely unseen but very important aspect of maritime travel on the river: the Columbia River Ship Channel.

A valuable coastal resource we use every day that you might not realize Today, we'll take a look at a valuable coastal resource we use every day and probably don't realize it: NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Another one of those unseen but vital facets of life on the coast. Weather, anyone? That forecast came from NOAA.