The Ship Report

Voting at Sea Today, as we stand on the brink of a highly significant US election, we'll take a look at how mariners at sea vote, both in the merchant marine and in the US military.

Vessel agent: a complex and interesting job on the river This week we're hearing excerpts from an interview I did with Christi Lee Dunham, vessel agent on the Columbia River.

Ship's agent: more on this fascinating job on the river We continue this week's deep dive into the world of vessel agents on the Columbia River

Vessel agent: a complex and interesting profession More on the unique job of being a vessel agent.

Vessel agent continued... We continue our look at the unique job of vessel agent on the Columbia River.

Vessel agent: unique job on the river This week we hear excerpts from an interview I did with Christi Lee Dunham, a vessel agent who works with ships on the Columbia River.

Stormy weather at sea A look back in the Ship Report archives at an interview I did with Capt. Robert Johnson in the early 2000s, about what it's like aboard a ship, from the captain's perspective, when their vessel is caught in a storm.

Who's on the river today? A look at today's ship traffic, which includes a domestic petroleum tanker, a military vessel and the usual complement of bulk carriers. Ships traveling 24/7 on the river as usual.

Shipbreaking: a necessary and problematic industry Today, in answer to a listener question, a look at a troubling but necessary industry: shipbreaking. Where do old ships go to die? The answer mostly is to a shipbreaking yard somewhere in South Asia, to countries like India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. We'll talk about the hazards of shipbreaking as is it conducted in most cases. We'll also look at p...

Interesting vessels on the river this week Today we'll take a closer look at two unusual vessels on the river this week: the USNS Eagleview, which is currently docked at the Port of Astoria. And the Pan Viva, a ship that had a close call in Alaska recently in bad weather. A lot of difficult, careful work by the Coast Guard and and coorinated resources saved this ship from a disaster.

More on ship transit times The topic of how long it takes a ship to get from one place to another on the river can be quite complex. Today we'll hear from a river expert who'll explain more about what factors are in play on the Columbia River that affect vessel transit times.

Transit times on the river for ships Today, a look at how long it takes big ships to get from one place to another on the Columbia River.

Do all big vessels take a pilot on board? Today, a listener question about marine pilots: which ships take them and which don't? In the majority of cases, it's a matter of the law. And we certainly see a lot of local domestic vessels, like tugs and excursion vessels, and US-flagged river cruise ships, that don't take pilots. Their captains know the river well. But almost all large visiting vessels...

A visitor asks about ships at anchor off Astoria I got a question about ships at anchor off Astoria, one I've answered before... but it's always good to revisit these very visible and wonderfully local examples of "how things work" on the river. Today we'll talk about tides and their effects on anchored ships, and what their appearance and position tell us about what is happening on the river.

When is a sinking ship not a sinking ship? When she's a split-hull hopper dredge Today's riddle: When is a sinking ship not a sinking ship? In this case, this week on the lower Columbia, it's probably the split-hull hopper dredge Bayport, a ship that is designed to split in half without sinking.

The Pacific Tracker heads downriver today Today we'll talk about what ships are traveling on the river today. Among them is the Pacific Tracker, a US military vessel that tracks missile testing in the North Pacific region.

A look at ship running lights: lights that are on at night Today, an archive interview about ship running lights, featuring Capt. Robert Johnson, a now retired Columbia River Bar Pilot.

Listener questions about marine pilots Today, some questions about pilots from a new listener to the Ship Report. A great opportunity to talk about one of my favorite subjects. Steve asked, "Are pilots onboard for the whole journey, say Astoria to Portland?  At anchorage, as well? Also, are there pilot "bases" in Kalama and Portland in addition to Astoria?"  Today we'll talk about these questions...

A look at ballast water, rolling cargoes, and the MSC Damla heads downriver A look at today's ship schedule, including yesterday's containership, the MSC Damla, all repaired and headed out to sea.

Interesting vessel alert for Tuesday morning: Containership gest tug escort on the river The containership MSC Damla was supposed to head to Portland on Monday, but she had to remain at sea after she developed temporary steering issues as she was about to enter the river. Experts on board fixed her steering issues, and the bar pilot got her safely back out to sea. Even though her steering's fine n...

Cruise ship season winds down in Astoria The next-to-last blue water cruise ship for the 2024 season arrives in Astoria today. We'll talk a litlte about that and also an update about the future on container service on the Columbia.

Crowley Maritime crews receive safety award Today we'll look at a safety award for employees of Crowley Maritime tugs who assisted with rescues eariler this year. Their heroic actions are part of an age-old tradition of mariners helping others in trouble at sea.

A look at the ship registries, or flags, of the ships on the river today Every ship sails under a flag of registry of a country somewhere in the world. Some represent the country where the ship's owners are based, others are flags of convenience that offer cheaper rates and more lax regulations. We'll take a look at where today's ships are registered.

Why ships here tend to use the port anchor in the Astoria Anchorage Today, another listener question, about why ships generally use the port anchor when they anchor off Astoria in the river. And what does that mean anyway? A look at the nuances of ship handling that demand pilot expertise.

Drawbridges! You may drive over one frequently and not know it Drawbridges are an important part of our transportation system in the Astora/Warernton area. In fact, we couldn't get around without them. Today I'll answer a listener question about drawbridges and talk about the ones we have here and how they work. Photo of Youngs Bay Bridge courtesy Wikimedia Commons.