The Ship Report

A look at the people in port who make ship transits and port stays happen We've been talking this week on the show about People on the ships we see. So far we've talked about the people on board. Today we'll talk about an important additional piece of things: the portside army of professionals who make it possible for ships to arrive, handle cargo, and depart - in as smooth and efficie...

Food: an essential ingredient to a happy life on board ship Today, continuing this week's theme of People on board ship, we'll talk about food. Fresh, well-prepared meals are essential to crew morale. Without a good meal after a hard work shift, sailors can get pretty discouraged as they labor for months without much time off. So wise captains make sure food on board is good and plentiful.

Life at Sea his week's theme on the Ship Report is People: the people on the ships we see passing by each day. Today we'll talk about what it's like at sea on board a cargo ship - what people do when they are at work and when they are off work, and what the rhythm of life is like on board.

The Engineering Department: a vital, often unseen workforce on any ship A critical and ofen unseen workforce on any ship is its below decks engineering department. These hardworking, highly skilled folks keep all the essential systems running on board the ship, ensuring that the captain and the rest of the deck department folks can handle the job of getting the vessel from one place to another, an...

Who's on board? This week's theme is People - the people who work on board and those who interact with the ships while they're on the river. The maritime world is full of people, and we hardly ever see them. Today we'll talk a bit about the crews on the ships.

The Columbia River: a salt water wedge estuary Today we continue our series about the Columbia River. Today's topic: the fact that our lower river is called a "salt water wedge estuary." We'll talk about what that means, and why marine pilots consider it one of the river's many quirks that they need to take into account with regard to ships.

More about the Columbia: Its massive riverflow packs a big punch This week we're talking about the Columbia River, and focusing on a different aspect of the river each day. Today we'll talk about all that water that flows by our doorsteps every day. We'll do a few comparisons that may help you understand how massive and formidable the river truly is, and why it should be treated with g...

A brief history of the Columbia River Today I thought we might start a weeklong look at the Columbia River starting today with a brief overview of river history.

Who's on the river today? And, our change in the weather could include snow We'll take a look at ships traveling on the river today, talk about cargo, and why some ships anchor at both ends instead of just at the bow. We'll also talk a little about what might be in store, in terms of snow on the coast, over the next few days.

More on the critical skills mariners and first responders need to have Today, we'll talk a little more about the critical skills and talents that mariners and first responders need to have, all part of the broad umbrella of skills that comrise situational awareness.

The USNS Guadalupe on the river Today we have a USNS ship heading downriver, a not uncommon sight here on the Columbia. That offers a great opportunity to talk about the MIlitary Sealift Command, what they do, how they differ from regular Navy ships and a bit about today's vessel in paticular, the USNS Guadalupe.

Situational awareness: a valuable life skill that defines mariners and first responders Today we'll talk about something that mariners and some specialized land-based jobs share: the need for "situational awareness." That's the abillity to pay focused attention to what's going on around you, and being able to respond appropriately. That means remaining calm, and no panicking.

Comparing navigation then and now Today, a look at how ships navigate, and how different things are now from the way they were before the invention of GPS.

As our beautiful weather continues, so does ship traffic Today, in the context of today's ships, we'll talk about cargo, anchorages and why ships are such an efficient means of travel. And take a look at when our amazing stretch of beautiful, but cold, weather might end.

A look at today's busy ship schedule A good complement of ships on the river today, coming and going. Some interesting cargoes to talk about.

How our sunny, chilly weather can affect those working at sea Our sunny weather may be a welcome break from the usual rain, but the lack of cloud cover is bringing cold nights - and that poses particular hazards for those working at sea these days, especially commercial fishermen.

A look at the bows of ships: the very important front end of things Today, a look at a very specific and important design feature on ships: the bow, the very front end of things. Why do they look the way they do? And why do some ships look different than others? Image: a ship with a plumb bow in the Astoria Anchorage. Credit: Joanne Rideout 2025.

Who's on the river today? A look at ships coming and going, including a couple of US-flag Jones Act ships, and a little about flags, cargo and the weather.

Kalama seeks to address sand shortage with dredge spoils project To address a regional sand shortage, a critical element in concrete production, the Port of Kalama is hoping to get the go ahead for a project that would use sand dredged from the Columbia River instead of transporting sand in from elsewhere.

The river can be deceiving unless you look carefully I was walking along the riverside in Astoria yesterday and it sure looked calm out there on the water. Upon closer inspection, there was a actually max ebb tide happening, and the water in the channel was rushing toward the sea. No wind though, and not much surface turbulence. A reminder that the river can be deceving to the inexperienced: don't...

Solo racer Pip Hare's amazing adventure Today we'll talk about the incredible journey of solo racing sailor Pip Hare. She was competing in the round the world Vendee Globe race in mid December, when her boat was severely damaged and lost its mast. Instead of calling for rescue or abandoning the boat, Hare used broken parts and a small sail to create a small makeshift rig, and slowly sailed 700 mil...

Who's on the river today? A look at today's complement of ships, including one that may eventually be carrying a mineral substance used for, among other things, kitty litter.

A review of anchorages, and the kinds of ships that use them most on the Columbia Today, I thought we could do an overview of anchorages on the river.  We see ships in anchorages up and down the river corridor. Why do ships stop there? What happens on board ships in the anchorage? Can ships just anchor anywhere? Why do some this anchor and others don't? We'll talk about all this and more in today'...

USNS Washington Chambers enters the river today An unusual vessel arrives in the river today: The USNS Washington Chambers. She's a cargo ship that is a member of the Navy's Military Sealift Command fleet, and she's headed for the shipyard at Swan Island. She's been involved in some unique military exercises at sea recently - we'll talk about that too. And a correction to Tuesday's podcast about t...

Something to cheer about in the depths of winter: the days are getting longer Today we'll talk about a happy fact: the days are getting longer! Since we passed the winter solstice in December, we've been adding a little daylight daily in small increments. Soon it will add up to wonderfully longer days, and eventually summer once again.