The Ship Report

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.

A look at today's schedule, including a ship whose name means "hydrangea" in Japanese Today a look at the daily ship schedule and a few interesting details about ships, including one whose name means "hydrangea" in Japanese, and the charming cultural meaning of the flower in Japanese culture.

A look at the weather, our waning daylight, and a bit about "tramp" bulk carriers Today, a look at our changing weather and how much daylight we are losing per day. Also, look at a common type of bulk carrier referred to in the industry as a "tramp" ship, because it changes cargoes frequently.

Kokanee Salmon, a fresh water lake fish native to the PNW Today we'll talk more about a fish I mentioned on Wednesday's show: The Kokanee salmon, a freshwater lake fish that is also in parts of the Columbia River.

Where does the river end, and the ocean begin? Today, a listener question about salt water intrusion on the Columbia River: Where does the salt water ocean end and the freshwater river begin? As with most things on the Columbia, it's complicated. We'll also talk about fish that call both river and ocean their home.

Interesting goings-on in the Astoria Anchorage show experts handling ship issues This weekend a ship experienced some engine issues heading downriver. Observant folks near the Astoria Anchorage noticed some unusual activity - the actions of marine pilots and a tugboat crew at work keeping the ship safe until it could fix its problems and head out to sea, which it eventually did.

The autumnal equinox, and a look at fall near the Arctic Circle Today, a bit about the autumnal equinox, which happened yesterday in the Northern Hemisphere. And if you're feeling sad about the shorter days, consider the people of Barrow, Alaska (now called Utquiagvik), who endure 67 days of complete darkness between mid-November and late January.

The USNS Henry J Kaiser heads downriver Posting this podcast the night before so folks can see her heading downriver Friday morning from Vancouver. We'll talk about the USNS Henry J Kaiser heading downriver from Vancouver and out to sea. She's a Military Sealift Command ship, a replenishment oiler. A tyoe of ship that's like a sea-going fuel station. She's got equipment on board th...

Ship hull colors and why they look that way Today I'll talk about a really pretty ship in the Astoria Anchorage that has a beautiful turquoise hull. We'll talk about ship hull colors, why they look the way they do, and why some paints have a special purpose that includes their color.

White caps and white horses Today we'll talk about a specific sea state that you might see often off the downtown Astoria waterfront this time of year, and that's: white caps. Also called "white horses" in the UK. They're the result of a specific set of circumstances involving wind and tide, and they signal choppy conditions that mariners need to know about.

Anchor buoys, and why (and how) ships use them Today we hear from a river expert: Columbia River Pilot Captain Wes Balensifer answers a question from a listener about anchor buoys at Rainier on the Columbia River. We'll also talk about other anchorages on the river and why they don't have buoys.