The Ship Report

The daily rhythm of life on the river goes on Today, it's another beautiful day on the river, and we have another opportunity to see the rhythm of daily life passing by: our 90 percent of everything on ships, a wonderful part of life on our river. It's something we love, and that hasn't changed - despite tragic national events.

Offshore weather brings wind and rain A pretty big storm is missing us here on land, while creating difficult conditions for ships at sea.

Baltimore's bridge disaster The horrific scene in Baltimore harbor strikes fear into communities like ours, where we have a big river and big bridges with ships passing under them. Today we'll talk about what's known so far about the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore harbor after it was hit by a huge containership. We'll also talk about whether that could happen...

Waves and storms We're getting some stormy weather this week again, and that's a good time to talk about why and how storms cause waves to get higher and more dangerous, and generally cause havoc at sea.

Farewell, Fisher Poet Clem Starck Today we honor Oregon poet Clemens Starck, an award winning poet and author who was a regular performer at the annual Fisher Poet's Gathering in Astoria. Clem passed away last week at the age of 86, but his evocative work lives on. Today we'll hear him reading of a poem he wrote from his days as a merchant mariner, and learn a little about his life

The USNS Mercy heads to Portland The US Navy hospital ship the USNS Mercy is slated to enter the Columbia River Friday morning. If she arrives according to the schedule, she could pass Astoria around 7:30am Friday.  She's headed to the shipyard in Portland at Swan Island. We'll talk about this iconic ship and her important role in the US military and the world.

Beautiful. mysterious river fog The other morning in Astoria, people were treated to a lovely natural event: the river and surrounding areas were shrouded in thick, velvety fog. Ships sounded their fog horns while they made their way through it, while the hillside above the river enjoyed bright sunshine and blue skies. Today we'll talk about river fog and what causes it.

But wait, there's more! About dredging... There's so much to talk about when it comes to dredging the river... so here's more nuts and bolts of dredging as a follow up to Monday's program. We'll talk about how deep the channels are, other channels on the Columbia besides the main ship channel, and why the Columbia will never be able to accommodate some ships that are just too b...

The present and future of ship emissions Sharp-eyed ship watchers concerned about pollution noticed a ship traveling in the river yesterday, emitting what looked like smoke from its stack. As it turns out, seeing that was good news, since it shows the ship has an emissions scrubber on board, and what folks saw was mostly steam. But that sighting opens the door to talk about recent international re...

Dredging on the Columbia, and a new beneficial use for dredge spoils Today the answer to a listener question about dredging on the Columbia River, and a look at new beneficial use for dredge spoils: the many tons of sediment vacuumed off the river bottom annually.

The rhyme and reason of ship names Today we'll talk about a ship in the Astoria Anchorage that's garnered some attention lately because of her name: the bulk carrier Kobayashi Maru is out there waiting to go upriver and pick up her cargo. That's prompted shipwatchers locally to wonder whether she was named by a zealous Star Trek fan, or whether her name is simply a charming term of end...

Abandoned ships and crews: a global problem Today, a listener question about a dilapidated looking ship in the Astoria Anchorage. Does a ship's appearance signal problems on board? Possibly, but not necessarily. She could just need a good paint job. The ocean is hard on ships. However, the question speaks to what's become a global issue: ships being abandoned by their owners with crew on b...

How global shipping troubles affect us all Today we'll take a look at how and why recent shipping troubles at the Suez Canal and Panama canals affect us all. Ships now must use alternate strategies to get around two of the most vital waterways in the world, and the effect could be higher inflation and increased costs for consumers.

Of car carriers and ballast water Today, a listener question about car carriers and ballast water. We'll talk about how automated systems work on modern ships and how a computer malfunction can lead to dangerous ballast water problems that can trigger an emergency.

Running aground: how it can happen and what ships do about it Today, a question about ships on the Columbia running aground: why it sometimes happens and what ships do about it. It's not a common occurrence but when it happens, it's a maritime emergency, and pilots and crews take swift action to get things under control.

Short turnaround time for some ships A ship arrives one day on the rive and leaves in less than 24 hours. It's an example of the fast-paced world of cargo handling, which can leave car and container ship crews hard-pressed with little chance to rest before heading back out into the wintry Pacific.

Familiar cruise ship will no longer visit Astoria as company folds Residents and visitors to Astoria may remember the big red and white paddlewheel cruise ship, the American Empress, that used to dock at the 17th Street dock by the Columbia River Maritime Museum. The company that owns her, American Queen Voyages, has ceased operations, and that ship will no longer be a familiar sight in Astoria du...

Columbia River Locks close for annual maintenance this week Today we'll talk about an annual event that began this week: it's the annual, temporary closing of the US Army Corps of Engineers Portland District locks at the Bonneville, The Dalles and John Day dams. Each year the locks close for two weeks to allow technicians to inspect them and repair and maintain the equipment. It's an e...

Portland's quite nautical Tilikum Crossing bridge, and more about Chinese manufactured GM cars coming into Portland A little additional info regarding yesterday's show about Chinese-built GM autos being imported into Portland, and a look at the Tilikum Crossing, an unusual Portland bridge that has unique nautical features.

Chinese car carriers arriving in Portland: what's on board? Today, an answer to a listener question about car carriers arriving in Portland from China: are there Chinese cars on board? Turns out the answer is complex: yes and no. No Chinese brands are on board, but there are GM cars arriving here, which were manufactured in China. We'll also talk about some of the issues around potentially...

Archive interview: a chat with a USCG rescue swimmer, Part 5 This week, a look back in the Ship Report archives at in interview with a USCG rescue swimmer. One of the most interesting interviews I have ever done in the 20+ years I have done this show.

Archive interview: a chat with a USCG rescue swimmer, Part 4 This week, a look back in the Ship Report archives at in interview with a USCG rescue swimmer. One of the most interesting interviews I have ever done in the 20+ years I have done this show.

Archive interview: a chat with a USCG rescue swimmer, Part 3 This week, a look back in the Ship Report archives at in interview with a USCG rescue swimmer. One of the most interesting interviews I have ever done in the 20+ years I have done this show.

Archive interview: a chat with a USCG rescue swimmer, Part 2 This week, a look back in the Ship Report archives at in interview with a USCG rescue swimmer. One of the most interesting interviews I have ever done in the 20+ years I have done this show.

Archive interview: a chat with a USCG rescue swimmer, Part 1 This week, a look back in the Ship Report archives at in interview with a USCG rescue swimmer. One of the most interesting interviews I have ever done in the 20+ years I have done this show.