image provided courtesy of Cospas-Sarsat

Back on February 1^st 2009, though boat owners and ship riders didn’t hear it, there were celebrations all over the rescue world as the COSPAS-SARSAT system stopped processing and reporting 121.5 distress signals.  The hours of lost sleep spent chasing after ghost 121.5 EPIRB signals that were actually some other transmitter (like a radio tower or an ATM machine…seriously) is beyond measure. While I appreciated racking up flight hours on the government’s dime; the Coast Guard, along with SAR organizations the world over, have turned a lot of fuel into noise searching for….well…nothing.  Only one out of fifty 121.5 alerts have been genuine distress situations.  An end to all that warrants at least a little celebration.  But even as the date came and went and the chatter about the switch increased – the first problem with the 406 EPIRBs is already showing itself: news release after news release touts the 406 as the “digital” beacon; more powerful, no-waiting, and accurate to just a few yards.  The problem is that none of that is completely true – not mostly – and only sort-of.  And since recreational boaters and professional mariners are making purchasing decisions about the things, and they are lifesaving devices, I wanted to clear a few things up about the “able-to-leap-buildings-in-a-single bound” 406.

MISNOMER

Most Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons do not actually “Indicate” their “Position.”  Without an onboard GPS – your EPIRB, any EPIRB, simply transmits a signal that contains the exact same data regardless of where in the world you happen to be. While the position of a non-GPS enabled 406 is calculated with greater accuracy than the old 121.5 beacons – it is done in exactly the same way – by relaying the analog (that’s right – I said it) 406 signal back down to earth for calculation – just like the 121.5s did.

It’s About the Birds

To understand the real benefits of the 406, you really have to understand the satellites they talk to.  The COSPAS-SARSAT system is made up two very different types of spacecraft:  geosynchronous and low earth orbiting.  Geosynchronous (synched up with the geography below them) stay fixed above the equator at specific longitudes – looking straight down at the earth below them from around 22,000 miles high – giving them a very wide look at the earth.  Low earth orbiting satellites (LEOSAR) travel around the planet at different rates, and because they fly much lower than their geo-synched brothers (between 500 and 550 miles above the earth), they see a much smaller picture of the surface.  If all that seems like too much information – the important points are that one kind of satellite orbits the earth, and the other kind stays fixed in space above it.

One big advantage to the 406 is its ability – with its higher power – to reach out (22,000 miles into space) and be heard by the GEOSAR satellites.  You know, the ones way up there above the equator that don’t move and see HUGE pieces of the earth. Positioned around the globe so they can see everything between the 70^th parallels – these high fliers are the real engine to the 406 machine.  Just as soon as these guys hear that 406 MHz pulse (a half-second long every 50 seconds), encoded with that “digital” information, it immediately retransmits it back down to earth – including the beacon number and your exact latitude and longitude provided by the on-board GPS.  The signal also includes your course and speed giving rescuers very accurate – real-time data – to get straight to you.

Without an On-Board GPS – Everything Changes

Without GPS data in the pulse, the GEOSAR Satellites – and all that extra power spent sending them a signal – do nothing.  Though they hear the signal, you could be anywhere in their massive window on the world so they have no idea where the beacon is coming from.  Your super-digital, high-powered 406 just digressed and the LEOSAR’s do all the work.  The position of the beacon is determined by Doppler shift.  As the satellite passes over the beacon (and just as with 121.5s, you may have to wait for it) and hears the 406 MHz signal, it retransmits the signal back to earth to one of forty-five Local User Terminal (LUTs) around the earth.  Some very serious math is then applied to determine where exactly the beacon is (or was) as the satellite passed overhead.  Though much more accurate than the 121.5 signals, and immune to old LEOSAR blind spots, these positions can still be off by as much as 3 miles and may be up to 40 minutes old; older if the satellite picked up the 406 outside the view of a LUT (see map).  And while this is way better than the 121.5 accuracy (up to 12 miles off) and timeliness, you should consider the benefits of the on board GPS 406 over the other varieties before making a decision.

What 150 Bucks More Gets You:

I’m not talking about brands; I’m talking about types. So the price difference may be more or less.  But given that we are talking about an “emergency” beacon – usually used from the water (meaning your boat is gone) let’s just call the price difference “peanuts”: The difference between a 406 with an on board GPS and one without is best expressed this way. You can let the rescuers know where you are – accurate to within yards and including drift data – every 50 seconds; or you can let the rescuers know where you might have been – accurate to within a few miles – a while ago with a non-GPS 406.  Sure, you’ll meet the requirements with the less expensive model, but I promise you won’t miss the extra money sitting (hopefully) in your life raft.

Some readers will notice I haven’t even mentioned the third kind of 406 – the GPS-linked variety that uses data from your vessel’s on-board navigation device.  It’s a great idea so long as you’re staying with your vessel, and you’re under power, and the batteries last.  How likely is that in an emergency that requires an EPIRB?  If you have to abandon ship, or the ship abandons you, the on board navigation system isn’t coming with you….and neither is accurate GPS data.

Bottom Line:

The advantages of global coverage and registration data available with 406 EPIRBS are phenomenal– but consider the following when deciding which type of 406 to purchase:

• 406 EPRIBS are four times more accurate than the 121.5 EPIRBS were.
• 406 EPIRBS with on board GPS are two-hundred times more accurate.

So all 406’s are not created equal (not even close) – and if you want the fullest digital advantage available and really want to help rescue crews get more sleep, make sure yours has a GPS.

For more information on the COSPAS-SARSAT System, approved devices, proper beacon registration, and more information about digital and analog signal processing than any one person should know – visit www.cospas-sarsat.org

disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily those of the Department of Homeland Security or the U.S. Coast Guard.

Note: This article was first published in February of 2009

For insight into this question we bring you an article by the US Coast Guard on how a mostly forgotten tragedy changed the face of future rescue operations in this country.

Thirty-one years ago the Coast Guard led one of the nation’s largest search and rescue cases when the 519 passengers and crew of the Dutch cruise ship Prinsendam were forced to abandon ship more than 150-miles off the coast of Alaska after an engine room fire spread throughout the vessel.

Over the course of 24 hours, Coast Guard Cutters Boutwell, Woodrush and Mellon as well as rescue aircraft deployed from Air Stations Sitka and Kodiak would work side-by-side with the U.S. Air Force, Canadian navy and an AMVER-tasked tanker to rescue all hands from 12 to 15 foot seas and 25 to 30 knot winds generated by a nearby Arctic typhoon.

USCG Photo

The Prinsendam was a 427-foot long cruise liner built in 1973. The liner was transiting through the Gulf of Alaska, approximately 120 miles south of Yakutat, Alaska, at midnight Oct. 4, 1980, when fire broke out in the engine room.

With conditions too dangerous for the deployment of small boats from the cutters, survivors were forced to climb aboard the tanker and cutters with the help of two Air Force pararescuemen while hypothermic survivors were ferried to shore by rescue helicopters. The helicopters would then refuel and head back out to the scene for their next load of passengers.

In the immediate aftermath of the rescue, the Coast Guard identified areas of improvement in search and rescue operations which would save tens of thousands of lives in the decades ahead.

In the findings of the Prinsendam investigation, Rear Adm. Richard Knapp noted, “The training and expertise of the Air Force pararescuemen was responsible for the survival of passengers …. It is notable that we were forced to rely on another agency to provide these personnel. I recommend we develop a similar, highly-trained, well-equipped rescue elite.”

Those “rescue elite” would of course become the aviation survival technicians of the Coast Guard rescue swimmer program.

Another deficiency cited in the investigation was the need for rescue helicopters to return to shore to refuel while survivors remained in the water. The critical role rescue helicopters play during extended search and rescue cases would ultimately lead to the helicopter in-flight refueling capability now standard on Coast Guard rescue helicopters.

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

The rescue of the Prinsendam was particularly significant because of the distance traveled by the rescuers, the coordination of independent organizations and the fact that all 519 passengers and crew were rescued without loss of life or serious injury.

These new capabilities would more than prove their value in future cases ranging from the Coast Guard response to Hurricane Katrina to another Arctic rescue when the Alaska Ranger was lost at sea.

At a time when America considers its Arctic future and the role the Coast Guard will play in protecting American lives and national interests in the often harsh conditions found above the Arctic Circle, the Prinsendam rescue serves as a stark reminder of the necessity for a robust Coast Guard presence in America’s Arctic waters.

This article was originally written by  Christopher Lagan and Ademide Adedokun for the blog CG Compass. 

The Russian tanker Renda transits through the Bering Sea with Coast Guard Cutter Healy’s assistance Jan. 10, 2012. The Renda is carrying 1.3 million gallons of petroleum products for delivery to Nome. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

As the world tracked the historic journey of Coast Guard Cutter Healy and the Russian-flagged tanker Renda through approximately 300 miles of ice-covered Arctic waters towards the small Alaskan town of Nome, some may ponder the unique capabilities of an ice breaking ship.

One reader commented on a recent blog post, “The engineering of ice breakers really interests me, as well as the methods used to break ice and escort ships.”

Lt. Cmdr. Kristen Serumgard, Coast Guard Office of Cutter Forces, discusses the art and science behind Healy’s ice breaking capabilities.

Daring to do what other ships ardently avoid, Healy is purposely designed to run into things – specifically, ice. While moving at three knots, Healy can continuously break 4 1/2 feet of ice. When encountering thicker ice, Healy can break up to 8 feet through a process called “backing and ramming,” repeatedly striking the ice in a controlled manner to break through a ridge.

While significant engineering goes into designing an icebreaker, breaking ice is based on two simple principles: (1) a sledgehammer is better than a butter knife and (2) two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time.

Simple principles

Most seagoing vessels have a pointed bow designed to “cut” through the waves. For ice breaking, this is not the most efficient design.

Healy is designed with a rounded, blunted bow that enables it to ride up on top of the ice. As the bow raises up and the stern sinks below the water, the force of buoyancy acting on the submerged portion of the stern – think of putting a basketball underwater! – creates a lever-like action bringing Healy’s 16,000 tons down onto the ice and breaking it. Depending on the type of ice, the energy can radiate out from the ship, creating a swath of broken ice two or even three times the width of the vessel.

Once the ice is broken, the shape of Healy’s hull then facilitates turning the ice on its side to make room for the vessel where the ice used to be. This also creates an open area behind the Healy where the ice has been broken into smaller pieces that can be more easily moved aside by another ship – like the tanker vessel Renda.

Weather and ice

When conducting an escort, as with Renda, weather plays a critical role in the successful outcome of the operation.

Perpendicular winds create ice pressure along the sides of the vessels, increasing friction through the ice and filling in the open area created behind Healy quicker than the escorted vessel can sail into it. This process can result in requiring a higher risk, close-in escort to prevent the escorted vessel from becoming beset, or stuck, in the ice.

If Renda does become beset, Healy is able to free the vessel through a series of passes through the ice designed to relieve the pressure on its hull. Typically, Healy breaks a path parallel to Renda’s track to allow the ice pressing on Renda a place to go (principle two, again!). Sometimes the parallel path of both ships is enough to allow the beset vessel to back up into open water and regain momentum in the forward direction. But other times, many passes must take place to get the entrapped vessel moving again.

Combining art and science

The adage goes the fastest way between two points is a straight line. However, this is not always the case when ice breaking. Most often, the fastest way through the ice is to avoid it by following openings, called leads, in the ice.

To identify leads and areas of reduced ice coverage or thickness, ice pilots use a combination of satellite imagery, ice reports from the National Weather Service, Coast Guard aircraft over flights and, for this mission, a camera-equipped unmanned aerial vehicle. These technical sources of information are coupled with an ice pilots well-developed “seaman’s eye,” reading the contours of the ice to determine the best route. When technical information is not available, the navigator chooses the most direct route, avoiding ridges and following areas of thinner ice coverage.

From high tech satellite imagery to local knowledge and hands-on skill, navigating in ice is truly a combination of art and science.

Related Video

Click here to view the embedded video.

This article was originally written by LT Connie Braesch for CG Compass.

Healy remains offshore as tanker vessel Renda's transfers fuel to Nome. U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric J. Chandler.

Coast Guard icebreaker Healy and tanker Renda have completed their mission to Nome, Alaska, after the safe delivery of an estimated one million gallons of diesel and 300,000 gallons of gasoline to the iced-in town.

Two hoses were used to complete the transfer of the much needed fuel across more than 500 yards of ice. Fuel transfer operations began Monday and continued until all the fuel was safely delivered to an on shore fuel tank storage facility.

“I grew up in a small town in Iowa, about half the size of Nome, and I know that it takes the community spirit and community cooperation to get a big job done,” said Capt. Beverly Havlik, commanding officer of Healy. “And working with all the partners that were involved in this mission to bring fuel to Nome – from the Native community, to the state agencies, to the federal agencies and then just a lot of interested volunteers – we got a big job done.”

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Healy have broken the Renda free from the ice, where it was purposely frozen during the fuel transfer, and are now on their way back across more than 360 miles of sea ice to the open waters of the Bering Sea.  Click HERE to watch a time-lapse video of the Healy breaking the Renda free.

Safe travels for Healy and Renda’s crews as they head home and congratulations on a job well done!

If you missed Healy’s mission to Nome, check out Compass’ updates and rediscover their journey.

This post was originally written by LT Stephanie Young for CG Compass.

NOME, Alaska – The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Healy begins breaking the tanker vessel Renda from the ice near Nome, Alaska, Jan. 20, 2012. The vessels will now begin the more than 400 mile journey through the frozen Bering Sea to open ocean. U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric J. Chandler.

Tanker vessel Renda remains offshore as the transfer of an estimated one million gallons of fuel nears completion. U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric J. Chandler.

Crewmembers from Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg and tenant units hold roses and stand in formation during the ceremony. Each rose represents an individual Coast Guardsman that lost their life. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Tara Molle.

Written by Vice Adm. Robert C. Parker, US Coast Guard Atlantic Area Commander.

A tightly executed fly-by from Air Station Clearwater C-130 and HH-60s hushed the crowd.

Twenty-three souls lost.

Colors crisply presented by the Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard on a splendid day.

The National Anthem, played by the Admiral Farragut Academy Band.

Invocation.

A Coast Guardsman salutes in front of the Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn memorial during the ceremony for the 32nd anniversary of the ship's sinking. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Tara Molle.

Retired Master Chief Petty Officer John Chassereau calls the service to order. His continued passion started by his father, also a retired master chief, is the glue that keeps this tradition appropriately in full view and is the epitome of our core values. We owe him and his father and the local chief’s mess a debt we cannot repay.

Multiple wreaths laid at the memorial by dedicated organizations and at the site by Coast Guard Cutter Alligator.

Our worst peace time loss.

Thirty-two years to the day and connections to this event still remain. Personal connections abound, including my own. I remember the disbelief I felt when I saw the message. Had to be a mistake. It wasn’t. The news got worse. And worse still. Over the years I have wondered how each of the effected lives would have turned out had this fate not befallen them. Would my classmate Frank Sarna maybe be in my privileged position instead of me? Questions that will remain forever unanswered.

A cuttermen tribute is read by Lt. Craig Allen, prospective commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter William Flores. He begins to read the names of the fallen. The bell tolls.

As I prepare to deliver my remarks the bell tolls for each member of the crew as one of 23 crew members from the soon-to-be Coast Guard Cutter William Flores places a rose on the memorial to honor the fallen. When the name of my classmate is called and the bell rings, a lump forms high in my throat. It would remain through my entire remarks. It was a fittingly moving ceremony brilliantly executed with the help of Sector St. Petersburg and countless unseen supporters.

I had visited with the few remaining families, I could feel the pride, the fellowship and the hurt that each shared in their unique way. Strong families all. The bond of shipmates is strong; that among shipmates and families that have suffered this loss is much stronger still. Throughout the Coast Guard family, stories and connections still circulate.

A Coast Guardsman places a rose in front of the Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn memorial during the ceremony. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Tara Molle.

The tragedy underscores the hazards of putting to sea, suboptimal professional development, and underprepared response to the massive grief of our families during a time of unprecedented loss. This tragedy fundamentally changed the professionalism of our cuttermen and other communities, and rightly so.

The Coast Guard Brass Quintet plays Semper Paratus.

Thirty-two years after the event we are at an inflection point where personal attachment to the event must transition to sustained hard lessons learned. Our average enlisted member is 30 years old with eight years of service. The average officer is age 37 with 15 years of service. Only 90 of us remain on active duty today who wore Coast Guard blue the night of this shocking loss. We are guided now by better policy, preparation and rules, as well as an unwritten social contract with the American people and our extended Coast Guard family. We are motivated and inspired to be better professionals by the painful memory of our fallen shipmates. We have created and bettered the Command and Operations School that resulted from this tragedy. I am carrying on the tradition that Adm. Bob Papp honored while in my job…direct engagement with every cutter prospective commanding officer and prospective executive officer class. We are paying it forward in memory of those who can no longer make muster. It is an obligation we must all heed.

“There is a certain enthusiasm in liberty that makes human nature rise above itself, in acts of liberty and heroism.” – Alexander Hamilton

Heroes like Seaman Apprentice Billy Flores define us. At the tender age of 17 he tried unsuccessfully to gain his father’s approval to drop out of high school and join the Marines. He was successful in convincing his Dad, who had entered the Navy in 1944, to join the Coast Guard. His enthusiasm was a hallmark quality according to those with whom he served. And on that fateful chaotic night, no training or drill could have prepared him for what he faced. And face it he did. Acting unselfishly and with the kind of moral courage that many can only dream of, he saved many shipmate’s lives yet ultimately lost his own doing what he loved…helping others. His moral and ethical example will live on, embodied in the crew that will sail in the ship that will bear his name. He is one of 23…

The Coast Guard Hymn is sung, accompanied by a quintet from the Coast Guard Band.

To the surviving shipmates, families and friends: Thank you for your persistence and diligence in holding us to account properly for this loss and recognition of valiant acts in unspeakable moments. To the Chief Petty Officers’ Mess that made this solemn memorial a reality and continue to tend its site, I can only say thank you once again for keeping us steady and on course to honor our fallen. And perhaps we can repay that debt, by honoring our profession.

Amazing Grace is played by a lone piper… a drum roll starts as if from nowhere.

A 21 gun salute, executed with startling precision by the honor guard.

Taps. The lump returns to the throats of many, if not all in attendance.

Benediction.

Reflect.

Go forward. Pay it forward.

Remember.

Honor our shipmates by being better at what you do.

Semper Paratus.

Ice forms in the Straits of Mackinac, underneath the Mackinac Bridge, Jan. 24, 2011. Photo: U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class George Degener

This weeks ship photos are from a joint exercise currently being conducted by the USCG and other environmental response agencies that is aimed at testing new techniques for recovering spilled oil and other hazardous materials from icy waters.  While the USCG frequently trains for oil spill recovery, this will be the first time the service has conducted such an exercise in icy waters.

The exercise is being conducted by the USCG in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, oil spill response organizations and Enbridge Energy Partners, among several others, and is being held out of St. Ignace, Michigan, from Monday through Wednesday.

In total, four vessels will be involved in the project. The Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock, a buoy tender with ice-breaking capabilities, will deploy and evaluate a new Coast Guard cold-weather skimming system while an additional three commercial tugboats will deploy commercial responders and equipment.

Rather than oil, the project will use small amounts of environmentally-friendly oil surrogates, peat moss and oranges.

The exercise hopes to evaluate the effectiveness of multiple oil recovery options for use in the unique conditions prevalent during Great Lakes winters as well as future responses in the Arctic.

The Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock, homeported in Port Huron, Mich., and the commercial tugboats Reliance, Nickelena and Erika Kobasic, sit moored at Coast Guard Station St. Ignace, Mich., Jan. 24, 2011. Photo: U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class George Degener

Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock transits through ice near Mackinac Island, Jan. 24, 2012. Photo: U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Schofield

Crewmembers aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock use an oil-skimming device to recover peat moss, acting as a substitute for spilled oil, near Mackinac Island, Jan. 24, 2012. Photo: U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Schofield

Views of the U.S.-Canada fourth joint mission to map the continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean in August and September 2011. The 2011 joint mission employed the flagship icebreaker from each country, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy and the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent (LSSL), with each ship performing different functions and one ship breaking ice for the other.[State Department photo/ Public Domain

By Brian Van Pay and Barbara Moore, US Department of State

In the enduring spirit of friendship and cooperation, the United States and Canada conducted their fourth joint mission to map the continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean this past summer. The 2011 Arctic mission traversed more than 5,600 total miles and reached more than 1,230 miles north of the Alaskan coast. It marks the completion of a successful five-year collaboration between the United States and Canada to collect the scientific data necessary to determine the extent of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles (referred to as the extended continental shelf) in the Arctic. Determining the extent of the continental shelf is important because a country has rights to manage and protect the resources of its continental shelf.

Collecting these data was not a trivial endeavor, especially in the Arctic’s ice-covered waters. The 2011 joint mission spanned nearly six weeks in August and September and employed the flagship icebreaker from each country, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy and the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent (LSSL), with each ship performing different functions and one ship breaking ice for the other. The partnership is an important example of the use of science as an effective tool of international diplomacy and both countries obtained more data and saved money by working together.

Each ship is equipped with different tools to accomplish its mission. The Healy is one of the few icebreakers in the world with a sophisticated mapping system called a multibeam echo-sounder that can generate beautiful three-dimensional images of the seafloor. The LSSL collected seismic data that provide a cross-section view of what is beneath the surface of the ocean floor, giving scientists insight into the thickness, geometry, and other characteristics of the geologic layers that make up the floor of the ocean.

Since the start of U.S. ECS work in the Arctic in 2003, the Healy has mapped more than 123,000 square miles of the Arctic seafloor, an area equivalent to the size of Arizona. Since 2006, the LSSL has collected 9,320 miles of seismic data, enough to cross the United States almost three times. As in previous Arctic missions, the scientists and crew were not entirely sure the ice would allow the ships to proceed, especially in the eastern portions where some of the thickest Arctic ice is found. The 2011 mission exceeded expectations.

The continental shelf is an important maritime zone, one that holds many resources and vital habitats for marine life. Each nation has sovereign rights to exploit and manage the resources of its continental shelf. From oil to tin, diamonds to gravel, metals to mussels, the resources of the seabed are enormous. Knowing how far the ECS extends, and what resources it contains, is necessary for national security and effective management of those resources.

The U.S. Extended Continental Shelf Task Force, chaired by the Department of State, will analyze the data collected on this and other cruises to determine the full extent of the U.S. continental shelf. Preliminary studies have indicated that the U.S. ECS likely totals at least one million square kilometers — an area about twice the size of California or nearly half the Louisiana Purchase — and a significant portion of that is in the Arctic.

Barbara Moore, a NOAA detailee to the Department of State, was a key participant in this summer’s final joint cruise. To view some of Barbara’s amazing photos taken during the 2011 Arctic expedition, visit the Facebook page of the Bureau of Oceans, International Environmental and Scientific Affairs or the Department of State’s Flickr page.

The U.S. ECS work is not limited to the Arctic and also includes areas in the Pacific Ocean, Bering Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Alaska, and Atlantic Ocean. To learn more about mapping the U.S. continental shelf, please visit the webpage of the U.S Extended Continental Shelf Task Force: www.continentalshelf.gov.

Brian Van Pay serves as a Maritime Geographer in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, and Barbara Moore is serving on detail to the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

NOME, Alaska – The Coast Guard Cutter Healy breaks ice near the city of Nome Alaska Jan. 14, 2012. The Healy is breaking ice near Nome to assist the Russian tanker Renda move into final position for offloading nearly 1.3 million gallons of petroleum products to the city. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Kip Wadlow.

NOME, Alaska — The tanker vessel Renda and the Coast Guard Cutter Healy arrived just offshore of Nome Saturday at 5:13 p.m. and preparations are commencing to ensure a safe fuel transfer.

Once all equipment for the fuel delivery is in place, the fuel transfer operations from the tanker vessel Renda will commence during daylight hours after a joint Coast Guard and State of Alaska overview. Plans are in place to actively monitor the fuel transfer to ensure the highest standards of environmental safety are met.

Crews will have to wait up to 12 hours after the arrival of the ships to ensure that all the broken and disturbed ice has refrozen allowing safe operations to take place around the ships.

“We are dedicated to completing a safe fuel delivery,” said Rear Adm. Thomas Ostebo, Coast Guard District 17 commander. “The Captains and crews of the Healy and the Renda have done a tremendous job getting to Nome safely, but the work of the Coast Guard, our partners, and industry personnel is far from over as we shift to shoreside operations. The last thing that we want to happen during this operation is to have an injury or an accident.”

Throughout the duration of the transfer operations, persons and vehicles will be restricted from areas 50 yards around fuel delivery hoses and 100 yards from the tanker Renda per an established Coast Guard safety zone. These areas will be marked with wooden survey stakes. In addition, the fuel transfer hose will be lit during hours of darkness.

The Healy and Renda crews departed Dutch Harbor Jan. 3 and arrived to the ice edge Jan. 6. The vessels then traversed dynamic and changing Bering Sea ice conditions for more than 300 nautical miles.

“This is a huge milestone having both ships safely moored in Nome. There has been tremendous teamwork taking place on the ground in Nome as well as on the sea between the Healy and the Renda to safely offload this fuel,” said Jason Evans of Sitnasauk Native Corporation.

The distressed Iran-flagged dhow, Ya-Hussayn. Photo: U.S. Navy

For the second time in less than a week, a U.S. vessel has rescued distressed Iranian mariners while in regional waters, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today that several hours before dawn Tuesday morning, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Monomoy rescued six Iranian mariners from a disabled cargo dhow, the Ya-Hussayn, in the North Arabian Gulf.

Monomoy is supporting maritime security operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility that includes the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the coast off East Africa as far south as Kenya.

According to the statement, the Coast Guard cutter was hailed by flares and flashlights coming from the Ya-Hussayn at about 3 a.m. local time.   The dhow’s master indicated the engine room was flooding and the vessel was not seaworthy. A small boat was launched from the Monomoy and was able to rescue two people from the dhow and four from a life raft tied off the vessels stern, officials said.

Once aboard the Monomoy, the mariners were provided with food and water, and one was also treated for injuries.

“Without your help, we were dead,” said Ya-Hussayn’s Master, Hakim Hamid-Awi. “Thank you for all that you did for us.”

On January 5th, a team from the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd rescued a 13-member Iranian crew from 15 suspected pirates who had been holding the crew hostage on the Iranian-flagged Al Molai for several weeks.  Perhaps ironically, the USS Kidd is part of the USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, the vessel that Iran officials had warned to stay out of the Persian Gulf.

While Iran acknowledged the humanitarian effort by the U.S. in that incident, several Iranian news agencies accused the incident was blown up by the U.S. media as a form of propaganda.

Iran recently has been threating to block oil deliveries through the Strait of Hormuz if global powers imposed sanctions targeting Iran’s oil industry.