By Scott Edwards, University of Bristol, and Christian Bueger, University of Copenhagen - At the time of writing at least 100 people have lost their lives and a further 4,000 have been wounded following an explosion in the Port of Beirut. While the actual cause remains uncertain, the tragedy calls to attention the tremendous consequences of a lack of port security. The … [Read more...]
Captain George Livingstone: Blowin’ in the Wind
By Captain George Livingstone - I have not done a column for a while; it just did not seem I had anything to offer that was more important than what has been unfolding before us these last few months. I have always believed that good writing guards against personal basis, just present the case and let the reader decide. The combined COVID-19 and BLM crises have challenged that … [Read more...]
As if COVID-19 Wasn’t Enough, the Illinois River System Faces Lock Closures
By Wessley Johnson - As if COVID-19 was not enough this summer, a full river closure and a halt to shipping on one of the nation's busiest river systems is imminently approaching. The Illinois River system connects the supply of goods with domestic and international markets. This system of navigable water stretches roughly 333 miles, beginning with the Calumet River in … [Read more...]
OPED: A Captain’s Experience Concerning Race And Colorism
The Dichotomy Of Choosing To Be Black Or Brown In America, A Dialog On One Captain’s Personal Experience Concerning Race And Colorism. by Captain Roy Love, USN (OP-ED) “What is it like, being black in America?” I was asked this in June of 1995, by a young man I didn’t know, in the unlikeliest of places. I was on a deployment to the Baltic on USS CAPE ST. GEORGE … [Read more...]
Piloting a Megaship: Record-Setting MSC Anna Arrives in San Francisco Bay
MSC Anna arrives in San Francisco Bay, April 15, 2020. Photo: Port of Oakland By Captain George Livingstone - In the last decade, one of the biggest challenges faced by mariners and especially ship pilots around the world has been the introduction of the Ultra Large Container Vessel (ULCV). I’ve written on this subject before, it’s a very big topic, literally. To say … [Read more...]