Photo By Tech. Sgt. Christopher Hubenthal | U.S. Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Nathan Clinger, Sector Coast Guard Honolulu Coast Guard...... read more read more
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HONOLULU - Many of the resources that residents here rely upon are delivered to the Port of Honolulu. One of the U.S. Coast Guard’s responsibilities is to help ensure that flow of commerce continues without incident.
“The Coast Guard’s mission is to maintain both the safety and security here at the port while protecting the maritime environment and to ensure the continued flow of commerce which is particularly vital to both the residents and the tourists on the Islands of Hawaii,” said U.S. Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Nathan Clinger, Sector Coast Guard Honolulu Coast Guard Prevention Department. “Ninety-eight percent of the goods and services that we rely upon so heavily here in Hawaii such as food, water, clothing and even the fuel that we put in our vehicles are delivered via ships.”
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Honolulu works with local authorities as part of the Maritime Transportation System Recovery Unit that’s made up of multi-agency and multi-stakeholder groups comprised of federal, local and state partners. With this partnership the Coast Guard is better able to identify potential risks and hazards in the port to develop and implement mitigation strategies to continue safe port operations.
According to Clinger, the Hawaiian Islands can only self-sustain without these incoming resources for several days so the successful transportation of these goods and maintaining the vitality of the port is important.
"Let's say for example that there was a vessel that came into the port that had a large oil spill or a major marine casualty that could potentially shut down the port and restrict other vessels from coming in," Clinger said. "With that in consideration the islands of Hawaii are only able to self-sustain for a few days without that continued flow of goods and services. As such, the Coast Guard's mission is absolutely paramount."
One of the ways the Coast Guard safeguards the Marine Transportation construct is by performing inspections on vessels that enter the port. The inspections are designed to ensure vessels are operating safely and securely to prevent any potential safety of life at sea issues, risks to the environment and to uphold and maintain the continued flow of goods and services.
“When we go out on exam the first thing that we do is we’ll meet with the captain and discuss the scope of the exam,” Clinger said. “We’ll be referencing the regulations to check both their certificates and documents, review the crew licenses, and then we’ll usually split up into two separate groups. One group will head topside to the bridge and then the other group will head down below to the engineering spaces.”
When the Coast Guard inspection team surveys the different sections of the vessel they make sure that equipment functions to regulation.
“The group up on the bridge will be looking at things such as the navigation equipment, indicators, life-saving equipment and so forth,” Clinger said. “The group down in the engineering space will be looking at things such as the steering gear equipment and the engine.”
When the ship is inspected the abilities of the vessel’s crew is observed.
“They’ll perform a fire drill for us and then they’ll roll into an abandon ship drill,” Clinger said. “Once all of those criteria are met to the satisfaction of the Coast Guard and within the regulations then we’ll complete the exam.”
Aside from vessel exams, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Honolulu also inspects port facilities and containers to further safeguard and confirm that quality resources are delivered to the Port of Honolulu.
“It’s important for the Coast Guard to inspect the commerce coming through here because the Port of Honolulu really is the life blood of the Hawaiian Islands,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Larry Schmidt, Sector Coast Guard Honolulu Coast Guard Prevention Division marine science technician. “To be in the Coast Guard we are charged with maintaining the safety of this port. To be a key role in that whole chain of commerce gives me an enormous sense of pride.”
| Date Taken: | 07.03.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 08.06.2015 17:20 |
| Story ID: | 172411 |
| Location: | HONOLULU, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 100 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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