Judge rules SSA negligent in 2017 fast ferry crash

A federal court judge ruled in favor of passengers and workers who were injured when the IYANOUGH crashed into a 3,000-foot-long rock breakwater in Hyannisport. On behalf of its clients, Latti & Anderson LLP filed a motion in Federal Court seeking the Court to find that the Steamship Authority was negligent in the crash in…

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Owners of the M/V IYANOUGH file Petition for Limitation of Liability

Last June, a high-speed passenger ferry crashed into a jetty in Hyannis, Massachusetts that left fifteen people injured. The ferry, named the M/V IYANOUGH and operated by the Wood’s Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority, crashed into the jetty a few miles from the dock. Due to heavy winds and rough seas, the evacuation…

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What Caused This Ferry Accident That Injured 45 Passengers?

Seastreak, the company that operates the new Providence-Newport vessel, is facing $75 million in lawsuits after a ferry accident in 2013 that injured 45 passengers. The ferry was carrying 326 passengers when it smashed into a docking barge. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the ferry did not have a safety management system.…

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Boater Loses His Life When He Collides With a Ferry

The Quebec River near Laval is often occupied by a 48-foot cable ferry that uses the current to navigate across the river. Last year, a pleasure craft caused a boating accident when it crashed into this ferry, and a young man lost his life and several other passengers sustained injuries. According to the report, there…

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Spirit Of Massachusetts Runs Aground

BOSTON — The Coast Guard is investigating how a whale watcher veered off course and ran aground off Deer Island Saturday, forcing an evacuation of tourists on board. The captain radioed a distress call when the ship began taking on water about a mile and a half from shore around 10AM on Saturday. It took…

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Construction Equipment Tips Over on Maine Ferry

Last December, the ro-ro ferry Island Transporter reportedly battled through rough weather off the Maine coast as it was transporting construction equipment, including a cement and boom truck, which eventually overturned on the vessel. According to Professional Mariner, a boom truck on the ferry slid forward about 15 minutes into the voyage, eventually tipping over…

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Why Do Grounding Incidents Occur?

In previous blogs, we have discussed how grounding incidents occur far too frequently on cargo ships, passenger vessels, container ships, tankers and other varieties of vessels. Grounding incidents, which can involve a vessel’s hull scraping through land beds, occur for a number of reasons including negligence on behalf of an operator and/or employee aboard a…

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How Important Are Cargo Load Limits?

Did you know that there are cargo load limits for vessels like ferries? Remember, cargo can include the number of passengers onboard a vessel. Unfortunately, some deadly maritime accidents occurring worldwide recently have highlighted how important these load limits are. Remember, each vessel is built with specific licensed load limits. In addition to this, operators…

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Could a Ferry Crash Into a Pier?

Could a Ferry Crash Into a Pier? Ferry crashes often have devastating results. When you’re riding on the road in a car or truck, you are very aware of how often auto accidents occur, so you keep your guard up. However, for those riding ferryboats, their guard is often down because people are less used…

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Could My Car Fall Off a Ferry Dock?

Could My Car Fall Off a Ferry Dock? According to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) website, the auto capacity of the state’s Olympic Class ferries is 144 vehicles. In a tragic incident, ferry service in Southworth, Washington had to be halted recently after a fatal accident involving an SUV driving off a ferry…

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What Happens When Cars Crash on a Ferry?

Unforeseen accidents can happen at any time on a ferry; crews must be prepared for any eventuality. Sometimes, even the best trained crew can only stand by helplessly as a passenger does something no one could have prepared for. Earlier this month, when a driver aboard one of the vessels in the Cape May-Lewes Ferry…

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New Patented Water-Activated Life Raft

In far too many marine disasters, life rafts are in fact available for use, but passengers and crews either were not trained in how to deploy the life rafts, or the rafts were inaccessible. The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) is an international maritime safety treaty, designed to ensure that…

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How Do Ferry Crews Prepare for Unforeseeable Accidents?

Whenever we buy a ticket for a ferry, we innately trust that the crew of that boat is prepared for any kind of emergency situation. Of course, we also assume that the crew is trained well enough that no emergencies will arise in the first place, but unexpected accidents do happen. This is why the…

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Uber Ferry Service Tested in East Boston

Uber, the popular smartphone-based taxi service, tried out a new ferry service in East Boston and the Boston Harbor last month. Going by the name of UberBOAT, the service ran for two weeks in June while the fledgling company measured demand before deciding how many resources to pour into a full time ferry service. The…

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Deck Hand Dies After Fall from Ohio River Ferry

A fall overboard claimed the life of an 81-year-old deck hand, who died after falling off the ferry he was working on, according to Professional Mariner. The accident happened on the Ohio River in between Constance, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio. The 81 year old was a former ferry captain. He had to retire due to…

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Is My Family Safe on a Ferry?

When you take your family on a ferry, you entrust the owners and operators of the vessel with what matters most to you: the lives of your loved ones. This is a responsibility that should never be taken lightly. Unfortunately, not all ferry owners and operators take the necessary precautions to ensure their vessels are…

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Wrong Turn, Lack of Awareness Leads to Ferry Accident

According to Professional Mariner, while an inexperienced second mate was steering a ferry, a wrong turn led to a collision with a yacht. The accident happened at about 1:38 p.m. on September 13, 2013 near the intersection of the Harney and Upright channels in the San Juan Islands. [ubermenu-map address=”Harney Channel, Eastsound, WA” zoom=”14″ width=”375px”…

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What Should I Do If I Was Hurt on a Ferry?

A March 2014 article in WorkBoat highlights the importance of the owners and operators of passenger vessels, such as ferries, keeping their ships in safe condition. According to the article, passengers on these ships will be protected from most safety hazards as long as a few simple actions are completed by those responsible for the…

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