Algoma-Buffalo

The Coast Guard came to the aid of a 45-year-old man aboard a 625"Buffalo" in the St. Marys River, at the Neebish Island Ferry Dock, located on Neebish Island, Michígan, in the afternoon of Dec 2, 2012. An SAR coordinator from Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., was contacted at 2:10 p.m. by the "Buffalo" after one of the crewmembers was suffering from tightness in his chest and was having difficulty breathing. After conferring with a flight surgeon, it was determined that the man should be taken ashore for further treatment. The motor vessel was at the dock but, due to its size, the crew could not safely transport the man to the emergency medical services waiting at the dock. A Coast Guard Station Sault Ste. Marie rescue boatcrew launched aboard a 25-foot boat which arrived on scene at about 2:44 p.m., transferred the man onto the RB-S, and transported him to the dock where he was transferred to EMS in stable condition.

Bulk carrier Buffalo ran aground on August 1 2012 night on the Canadian side of southern Lake Huron, one mile off shore from Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, reported USCG Ninth District. CG Sector Detroit received a report from the master at 22:00 stating the vessel ran aground while transiting south to Cleveland, loaded with iron ore pellets. There have been no reports of injuries, pollution or flooding. A refloat plan must be approved by Canada and US authorities before attempts are made to move the vessel. Shipping lanes have not been disrupted. The cause of the grounding is under investigation. Maritime Bulletin http://www.odin.tc

The American Maritime Officers union and the American Steamship Company have reached a tentative agreement on an expired labor contract, ending a week long AMO strike and allowing ASC to restart vessel operations, gCaptain reports. Under the new agreement, both parties have agreed to extend the current contract through – at a minimum – the end of the 2011 Great Lakes shipping season, and the assurance that both sides will be able to reach a successor agreement come 2012.