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Another Year of Success!
2011 in Review.
The week between Christmas and New Years is generally spent looking at the highlights from the past twelve months. How did we do, are we on course with our goals? Did we accomplish during the past year all we wanted to? Have we grown both in our personal life and profession life?
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Bolivar Mooring |
Let's look at 2011:
- VOYAGES PLANNED and COMPLETED..1,599
- WATERWAY MILES TRAVELED....639,545...that is enough to travel around the world at the equator 25.7 times!
- BARRELS TRANSFERRED....198,501,029...that enough to fill 12,632 Olympic size swimming pools (6 feet deep).
- SAFE TRANSFERS COMPLETED....6350
- New Build Boats Delivered - M/V Trinity Bay, M/V Spindletop, M/V San Bernard, M/V San Antonio, M/V Orange - Our growth continues at a manageable pace in response to the needs of our customers and replacement of older equipment.
- Safety Performance Metrics - our trends are very good! A performance metric is the measure of our activities and performance. Metrics that are tracked include over 30 categories and help us to identify trends both positive and negative.
- In most categories, the trend is positive, though there is always work to be done.
- Training continues at a great pace....over 5000 CBT courses were completed so far this year. Add all the onboard hands on training and it is all positive.
Thank you to all for a great year and a job well done!
From the Management and Staff of Higman Marine, we wish you and your family a Happy New Year.....Cheers! |
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Higman Calendars Ready!
Twelve months of great Higman Pictures!
The 2012 Higman Calendars have been printed! Each vessel and each employee will receive their calendar with the next boat mail (If you haven't received them already). We continue to enjoy all the pictures from our fleet. This year's winners are:
Cover Jeffrey Sanderson, Tankerman, M/V Drum Point
January Duffy St. Pierre, Relief Captain, M/V Cecil
February Michael Maneely, Captain, M/V Baffin Bay
March David Patterson, Relief Captain, M/V Point Isabel
April Duffy St Pierre, Relief Captain, M/V Cecil
May David Patterson, Relief Captain, M/V Point Isabel
June Michael Maneely, Captain, M/V Baffin Bay
July David Devall, Port Captain, Orange office
August Michael Maneely, Captain, M/V Baffin Bay
September Darren Istre, Captain, M/V Antietam
October Taylor Milam, Tankerman, M/V Baffin Bay
November Jay Frye, Safety Manager, Channelview office
December Terry Busby, Captain, M/V Sabine Pass
If you would like to see your pictures next year please submit them to Kaylam@higman.com |
5000 CBT Mark Hit!
Course Completions keep rolling in as 2011 wraps up! Relief Captain Sam Wilson from the M/V TEXIAN hit the 5,000th mark with the completion of "Safety House Keeping". Sam will receive a $150 Walmart gift card for his efforts.
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Relief Capt Sam Wilson |
With the company sponsoring drawing only days away, keep those completions coming in! To be eligible, complete ALL quarterly CBT courses by 2400 hours on December 31, 2011. All eligible employees will be automatically entered for a chance to win one of twenty - $250 gift cards. After December 31, 2011, 20 winners will be randomly selected. Winners will be announced in the January 11, 2012 Training Newsletter. |
CBT Year End
Maintenance Scheduled.
The Computer Based Training website Computer Based Training Website will be under maintenance starting January 1, 2012 through January 10, 2012. All employees will have until 2400, December 31 to finish their annual quarterly training courses.
The 1st Quarter, 2012 courses will become available starting January 10, 2012. |
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All new for the 2012 Wheelmen's Seminar
This year we will be adding some fun activities for you and your guest during the 2012 Wheelmen's Seminars.
One the first day of the meetings (February 29, March 12, March 21), we will be providing a Horticulture Tour for your guest. The tour will be guided by Cathy McCurdy. Ms. McCurdy's tour will have a grounds tour covering the variety of plants grown at Cypress Bend, including their very own green house. To cover the massive grounds the tour will be done by golf cart. The tour includes cart rentals and a kit for clippings.
Always wanted a chance to challenge the office staff? Then come play a round of golf the afternoon before the meeting. Golf package will include cart rental and green fees.
Space for activities is limited so please RSVP at least two weeks in advance. All reservations need to be made with Kelly at the Channelview office.
This year all employees attending will receive a Higman Sweatshirt. Please provide your shirt size when reserving. |
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Nav Zone
What is a safe speed? Will you stop in time?
Safe speed and safe stopping distance are always a question of your judgment. If you are ever involved in a serious incident your judgment will be questioned. You need to know how to explain what your safe speed and safe stopping distance are and how you came up with these numbers. Do you know what should be taken into consideration when you are determining your safe speed and stopping distance? Here is a list of a few things you should consider:
Safe Speed
- Weather (visibility, wind, sea)
- Traffic
- "the maneuverability of the vessel with special reference to stopping distance and turning ability to prevailing conditions" (from Navigation Rules)
- At night, the presence of background lights
- Any limitations in equipment
Safe Stopping Distance
- Vessels hull design
- Weight of the vessel (loads or empties)
- Weather conditions (wind and current)
- Draft in relations to water depth (more water under the vessel makes it harder to stop)
If you have any doubt of what your safe speed, or safe stopping distance should be it is always best to error on the safe side (slower speed, larger stopping distance).
USCG Rules of the Road:
BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND Which statement is TRUE concerning a vessel equipped with operational radar?
a. She must use this equipment to obtain early warning of risk of collision.
b. The radar equipment is only required to be used in restricted visibility.
c. The use of a radar excuses a vessel from the need of a look-out.
d. The safe speed of such a vessel will likely be greater than that of vessels without radar.
BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND....A vessel must proceed at a safe speed __________.
a. in restricted visibility
b. in congested waters
c. during darkness
d. at all times
BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND....Which factor is listed in the Rules as one which must be taken into account when determining safe speed?
a. The construction of the vessel
b. The maneuverability of the vessel
c. The experience of vessel personnel
d. All of the above must be taken into account.
BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND....You are on watch in the fog. Your vessel is proceeding at a safe speed when you hear a fog signal ahead of you. The Rules require you to navigate with caution and, if danger of collision exists, __________.
a. slow to less than 2 knots
b. stop your engines
c. reduce to bare steerageway
d. begin a radar plot
BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND...."Safe speed" is defined as that speed where __________.
a. you can stop within your visibility range
b. you can take proper and effective action to avoid collision
c. you are traveling slower than surrounding vessels
d. no wake comes from your vessel |
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Stern Shots
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M/V DRUM POINT west bound at mile 410 ICWW, with the Moon and Venus shining above. (Photo by Capt Mike Maneely) |
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It took one diver 8 hours to cut out these lines from the M/V REDFISH's wheels during Christmas weekend. |
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The Corpus Christi Harbor bridge is seen in Christmas colors with the M/V SABINE PASS, outbound. (Photo by Capt Mike Maneely) |
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Nautical Trivia
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A shiny bell and a proper bell rope look great on the M/V BETHESDA |
The Ship's Bell
On Inland Towboats, the ship's bell perched beneath the pilot house window serves little function other than to cover the requirements of Rule 33 of the Navigation Rules. A nautical tradition though, can serve to give our Towboat bells a one day a year function.
At midnight on New Year's Eve sixteen bells are struck - eight bells for the old year and eight bells for the new. This has evolved over the years from ringing the bell to blowing the ships' whistle. |
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Dates to Remember
Deadline for completeing CBT quarterly courses
for entry into drawing for
twenty - $250 Gift cards Dec 31, 2011....2400hrs
2012 Wheelmen's Seminars
First Session FEB 29 - MAR 1
Second Session MAR 12 - MAR 13
Third Session MAR 21 - MAR 22
2012 Advanced Pilothouse Management at SCI
First Session FEB 13 - FEB 15
Second Session APR 23 - APR 25
Third Session JUN 11 - JUN 13
Fourth Session AUG 13 - AUG 15
Fifth Session SEP 24- SEP 26
To schedule training please email Kelly or call at 281-864-6011.
CBT Certificates earned by Higman employees from JAN 1, 2011 to date........5020! DO ALL CREWMEMBERS HAVE ACCESS TO THE HIGMAN TRAINING NEWSLETTER? - PLEASE MAKE SURE A HARD COPY IS PRINTED AND MADE AVAILABLE FOR THE CREW.
- Add your email address with the "Join our Mailing List" button (above, page 1, left side) to get your own copy!
Answer to this weeks Rules of the Road ...A,D,B,C,B |
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I hear it all the time, "Where did the year go"?
For me, it seems like the start of 2011 was just around the corner. Didn't we just have our last Wheelmen's Seminars? Didn't we just take delivery of the M/V TRINITY BAY?
If time flies while you are having fun, the good times must be rolling around here!
Have a great and very safe week!
Sincerely, |
GORDIE KEENAN
KELLY CLEAVER
© 2011 HIGMAN MARINE SERVICES, Inc. |
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