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IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM MANAGEMENT
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OCTOBER 21, 2015
It's a good time to be a part of the Higman Family. Although the business climate could be quite a bit better we are still managing to maintain our market share. I'm certain that you all realize that our industry as a whole is slowing down due to conditions in the oil markets. Domestic production has been drastically cut and the trickledown effect on refining is obvious. Our core business is still solid and we are getting great support from our clients. The future continues to be positive for our Higman Family and we continue to renew expiring contracts as well as add new business as the opportunity presents itself.
But, over the course of the last 2 years, we have stressed over and over how our success in the industry is dependent upon your professionalism, your skills, and your abilities to provide the best possible service to our clients on a daily basis. We have also told you that when we as managers feel that we are not providing that quality of service to our clients that we would make some changes. Our exact words were, when we cannot provide the Higman service our clients deserve, we would make changes. That time has come.
Over the past few months we have seen an increase in incidents attributable to poor management practices, bad decision making, complacency, and failure to follow policy and procedures designed to prevent these incidents.
So, we have determined that now is the time for us to make necessary changes in personnel to strengthen our Higman culture. An old phrase comes to mind. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. I am sure that most of you have recognized the weak links in our fleet who are not performing to the standard that we strive to achieve on a daily basis, the standard that our clients deserve, namely, the standard that is distinctively Higman. As I have said in the past, Higman sets the standard for our industry. We feel we are "The Brand" that others are measured against and we must perform to that level every minute of every day. Those of you who have been around a while, and there are many of you, know that we have to remedy our shortcomings in order to reach our goals.
Our Mission Statement says it all.
HIGMAN BARGE LINES IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING ITS CUSTOMERS WITH EFFICIENT, ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE WATERBORNE TRANSPORTATION OF LIQUID PETROLEUM PRODUCTS.
OUR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES ARE DEDICATED TO MAINTAINING SUPERIOR STANDARDS OF SERVICE FOR OUR CLIENTS.
THE HIGMAN TEAM GOAL, THE ESSENCE OF OUR MISSION, IS ZERO TOLERANCE FOR ANYTHING LESS THAN FIRST-CLASS PERFORMANCE AND RESULTS.
Now is the time for us all to re-dedicate ourselves to our mission statement. Have your crews read it and discuss it so that everyone understands that this is a Company wide effort to make ourselves better. As we approach our 100th Anniversary, let's do it with pride and distinction.
BE SAFE AND GOD BLESS
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WHAT MAKES YOUR BOAT FLOAT?
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Overcome buoyancy and your towboat will sink.
Understanding the importance of the watertight doors on the first deck of you vessel is critical in preventing your boat from sinking. With winter weather fast approaching, now is the right time to make sure your crew understands the importance of keeping engine room doors buttoned up. The American Waterway Operators presented statistics in the 1990's that reported an average of 48 towboats sank per year. Much of those vessel losses were caused by down flooding due to open engine room door. Buoyancy is a direct result of displacement and the question is always asked, "Why does a steel hulled boat float, anyways?" |
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What's left of the T/S SELMA
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Not a bad question considering your real life experience tells you that steel is a heavy material. What about cement? During WWI and WWII, there were a number of ships made of cement; they floated just fine. Just off of the Houston Ship Channel east of Pelican Island you can see the remains of one of those ships, the T/S SELMA. The T/S SELMA was built of steel reinforced cement in 1919 as a tanker. She operated on the Gulf Coast until hitting a jetty while entering Tampico, Mexico. She ended up in Galveston where repairs failed. Back to the real question: Why do displacement hulls float? First, what is "displacement?" Displacement literally means moving something from its place or position. When we displace water with a boat, we are move the water out and replacing it with the hull. Salt water weighs about 63.4 pounds per 1 cubic foot. If my boat displaced 1 cubic foot of water, it would have to weigh less than 63.4 pounds to float. Any heavier, and it is going to the bottom. Every boat depends on the displacement of water to provide the buoyancy for the hull. When a towboat is floated, she sinks into the water until the weight of the surrounding water displaced by her underwater volume is equal to the weight of the entire boat. As additional weight is added to the hull either by equipment, fuel, water, etc, the boat will sink lower and lower. The upward force created by this displacement is the vessel's buoyancy. If additional weight in terms of cargo, etc. is added to the boat, and the boat sinks below the normal waterline, the buoyancy addition needed to keep the hull from sinking comes from the "reserve buoyancy." This is the difference between the volume of a hull below the designed waterline and the volume of the hull below the lowest opening incapable of being made watertight.
Most towboats are no longer watertight once we reach the first deck windows. That area then becomes the end of our reserve buoyancy if we we to ever sink that low. Okay, what does a typical Higman towboat displace? Let's do some rough calculation assuming we are floating in salt water that weighs 63.4 pounds per 1 cubic foot.
Start with our hull dimensions: Our boat is 78 feet long and 34 feet wide. The hull from the base line to the deck is 10 feet deep. There is a rise from the deepest part to the bow, and another rise from the base to the stern. Here is a ROUGH calculation for the hull volume in cubic feet: 78 x 34 x 10 minus the volume of the 2 cut-outs of the rises; = (78*34*10)-((25*34*7)/2)-((18*34*7)/2). This equals 21, 403 cubic feet. (I emphasize it is a Rough Calculation). Now multiply this by the weight of the water that could be displaced by this hull: 21,403 x 63.4 = 1,356,950 pounds. Divide by 2,000 and we get tons of displacement or 678.5 tons. This says that for our boat to float no deeper than the main deck, all the steel, machinery, fuel, water, equipment, and crew cannot weigh more than 678.5 tons. If there was any more weight you would get wet feet. What about the open spaces in the hull? We all know that the engine room is the largest open space in the hull. What happens if it fills with water? Back to the calculations. Calculate the engine room volume which is the length, width and height of the space minus some dead rise in the stern: 33 feet long, 34 feet wide and 10 feet high minus the small dead rise; (33*34*10)-((1.5*6*34)/2). This equals 11,067 cubic feet. Use the same calculation to see the weight of the water it could hold and you get 350.8 tons. Remember, this is a rough calculation, but it highlights the importance in keeping your engine room secured while underway. Over half of your buoyancy is provided by that space. If it starts to fill due to down-flooding from an open door, it does not take much time for the vessel to start sinking. How about the forward hold? That is another large space located below the waterline. If we do the calculation like the ones above, forward hold volume could hold about 100 tons of salt water. This is a critical area since this equals about 15% of your total buoyancy. Fill it with water due to collision or operational failure and the overall buoyancy will be critically affected. Towboats are designed for inland waters. They can be safely operated on these waters, but they are still vessels constrained by the laws of physics and the realities of buoyancy. Keep your watertight doors shut!
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For the next few months, the Higman Training Newsletter will highlight the products carried aboard Higman Barges. The information below is general and is not meant to replace the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). For detailed product safety and health information, be sure to read the most current MSDS for the product you are interested in.
Today's Chemical is:
Naphtha
What is it?
Naphtha is produced in petroleum refineries as an intermediate product from the distillation of crude oil. It is a liquid intermediate between the light gases in the crude oil and the heavier liquid kerosene. Naphtha is a catch-all term for any petroleum distillate that boils at 122 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Naphtha is a colorless to reddish-brown volatile aromatic liquid, very similar to gasoline. The auto ignition temperature is typically 475°F. The flash point is typically about -7°F.
Naphtha is used primarily as a feedstock for producing high octane gasoline. It is also used in the petrochemical industry for producing olefins in steam crackers and in the chemical industry for solvent (cleaning) applications.
In everyday use, you may recognize Naphtha as "Coleman Fuel" that is used in camping stoves. It can also typically be found as a solvent in oil based paints. Naphtha will dissolve wax, spread it into a thin layer
and then evaporate. For this reason, it is great for shoe polish!
Many refineries produce a number of different forms of naphtha. Each comes with its own material safety data sheet (MSDS) providing specific information about its chemical composition, handling precautions, health risks, and so forth. It is important to read this information carefully to confirm that one is as knowledgeable as possible before loading/discharging this.
How is it shipped?
Naphtha is typically shipped in bulk via tank barge, rail tank car or pipeline. Tanks typically must be clean and stripped near liquid free before loading as per the shippers instructions.
- Normally, Naphtha will be closed loaded while connected to a vapor collection system at the dock.
What are my concerns?
Naphtha in most cases contains Benzene. Adhere to all Benzene policies when working with this cargo. Wear all recommended PPE.
There is a possibility of H2S in some Naphtha cargoes. Be sure H2S precautions are understood by all crew members and communiucations with dispatch and the loading dock are open to know if the possibilty exists.
In the event of a release, evacuate personnel to safe areas. Remove all sources of ignition. Response and clean-up crews must be properly trained and must utilize proper protective equipment
Eye contact: High vapor concentration or contact may cause irritation and discomfort. Remove contact lenses. In the case of contact with eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of water and seek medical advice.
Skin Contact: Brief contact may cause slight irritation. Skin irritation leading to dermatitis may occur upon prolonged or repeated contact. Can be absorbed through skin.
In case of contact, immediately flush skin with plenty of water. Take off contaminated clothing and shoes immediately. Wash contaminated clothing before re-use. Contaminated leather, particularly footwear, must be discarded. Note that contaminated clothing may be a fire hazard. Seek medical advice if symptoms persist or develop.
Ingestion: Aspiration hazard if liquid is inhaled into lungs, particularly from vomiting after ingestion. Aspiration may result in chemical pneumonia, severe lung damage, respiratory failure and even death.
If swallowed Do NOT induce vomiting. Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. Seek medical attention immediately.
Inhalation: Vapors or mists from this material can irritate the nose, throat, and lungs, and can cause signs and symptoms of central nervous system depression, depending on the concentration and duration of exposure. Inhalation of high concentrations may cause central nervous system depression such as dizziness, drowsiness, headache, and similar narcotic symptoms, but no long-term effects.
If inhaled, remove to fresh air. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. Seek medical attention immediately.
Fire Fighting:
SMALL FIRES - use any extinguisher suitable for Class B fires, dry chemical, CO2, water spray, fire fighting foam, or Halon. Do not use a solid water stream as it may scatter and spread the fire.
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DENTAL AND MEDICAL INSURANCE FOR YOUR CHILDREN
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Important Details for Dependent and Student Coverage
For dental coverage with Guardian, children who are your dependents are eligible for insurance until the age of 19 only. After that, if they are a student, they may remain on the plan until age 25. However, proof of education is required for this extended student coverage.
For medical coverage with Meritain, children who are your dependents are eligible for insurance until the age of 26. However, starting at the age of 17, it will cost you an additional $200 per month, unless they are a student. If they are a student, and you provide the required proof of education, then there is no additional cost for the extended student coverage.
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There has been a mass rush of CBT's completed the last couple of weeks with the release of 4th Quarter. The 5000th CBT was completed by Gary Smith, M/V Sandpiper, on October 20th. Gary, please contact the training department for your $150 Walmart gift card.
Fourth Quarter courses are required for all afloat personnel. This quarter courses are:
- Back Safety
- Higman Environmental Safety
- SMS Policy Changes Part 6
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21st CENTURY COMMUNICATION
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Importance of Email and Voicemail
We all realize communication is vital for anything we plan with others. In fact, we become handicapped without good communication skills for personal and work matters. We no longer depend only on face-to-face, voice-to-voice or written "snail mail." Now, we have advanced technology that bridges the gap between people within seconds.
Two modern ways of communication are email and voicemail. These are important, quick, easy ways to keep in touch with the office, coworkers, family and friends, and they are both widely available almost everywhere. Email and voicemail keep you from wasting time when you are placed on hold or waiting for someone to call you back. Instead of idly waiting, you can send an email or leave a voicemail message so others can respond when they have the answer you need, or when they are free to help you.
Email is the nickname for "electronic mail." Email is your "online internet address." You choose your individual user name and the rest is automatically added for you. Example: Johnsmith@gmail.com.
Is it time for you to create your own email address? No problem! It takes only a few minutes to create an account. Once you have email set up, you can "log in" to receive, write and send messages from any computer or smart phone. Remember to regularly check for messages so you receive and provide information to others in a timely manner.
Voicemail is an electronic means of storing messages. Today, most businesses and cell phones alert the recipient when they have a voice message. As you leave a message, speak clearly, state your first and last name, and leave your call back number. With that information the person you called can easily return your call.
Do you need to set up voicemail on your phone? You will be glad to know most cell phone providers offer voicemail as a basic feature included in your monthly fee. Choose a pre-recorded greeting or record your own. With voice mail is activated on your phone, callers can leave a message anytime whether your phone is in use or turned off. This way you never miss an important message and will be able to return the call as soon as you are able.
If you need assistance setting up email or voicemail, visit your service provider or ask any young person; they are quite savvy about how technology works these days and will be glad to help you.
If you need to add or update your email address, email Janis or Kelly so they can enter this important information for you.
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PARKING LOT SECURITY
Effective immediately there will be an increase of security at the Peninsula Office. These measures will include:
- The front gate will be kept closed 24/7. Employees can access the facility by using the key pad. Your code is 1 followed by your 5 digit ID, then #. 1XXXXX#. All guests can use the call button during business hours.
- The gate will only open enough for one vehicle and remain open for a short time. This will help prevent an unauthorized vehicle from following another car into the facility. If you see any suspicious vehicles behind you, please stop and let the gate close behind you. There is a sensor on the gate to prevent it from closing while a vehicle is in its path.
If you are parking at the office please remember to secure your vehicle. These are tips you should use when parking anywhere.
- Lock your vehicle.
- Do not leave any valuables in your vehicle. This makes your vehicle a target. If you must have valuables in your car, put them out of sight (in the trunk, under the seat, etc.).
- Do not leave your keys in the car or hidden on the car. If you would like to leave an extra key at the office, we keep a locked key box in the office. If you need your extra key please call the office during business hours to make arrangements.
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IS YOUR LICENSE ONBOARD?
In order to operate under the authority of your Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC), it must be on your person (or available within a couple minutes). Mariners are not allowed to operate as a Wheelman or even a Tankerman if their MMC is not onboard the vessel. This also includes supporting documents; TWIC, Medical Certificate (if you were issued one), Radar, Etc. Before you leave your house for crew changed you need to ensure you have the documents. The following are required to be onboard and valid when you board the vessel:
Wheelman:
* MMC (orange book)
* TWIC
* Radar Certificate (actual certificate, not what is listed in your MMC)
* FCC license
* Medical Certificate (if the Coast Guard has issued one)
Tankerman/Steersman:
* MMC (orange book)
* TWIC
* Medical Certificate (if the Coast Guard has issued one)
Deckhands:
Captains and Relief Captains are responsible for verifying by visual inspection that all crew members have these documents onboard.
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USCG RULES OF THE ROAD QUESTIONS
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BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND In fog you observe your radar and determine that risk of collision exists with a vessel which is 2 miles off your port bow. You should __________. a. stop your engines
b. sound the danger signal at two-minute intervals
c. hold course and speed until the other vessel is sighted
d. take avoiding action as soon as possible
BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND What does the word "length" refer to?
a. Length between the perpendiculars
b. Length overall
c. Waterline length
d. Registered length
BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND There are two classes of vessels which do not have to comply with the rule regarding traffic separation schemes, to the extent necessary to carry out their work. One of those is a vessel __________.
a. engaged in fishing
b. towing another
c. servicing a navigational aid
d. on pilotage duty
BOTH INTERNATIONAL & INLAND A vessel towing a barge astern would show, at the stern __________.
a. only a stern light
b. a towing light above the stern light
c. two towing lights in a vertical line
d. two white lights in a vertical line
INLAND ONLY A barge more than 50 meters long, at anchor in a "special anchorage area designated by the Secretary", is required to show how many white anchor lights?
a. 1
b. 3
c. None
d. 2
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Once again,...."Back next issue. This time I promise!"
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Michael Huerta captured a view of small,
medium and large Higman boats at the Peninsula office
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Tankerman Brooke Edmonds, M/V Clifford L. Carraway, shared this beautiful sunset from Shell Moorings
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Dennis gave a presentation at our Training Center for students from Pasadena Independent School District Maritime Program
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| During Higman Leadership & Management training in October
each group met the challenges of various assigned tasks |
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Fifth Session
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| November 5
| Sixth Session
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| January 26
| Seventh Session
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| February 11
| Eighth Session
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| March 1
| Ninth Session
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| April 7
| Tenth Session
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| May 31
| Eleventh Session
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| June 21
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First Session
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| April 20-21
| Second Session
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| May 2-3
| Third Session
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| May 11-12
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Fourth Session
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| November 2-3
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Make sure crewmembers have access to the Training Newsletter
- Print a copy of each issue for the crew.
- You may join our mailing list by clicking below:
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Higman CBT Certificates earned year to date: 5679
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Answer to this weeks Nav Gen: D,B,C,B,D
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Sincerely,
GORDIE KEENAN
KELLY CLEAVER
JANIS ANDERSON
DENNIS ZINK
© 2015 HIGMAN MARINE SERVICES, Inc.
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