Navigating to Zero - January 2026

CKidd 01/30/26

Full Ahead on Safety: Commitment, Collaboration, Continuous Improvement in 2026

AWO is excited to begin 2026 by bringing members together in New Orleans for the Winter Safety Meeting, to be held immediately following the Combined Regions Annual Meeting on February 26. The Safety Committees invite members and partners to move full ahead on safety, reinforcing AWO's commitment to continuous improvement through collaboration, data-driven insight, and leadership across the American tugboat, towboat, and barge industry.

AWO's Midwest, Ohio Valley and Southern regions will hold their Combined Annual Meeting Wednesday afternoon, February 25, followed by an opening reception that evening; Safety Meeting attendees arriving early are welcome to join. The Combined Regional Meeting will continue on Thursday morning, February 26, with presentations from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Port of New Orleans, and U.S. Coast Guard.

The Safety Meeting will begin after lunch with sessions addressing leadership, wellness, process safety, human performance, safe vessel access, recreational boating safety, safety statistics, updates to the Falls Overboard Prevention Report, and how emerging technologies, including AI, can strengthen members' Safety Management Systems.

The meeting concludes Thursday evening with the American Waterways HERO Award Ceremony and reception, followed by AWO's first annual Crawfish Boil. Register now on your member dashboard and book your hotel room today!

Note: The Combined Regions Annual Meeting and Winter Safety Committees Meeting require separate registrations. Please sign up for all meetings you plan to attend using the AWO Member Dashboard.

Cyber Ready: How AWO is Preparing Members for Coast Guard Cybersecurity Requirements 

The Coast Guard's cybersecurity training requirements under 33 CFR 101 Subpart F took effect on January 12, 2026, for Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA)-regulated U.S.-flag vessels, facilities, and Outer Continental Shelf facilities. These requirements apply to personnel with access to MTSA-regulated vessel- or facility-based IT or OT systems and are now a formal part of routine Coast Guard inspections. Operators must ensure personnel complete role-appropriate cybersecurity training and be prepared to demonstrate compliance during scheduled inspections.

To support members in meeting these new obligations, AWO has developed a Cybersecurity Training Outline to help members understand the training requirements and establish internal training programs or find appropriate third-party options for regulatory compliance. AWO also has information about training courses developed by AWO affiliate members to help members meet these requirements, available on request. In addition to our training outline, AWO is working with member subject matter experts to develop a cyber addition to the AWO Alternative Security Program to facilitate streamlined compliance with the cybersecurity regulations.

What Should Members Do Now?

Members with questions are encouraged to contact Liam Morcroft.

National Transportation Safety Board Marine Casualty Investigation Reports

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) publishes investigation reports for marine, aviation, highway, railroad, pipeline, and hazardous materials incidents. Vessel incident reports released since the last edition of Navigating to Zero are summarized below.

  • NTSB MIR-25-41 - Lithium-ion Battery Fires aboard Cargo Vessel Genius Star XI. On December 25, 2023, the cargo vessel Genius Star XI, carrying lithium-ion battery energy storage system units, experienced a fire in a cargo hold while transiting the North Pacific in heavy weather. The crew deployed the vessel's fixed CO₂ system and diverted to Dutch Harbor, Alaska. While en route, a second cargo hold containing lithium-ion cargo ignited and was controlled through external cooling. Both fires were ultimately extinguished with no injuries or pollution reported, though damage was estimated at $3.8 million.
    • The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the two fires aboard the Genius Star XI was the breakaway of 41 battery energy storage systems units in the cargo holds during heavy weather conditions due to improperly secured lashing belts, which resulted in internal structural deformation of these units and thermal runaway of lithium-ion battery packs in three of the units.
  • NTSB MIR-25-42 - Collision between OSV Jack Edwards and Cargo Vessel Julie C. On March 17, 2024, the offshore supply vessel Jack Edwards collided with the outbound cargo vessel Julie C while transiting inbound to Georgetown, Guyana. Two crewmembers aboard the Jack Edwards sustained minor injuries and approximately 2,200 gallons of diesel fuel were released. Estimated damages totaled $1.025 million.
    • The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the collision was the normalization of the Jack Edwards' degraded steering system, which reduced the ability to effectively steer the vessel and led to a mistaken transfer of steering and engine controls from the primary navigation station, resulting in a temporary loss of steering control as the vessel prepared to meet the Julie C.
  • NTSB MIR 25-43 - Contact of Towing Vessel William E Strait with Moored Barges at Shell Norco Refinery Dock. On December 10, 2023, at 0139 local time, the William E Strait tow was pushed into the bank on the Lower Mississippi River near Norco, Louisiana, to reconfigure tow with the assistance of the fleet boat Steel Skipper. The tow was pushed downriver during these operations, resulting in the stern of the William E Strait contacting the upriver end of barges moored upstream from Shell Norco Refinery dock. No injuries or pollution were reported. Damages were estimated at $501,000.
    • The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the contact of the towing vessel William E Strait with moored barges at the Shell Norco Refinery dock was the William E Strait's Mate not recognizing the proximity of the unlit barges astern of his towboat as the Steel Skipper was repositioning barges. Dense fog and rain further obscured visibility, contributing to the incident.
  • NTSB MIR 25-44 - Flooding and Sinking of Towing Vessel Cajole. On June 12, 2024, about 1530 local time, the ITV Cajole was upbound on the Lower Mississippi River near Waggaman, Louisiana, when the vessel began flooding. The two crew members aboard attempted to pump out the vessel but were unsuccessful. They tied off to a nearby barge and evacuated to a Good Samaritan vessel. The Cajole later sank. There were no injuries, and a sheen was reported. Damage was estimated at $2 million.
    • The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the flooding and sinking of the Cajole was likely a compromised flush-mounted access hatch, which allowed water to flood into a forward void space, and unsealed penetrations in a transverse bulkhead, which allowed for progressive flooding aft into the engine room.
  • NTSB MIR 25-45 - Contact of Bulk Carrier Algoma Discovery with BNSF Allouez Taconite Facility. On July 20, 2024, at about 2215 local time, the Canadian-flagged cargo vessel Algoma Discovery struck five of the loading shuttles at the BNSF Allouez Taconite Facility in Superior, Wisconsin, after losing electrical power and main propulsion while docking. There were no injuries and no pollution was reported. Damage to the facility was estimated at $950,000 and damage to the Algoma Discovery was estimated at $130,000.
    • The NTSB determined that the probable cause was the chief engineer and operating company not sufficiently evaluating and repairing the cause of an online generator's previous automatic voltage regulator malfunction, resulting in the vessel's loss of electrical power and propulsion while maneuvering toward the dock, and subsequent low control air pressure, which led to a second loss of propulsion.
  • NTSB MIR 25-46 - Sinking of Barge PTC 706 and Subsequent Breakup of Chad Pregracke Tow. On March 16, 2024, about 0008 local time, the towing vessel Chad Pregracke was southbound on the Lower Mississippi River at mm 260 with 34 loaded grain and coal barges. The PTC 706 barge was located at the head of the tow when it rapidly sank, causing the tow to break apart and damaging an additional five barges at an estimated cost of $2 million. There were no injuries and no pollution was reported.
    • The NTSB determined that the sinking of barge PTC 706 and the subsequent breakup of the Chad Pregracke tow was likely caused by the barge riding unusually low in the water for undetermined reasons. Forward momentum drove the barge underwater, submerging the deck and flooding tanks, which pulled the barge down, caused tow wires to fail, and led to a cascading breakup of the remaining barges in the tow.
  • NTSB MIR 25-47 - Contact of Towing Vessel Schweiger with U.S. Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment Docks. On September 11, 2024, the towing vessel Schweiger struck the U.S. Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment docks after veering out of the Baker Bay West Channel near Ilwaco, Washington. No injuries were reported, though approximately 20 gallons of diesel fuel were released, and damage to station infrastructure was estimated to exceed $750,000.
    • The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the contact of the towing vessel Schweiger with the U.S. Coast Guard Cape Disappointment docks was the captain falling asleep while navigating the vessel, likely due to increased fatigue caused by an acute COVID-19 coronavirus infection.
  • NTSB MIR 26-01 - Engine Room Fire on Towing Vessel Thor. On February 18, 2025, at about 0925 local time, the towing vessel Thor was pushing two barges downbound on the Delaware River, 1.5 miles downriver from New Castle, Delaware, when a fire broke out in the engine room. Four crew members isolated the fire in the engine room and abandoned the vessel before it was extinguished by shoreside firefighters. No injuries or pollution were reported, and damage was estimated at $1.5 million.
    • The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the fire aboard the towing vessel Thor was an undetermined ignition source in the upper level of the vessel's engine room.

Members are urged to review these alerts to enhance safety measures and prevent incidents. Please contact Michael Breslin for more information.

American Waterways HERO Award -- Nominate Your Crews for Heroic Acts

The American Waterways Honor & Excellence in Rescue Operations (HERO) Award honors member company employees for their bravery, skill, and selflessness during emergencies on our waterways.  Qualifying acts include rescuing mariners, responding to medical emergencies, recovering overboard individuals, and other heroic actions.

AWO will hold its next HERO Award ceremony on February 26 during the AWO Winter Safety Meeting in New Orleans. To nominate your crew's efforts, fill out this simple form on the AWO website. Each event is recognized with a certificate of recognition for the vessel, a HERO Award Coin for each mariner, and a complimentary one-year marine license and liability insurance policy for each mariner offered by 360 Coverage Pros & Berkley Offshore.

Coast Guard and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Safety Alerts

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement publish Safety Alerts on their websites on a regular basis. Alerts issued since last publication of the NTZ are listed below:

There are no new BSEE Safety Alerts this month.

Stakeholders are urged to review these alerts in detail to enhance safety measures and prevent incidents. Please contact Michael Breslin for more information.

Coast Guard Reports of Investigation and Findings of Concern

The U.S. Coast Guard offers a monthly email to alert stakeholders about new Reports of Investigation and Findings of Concern, published on its Office of Investigations & Casualty Analysis website. To request alerts, email HQS-SMB-CG-INV@uscg.mil.

  • RoI - 7861135 - 6-19-2023 - Loss of One Life Aboard the Industrial Vessel General MacArthur (O.N. 1301331) While in Dry Dock at Conrad Shipyard in Amelia, Louisiana.
  • RoI - 7735267 - 7-5-2023 - Fire and Subsequent Loss of Two Land-Based Firefighter Lives Aboard the Italian Flagged Roll-on Roll-off/Container Vessel Grande Costa D'Avorio (IMO #9465382) While Conducting Cargo Operations at Berth 18, Port Newark, New Jersey. See also: Investigation Site
  • FoC - 003-26 - 1/27/2026 - Safe Operation of Autonomous Vessels
  • FoC - 002-26 - 1/23/2026 - Safe Bridge Clearance Requires Real-Time Information
  • FoC - 001-26 - 1/7/2026 - Hazards of Transiting Between Articulated Tug & Barge Combinations
  • FoC - 022-25 - 12/22/2025 - Improper Loading of Traps on Comm Fishing Vessel Impacts Stability
  • FoC - 021-25 - 12/19/2025 - Incorporating Weather Risk Assessments into Liftboat Voyage Planning
  • FoC - 020-25 - 12/18/2025 - Safeguarding Vessels: Preventing Flooding Risks During Layup
  • FoC - 019-25 - 12/8/2025 - Marine Firefighting Expert Needed for Port Authorities
  • FoC - 018-25 - 12/8/2025 - The Master's Ultimate Retention of Authority
  • FoC - 017-25 - 12/8/2025 - Maintenance Programs For "Pusher Vehicles" and Equipment
  • FoC - 016-25 - 12/8/2025 - Shipboard Emergency Training for Shoreside Personnel
  • FoC - 015-25 - 12/8/2025 - Overlooked Fire Boundary Doors
  • FoC - 014-25 - 11/18/2025 - Improving Pier Safety: Pier Inspections at Waterfront Facilities

Stakeholders are urged to review these alerts in detail to enhance safety measures and prevent incidents. Please contact Michael Breslin for more information.

Safety Professional Focus: Josh Dixon 

Josh Dixon has 15 years of experience in the U.S. maritime industry, all of which have been with PSC Group (formerly Petroleum Service Corporation), where he currently serves as Senior Vice President.

Founded in 1952, PSC Group is the nation's oldest shore tankerman service and has grown into the premier product handling service provider for the marine, petrochemical, and refining industries. Josh is responsible for execution, strategic growth, capital deployment, and customer relationships across PSC Group's Marine, Sustainability, and Chemical Solutions businesses.

Prior to joining PSC in 2011, Josh held expanding leadership roles at Cintas Corporation. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Management & Administration from Louisiana State University in Shreveport and his Master of Business Administration from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

Tell us about a key safety initiative that PSC is focused on to reduce the risk of injuries and incidents in 2026.

In 2026, we're making a very deliberate shift toward preventing potentially Life-Altering Injuries (LAIs) rather than focusing solely on traditional lagging indicators like First Aids and Recordables. While we're proud to have maintained a Total Recordable Injury Rate below 0.25 for eight consecutive years (finishing 2025 at 0.18), we recognize that recordable metrics alone don't fully reflect the risks that matter most. Any injury that permanently impacts someone's quality of life is unacceptable, regardless of how it is classified, and reducing that risk is a responsibility we take very seriously.

A key part of this shift is recognizing that the causal factors behind minor injuries are often very different from those that lead to serious or catastrophic events. When organizations over-index on recordable rates, there's a real risk of directing attention toward lower-consequence personal safety issues (like PPE compliance) while missing deeper, system-level vulnerabilities. By shifting our focus to potential LAIs, we're elevating attention on critical process safety elements such as energy isolation, pressure control, line-of-fire exposure, and high-risk task execution.

This reframing allows us to apply the greatest rigor where the consequences are highest, driving better hazard analysis, stronger pre-job planning, and more effective safeguards around non-routine and high-risk work. Most importantly, it reinforces a culture where success is measured not by how low a metric goes, but by how well we identify and control the risks that could fundamentally change someone's life.

What are the key challenges you must overcome to successfully implement your safety culture?

One of the biggest challenges in building and sustaining a strong safety culture is the reality of geographically dispersed operations, especially when portions of the work occur in remote locations with limited direct supervision. In those environments, safety can't depend on oversight; it must depend on judgment. That requires creating a culture where team members feel both trusted and empowered to make the right safety decision on their own, even when no one is watching.

A critical part of that trust is ensuring our people genuinely believe we want and expect them to use their Stop Work Authority. It's not enough to just say it in a policy or safety meeting -- leaders must consistently demonstrate, through their actions and responses, that stopping work for safety is supported, even when it impacts schedules, productivity, or customer expectations. Building that level of trust takes consistency, credibility, and follow-through, and it's essential to achieving both strong safety and strong operating performance.

Another challenge is avoiding the trap of treating safety like a short-term initiative instead of a long-term commitment. In the past, we would start each year by encouraging our tankermen to "Start Strong." And they usually did. But as the year progressed, competing priorities emerged, operational pressures increased, and real life took over. By the end of the year, we'd find ourselves emphasizing the need to "Finish Strong."

Today, we're taking a different approach -- Start Strong. Stay Strong. Finish Strong. That mindset reinforces that safety isn't seasonal or situational; it's a constant expectation. By aligning leadership messaging, field engagement, and accountability around that philosophy, we're working to ensure safety remains steady and resilient throughout the year, not just when it's top of mind.

You have been highly successful in your career! What got you into maritime safety, and how do we spark that same interest in the people we want to recruit today?

God has truly blessed me throughout my career. I've been fortunate to work alongside incredible mariners and maritime leaders over the past 15 years, and those experiences shaped how I think about safety. I've never viewed safety as an assignment or a job posting. It's about supporting the men and women of PSC Group -- and the broader maritime industry -- so they can do their work safely and reliably and go home to their families. We're not stocking shelves at a grocery store; the work we do is inherently dangerous and demands discipline, preparation, and accountability.

Early on, working side-by-side with tankermen made it clear that safety isn't a separate function of a business -- it's the foundation that makes execution possible. Shortcuts simply cannot exist in our environment, where the consequences of getting it wrong are very real. What I've always loved about this industry is that people genuinely look out for one another. When I joined PSC in 2011, I was an outsider who had never really thought about what moved on the waterways. Even though I came from the uniform supply business, I was welcomed and mentored by coworkers at PSC and by peers within AWO who poured their knowledge into me.

That culture of shared responsibility and continuous improvement is what makes safety compelling, and it's how we spark that same interest in the next generation. We do it by treating safety as a leadership skill, not a rulebook. If we give young leaders ownership early, invest in their development, and reward those who speak up and lead by example, the passion for safety becomes contagious... and that's the type of person we should be trying to recruit.

SSRP Reminder - 2025 Data Due January 31

Kratom Drink Sparks Concern

Genesis Marine shared information on Kratom, a potentially dangerous substance that is unregulated and can be purchased at gas stations and convenience stores in some states. Kratom may be found in drinks, powders, pills, and other forms. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Kratom consumption can produce opioid- and stimulant-like effects. As Kratom is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, "Kratom" products have the potential to contain other dangerous ingredients.

Genesis recently announced that the company has taken steps to prohibit the use, possession, or consumption of any Kratom products while employees are on their vessels, company property, or in any area that Genesis Marine is responsible for. A recent Safety Alert issued by Genesis is available here. Members should investigate laws in their operating areas and decide if policy is warranted to prevent potentially harmful consumption of this unregulated product by mariners and other employees.

Bayou Harbor Safety Committee Founded in Southern Louisiana

As reported in the January 20 AWO Letter, the Bayou Safety Committee of South Louisiana (BSC) was formally established in December 2025. The newest Coast Guard-authorized Harbor Safety Committee joins a national network that supports the safe and efficient operation of the Marine Transportation System, covering navigable waterways and ports from Grand Isle to Intracoastal City, and adjacent offshore waters. The BSC brings together maritime stakeholders from the commercial, recreational, and government sectors to address the unique operational challenges in South Louisiana under the guidance of a sector-balanced Executive Board. The Executive Board leverages regional knowledge to strengthen communication and support informed decision-making to protect mariners, communities, and commerce across one of the nation's most critical working waterfronts.

For more information about the Bayou Safety Committee or opportunities to engage, please contact Chairman of the Board Vaughn McDaniel. For information on Harbor Safety Committees across the United States, refer to U.S. Coast Guard NVIC 01-25 or contact Michael Breslin.