This month's NTZ includes cold-weather operations safety tips, a recap of bridge regulation changes and recent challenges addressed by AWO, updates from the Coast Guard, a preview of the 2026 AWO Safety and Regional Meeting Schedules, and a Safety Professional spotlight that shares practical approaches to building a positive safety culture.

These stories and more highlight the necessity of our shared efforts to keep our waterways safe for our mariners, the marine environment, and the communities we serve. Thank you for your membership, continued partnership, and commitment to improving safety and sustainability every day.

To learn more or join one of AWO's Safety and Sustainability working groups, please contact Michael Breslin  or Brad Trammell.

National Transportation Safety Board -- Marine Casualty Investigation Reports

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) publishes accident reports for Marine, Aviation, Highway, Hazardous Materials Release, Pipelines, and Railroads following completion of an investigation. The NTSB published a significant new report related to vessel operations since the November edition of the NTZ.

NTSB MIR-25-40 - Contact of Containership Dali with Francis Scott Key Bridge and Subsequent Bridge Collapse. The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the containership Dali's contact with the Francis Scott Key Bridge was a loss of electrical power resulting from a loose signal wire connection caused by improper installation of a wire-label, which led to a loss of propulsion and steering while the vessel was in close proximity to the bridge.

Contributing factors and safety concerns identified by the NTSB included:

• Limited amount of time to troubleshoot and restart the engines due to imminent allision;
• Configuration of the main engine cooling pump, which required a manual restart after power loss, contributing to the loss of propulsion;
• Reliance on a single flushing pump to send fuel to online generators; and
• Inadequate oversight by the vessel operating company, Synergy, which allowed the crew to continue to operate with knowledge of these risks.

The NTSB approved safety recommendations to address these vessel-related issues during a public meeting on November 18, which AWO attended and reported on in the November 20 AWO Letter. Following the approval, the NTSB spent a significant portion of the meeting discussing countermeasures that may have reduced the bridge's vulnerability to collapse, referencing the agency's March 18 report, Safeguarding Bridges from Vessel Strikes: Need for Vulnerability Assessment and Risk Reduction Strategies, which named 68 bridges across the United States that may be at risk of collapse. AWO has tracked responses and engaged bridge owners and federal agencies to ensure members are updated and involved in discussions related to bridges in their operating area.

Members are urged to review NTSB reports and alerts to enhance safety measures and prevent incidents. Please contact Michael Breslin for more information about the NTSB reports. Contact Liam Morcroft to learn more about AWO's efforts to engage with bridge owners.

Coast Guard Accepts Aluminum Flammable Storage Lockers on Subchapter M Vessel Weather Decks

The U.S. Coast Guard issued Policy Letter CG-ENG PL 05-25 clarifying that aluminum flammable liquid storage cabinets may be accepted on the weather decks of inspected towing vessels on domestic voyages as an equivalent level of safety to steel cabinets required under 46 CFR 142.225. The guidance recognizes that steel cabinets exposed to marine environments can deteriorate quickly and allows aluminum cabinets that meet specific construction, arrangement, labeling, and quantity limits, subject to approval by the local Officer in Charge of Marine Inspection. The policy is intended to maintain fire safety while reducing unnecessary replacement burdens, and owners should ensure cabinets remain serviceable and compliant with all criteria. Read the full policy here, and please contact Caitlyn Stewart for more information.

Movable Bridge Event Reporting Program Improves Navigation Safety in Belle Chasse

The AWO Bridge Event Reporting Program worked in partnership with AWO members and the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association (GICA) to elevate concerns regarding an emerging unsafe condition at the Missouri Pacific Railroad Bridge on the Algiers Alternate Route near Belle Chasse, Louisiana, commonly known as the Belle Chasse Railroad Bridge.

AWO members reported multiple near-miss events while transiting the bridge. In these incidents, mariners encountered unexpected bridge movements and closures with little or no effective advance notice, creating immediate navigation hazards in a confined waterway where tow control, river current, visibility, and vessel traffic leave little margin for error.

In response, AWO and GICA coordinated a unified approach to communicate the risk. GICA took the lead in direct outreach to the bridge owner and the Coast Guard's Heartland Bridge Program office. At the same time, AWO documented firsthand accounts from affected members and submitted a letter to the Coast Guard's Heartland District detailing the incidents. While the letter referenced two specific events, it also noted that additional similar occurrences had been reported in recent weeks.

AWO did not request enforcement action. Instead, we asked the Coast Guard to engage directly with the bridge owner and operators to reinforce their responsibilities under 33 CFR Part 117, emphasizing the importance of reliable communications and predictable operations to prevent a serious marine casualty, including the potential for environmental damage, bridge collapse, property damage, injury, or loss of life.

Through this process, GICA secured buy-in from the bridge owner, establishing a constructive working relationship and fostering trust with stakeholders in the railroad industry. This collaboration promotes a culture of cooperation between two critical segments of the supply chain.

The Coast Guard has since met with the bridge owner, and AWO appreciates this timely engagement. We look forward to continued coordination between industry, the Coast Guard, and the bridge owner to ensure clear communications, consistent procedures, and safe passage for all users of the waterway.

Puget Sound Tug Escort Requirements Updated

On November 20, the Washington Board of Pilotage Commissioners (BPC) finalized updated tug escort requirements for oil tankers and barges operating in Puget Sound. These changes, first reported in the December 5 AWO Letter, expand escort requirements to oil tankers between 5,000 and 40,000 deadweight tons (DWT), as well as barges and articulated tug-barges over 5,000 DWT when carrying oil in bulk. The rule also expands the escort area by approximately 11 percent, extending northwest toward Patos Island, and establishes new minimum escort tug propulsion and horsepower requirements. It takes effect December 21, 2025.

A key element of the rule is a mandatory, documented pre-escort conference held before each escort transit. The tank vessel officer in charge must confer with the escort tug officer in charge, and the pilot if embarked, to agree on the operational details of the transit. This discussion must be recorded in vessel logbooks and cover safety, navigation, and operational topics, including personnel safety, deck fitting loads, anticipated route and speeds, weather and traffic conditions, recent whale sightings, vessel and equipment status, communications, emergency roles, and escort or tethering arrangements to ensure the vessel can be kept under control in the event of a failure or emergency.

The rule also sets minimum escort tug standards based on vessel size. Tank vessels greater than 5,000 DWT and less than 18,000 DWT must be escorted by a tug with at least 2,000 horsepower, while tank vessels 18,000 DWT and above require a tug with at least 3,000 horsepower. All escort tugs in the defined Rosario Strait and connected waters must have twin-screw propulsion, with specific exemptions for certain vessels operating in ballast or during bunkering operations.

AWO has been engaged in this rulemaking process since 2019, when state legislation directed the BPC and the Washington Department of Ecology to adopt tug escort requirements for Puget Sound. For more information, please contact Lillie Wightman.

Waterways Journal and AWO Emphasize Winter Precautions

Early winter conditions are presenting an early challenge for navigation across the Upper Mississippi, Illinois, Ohio, and Lower Mississippi river systems, with snow, ice, and persistently low water levels affecting operations earlier in the year than normal. In its most recent edition, the Waterways Journal's Shelly Byrne reported on the risk of rapid ice formation, reduced channel widths, draft and tow-size restrictions, and increased chances of ice gorges due to slow-moving water. These conditions have stressed aging lock and dam infrastructure and required close coordination among the Coast Guard, Corps of Engineers, and industry to manage safety and traffic impacts. Early freezes, combined with limited precipitation and extreme cold forecasts, are creating compounding operational challenges across interconnected river systems.

AWO shared Cold Weather Operations Recommendations from our member companies with the Waterways Journal to include in the article, including submissions from Magnolia Marine, American Commercial Barge Line, McAllister Towing, and Northern Marine. The recommendations address hazards including slips, trips and falls on frozen decks, falls overboard, hypothermia, frostbite, cold stress, equipment performance issues, winter driving risks, long-haul operations into colder climates, and snow blindness. AWO highlighted practical prevention measures such as traction control, cold-weather PPE, crew warming intervals, equipment readiness, and heightened situational awareness. Early and frequent communication was emphasized as critical to managing winter risks and protecting crews during sustained cold-weather operations.

To read AWO's winter safety tips, visit our Resource Library or 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 with the subject line "Please add me to the Monthly Findings of Concern Distribution List" or "Please add me to the Monthly Reports of Investigation Distribution List."

These Reports of Investigation (RoI) and Findings of Concern (FoC) highlight recent towing vessel-related cases and high-value lessons involving other vessel types released since the last safety newsletter:

• RoI 6572770 - 10-26-2018 - Collision Between the Small Passenger Vessel PROWLER and the Cayman Islands Flagged Yacht ATTESSA IV Resulting in the Loss of One Life While Transiting Approximately Nine Miles Southwest of Imperial Beach, California.
• RoI 7656694 - 3-24-2023 - Fire Aboard the Small Passenger Vessel SPIRIT OF BOSTON While Moored at the Commonwealth Wharf in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts.
• RoI 7943023 - 06-16-2024 - Loss of One Life from the Charter Vessel TOO SHORT in Whitehall Bay, Near Annapolis, Maryland.
• RoI 7987052 - 08-20-2025 - Fall Overboard and Subsequent Loss of One Life from the Commercial Fishing Vessel NC3250BW While Transiting in Cedar Bay South of Hog Island, North Carolina.
• RoI 7957476 - 07-13-2024 - Collision Between the Recreational Vessel TODO BIEN and the Singapore Flagged Tank Ship EAGLE SAN ANTONIO Resulting in the Loss of Two Lives in the Corpus Christi Ship Channel near Corpus Christi, Texas.
• RoI 7893517 - 12-04-2023 - Allision of the Work Boat DAVID AULD SCUDDER with the Marine Parkway Bridge, Resulting in the Loss of One Life While Transiting in Jamaica Bay Near Brooklyn, New York.
• RoI 8026695 - 10-26-2024 - Fall Overboard and Subsequent Loss of One Life from the Offshore Supply Vessel ATLANTIC OCEANIC while Moored at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal in Portsmouth, Virginia.
• RoI 6714225 - 05-27-2025 - Collision Between the Uninspected Passenger Vessel TX7817EB and a Recreational Kayak resulting in the Loss of One Life on Redfish Bay, Texas.
• RoI 7847385 - 01-08-2024 - Explosion and Subsequent Fire on Board the Panamanian-Flagged Container Ship STRIDE resulting in the Loss of Two Lives While Conducting Bunkering Operations at the Bayport Container Terminal in Houston, Texas.

• FoC 013-25 - 11-17-2025 - Unsafe Anchor Retrieval Operations

• FoC 014-25 - 11-18-2025 - Improving Pier Safety: Pier Inspections at Waterfront Facilities
• FoC 015-25 - 12-08-2025 - Overlooked Fire Boundary Doors
• FoC 016-25 - 12-08-2025 - Shipboard Emergency Training for Shoreside Personnel
• FoC 017-25 - 12-08-2025 - Maintenance Programs For "Pusher Vehicles" and Equipment
• FoC 018-25 - 12-08-2025 - The Master's Ultimate Retention of Authority
• FoC 019-25 - 12-08-2025 - Marine Firefighting Expert Needed for Port Authorities

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

Coast Guard and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Safety Alerts

The U.S. Coast Guard, NTSB, and 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:

• USCG Safety Alert 20-25 - Risk of Propulsion Loss from Material Failure of Main Engine Exhaust Gas Recirculation Cooler Weld
• USCG Safety Alert 19-25 - Failure of Halon 1301 Fixed Fire Extinguishing System
• BSEE Safety Alert 511 - Falling Corroded Crane Component Results in Near Miss
• BSEE Safety Alert 510 - Blackout and Weather-Driven EDS Incidents Underscore the Need for Stronger Operational Discipline
• BSEE Safety Alert 509 - Miscommunication and Trapped Pressure Causes Injury During Valve Maintenance

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

Safety Professional Focus: Paul Hendriks 

Paul Hendriks is an experienced maritime operations leader, managing complex vessel and terminal operations at major U.S. ports in the Western region for more than 23 years. He currently serves as Operations Manager at Baydelta Maritime, where he oversees company operations, safety and quality management systems, regulatory compliance, and incident response. Paul has held senior leadership roles at Foss Maritime, including Director of Health, Safety, and Marine Assurance, General Manager, and Director of Operations, and brings deep expertise in safety culture, regulatory engagement, and operational excellence as a licensed Master of Towing Vessels and Master of Steam or Motor Vessels less than 1600 GT.

Tell us about a key safety initiative that Baydelta is focused on to reduce incidents for your employees and contractors.

At Baydelta, we are implementing a modified Behavioral Based Safety Program (BBS) that recognizes positive safety behaviors rather than focusing on the negative. Our previous system was designed to mitigate risk by identifying unsafe behaviors, but this approach created unintended consequences. It relied on crew members calling out each other's failures, which fostered tension and eroded trust, adding zero value to our goal of encouraging safe behavior and contributing little to our overall safety management system.

Years ago, when BBS was first introduced, I was managing an offshore lightering support operation. I regularly visited ships during transfers to support my personnel working aboard those vessels. That's where I first witnessed the shortcomings of a BBS program built entirely on identifying unsafe behaviors. The program produced stacks of perfunctory observations that repeated the same themes: missing PPE, wrong tool, incorrect gloves, and so on. These "gun-decked" reports reflected compliance without engagement.

That is the opposite of what we want at Baydelta. We are building a system that fosters trust, reinforces good decisions, and promotes consistent safe work habits. Recognizing positive actions creates pride, strengthens alignment, and helps everyone march to the same rhythm.

In addition, we have implemented a work hardening program, designed to train workers in correct movements and techniques to avoid physical injury and specifically designed for the workboat industry, particularly towing vessels. While there are many off-the-shelf work hardening programs available, they fall short for our needs because they focus on large industrial settings. We took the initiative to create something tailored for our people working on our boats.

Our mariners are professionals. We count on them to operate safely, care for their shipmates, and protect the environment and communities where we work. When they understand the standard and see it consistently reinforced and celebrated, they rise to meet it. That is the kind of program that strengthens culture and delivers real, sustained safety performance across the fleet.

How do you teach hazard recognition and situational awareness in a way that sticks?

We connect it to decision-making. Hazard recognition starts with a culture built on an organization's values. Baydelta's core value clearly states our operational goal: "Safer here than anywhere." We teach that all personnel decisions should be grounded in this core value.

We recognize that every mariner arrives with past experiences, and not all of them support safe practices. Without clear expectations and guidance for day-to-day decisions and operations, people naturally fall back on habits. That's why we teach the Baydelta way from day one, to anchor decision-making in our values and set an expectation that promotes consistent, professional choices across the fleet.

To reinforce this message, we prioritize conversations about values and decision-making during management vessel visits. These visits are not part of an audit or survey, which are important, but taking the time to talk with our mariners and emphasizing why we operate the way we do matters more. When mariners understand the purpose behind our standards, hazard recognition and situational awareness follow naturally.

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?

My interest in maritime safety developed organically as I moved through operational roles and experienced firsthand how central safety is to every outcome that matters. Strong safety performance improves morale, strengthens crew cohesion, elevates operational quality, and protects the bottom line. When safety is treated as a core function rather than an obligation, everything else runs better.

To inspire the next generation, we need to show them that maritime work is a profession defined by pride, discipline, and purpose. People want to join organizations that take themselves seriously and demonstrate that commitment through daily operations. When potential employees walk onto a vessel and see a clean deck, well-maintained equipment, and a crew that carries itself with professionalism, they immediately recognize that this is something they want to be part of.

This is why we center our operations on the core value "safer here than anywhere." When mariners enter an environment where the expectations are clear, standards are upheld, and safety is built into every decision, they understand the opportunity in front of them. A strong safety culture does more than protect people -- it attracts people who want to be part of an organization that invests in safety, expects excellence, and delivers on their promise to support safe operations and individual development -- every day, for every mariner.

American Waterways HERO Award -- Nominate Your Crew 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, 2026, 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.

AWO 2026 Meetings Schedule Published

We're looking ahead to another strong year of connection, collaboration, and progress across the AWO membership! Mark your calendars and visit us online to register or learn more about AWO's 2026 meeting schedule:

• AWO Atlantic Region Annual Meeting: February 18 | Baltimore, MD
• Midwest, Ohio Valley & Southern Regions Combined Annual Meeting: February 25 | New Orleans, LA
• Winter Interregion and Coastal Safety Committees Meeting: February 26 | New Orleans, LA
• Pacific Region Annual Meeting: March 10-11 | Vancouver, WA
• Spring Convention & Barge-In: May 11-13 | Washington, D.C.
• Summer Interregion and Coastal Safety Committees Meeting: July 21-22 | Chicago, IL
• Fall Convention: October 13-14 | West Palm Beach, FL

A key priority will be the advancement of access and egress safety through the Safe Vessel Access Coalition. We will also prioritize AWO's engagement with OCIMF through active participation in the OCIMF Human Factors Group, Falls to Water Working Group, and the Global Barge Guide effort. These partnerships will ensure barge and towing vessel operators are represented in safety guidance, rather than left to align to programs developed without industry input.

AWO will continue education and technical exchange through the Sustainability Technology Working Group, with a focus on emerging propulsion technologies and alternative fuel advancements. We will share new tools for optimizing safety management systems and resources to help assess risk of falls overboard using the AWO Falls Overboard Prevention Report as a source of information for a digital tool that will be presented in New Orleans at the Winter Safety Meeting.

AWO will also strengthen data collection and reporting efforts in 2026, through the vetting of a new allision, collision, and grounding data point that will provide members with better insight into navigation risk trends. At the same time, we will continue to grow our partnerships with key organizations including TIC, ILTA, national and local Harbor Safety Committees, and marine insurers and risk analysts, while increasing engagement through speaking opportunities at AWO meetings and forums such as the National Safety Council Waterborne Transportation Group, National Harbor Safety Committee, Inland Marine Expo, and Tugs, Towboats & Barges.

Finally, AWO will expand its work to improve safety for recreational boaters through partnerships with the National Safe Boating Council, Harbor Safety Committees, and continued development of the AWO Safe Boating Store. Members and partners interested in contributing to this work are encouraged to reach out to Michael Breslin to learn more or get involved and help shape AWO's safety priorities in 2026!

SSRP Q3 Data was Due on November 1

Safety Data for the third quarter of 2025 was due on November 1. If you have not updated your data, please visit the SSRP website to enter your information today. Q4 data will be due on January 31, 2026. All entries may be edited at any time and up to-date trending analysis is available on AWO's member website.

AWO's Safety Statistics Reporting Program collects data on crew hours, recordable and lost time injuries, injury severity, spills, fatalities, and falls to water. Carrier members are strongly encouraged to participate using AWO's simple entry form, available on the AWO SSRP Data Portal.

Thank you to everyone who supports the SSRP with timely submissions. If you have questions or suggestions for program improvement, please email mbreslin@americanwaterways.com.

A Season to Give Back to Those Who Serve

During the holiday season, we are reminded how fortunate AWO is to be supported by such dedicated member companies and professional mariners. That good fortune carries a responsibility to look out for one another, especially when fellow sailors face hardship.

The Sailors' Snug Harbor does exactly that. With deep roots in the maritime community, the organization provides timely, compassionate support to merchant mariners and their families during medical, financial, and personal crises. Their ability to reach sailors quickly and deliver help with dignity reflects the very best of our industry's values.

As we reflect on the season, consider giving back to organizations that care for mariners in need. Support for The Sailors' Snug Harbor, the Seamen's Church Institute,  or similar missions helps ensure no sailor is left behind. And for those who may not have the financial freedom to donate, giving time and service is an equally meaningful way to make a difference. To learn more about The Sailors' Snug Harbor, to donate, or to refer someone in need, please visit https://thesailorssnugharbor.org.