Rear Admiral Watson, Captain Tim Close (Captain of the Port, Sector Tampa-St. Petersburg), and Admiral Allen (USCG Commandant) look on as members of the Southeast Texas Waterways Advisory Committee (SETWAC) accept the prestigious HSC of the year award at this year's HSC conference in Tampa, FL.

“Buffalo Marine Service fully implemented its Transportation Workers Identification Credential (TWIC)  screening plan throughout its facility as the TWIC regulations came into effect at midnight on April 14, 2009.

President and CEO, Patrick Studdert commented that Buffalo Marine has aggressively ensured every employee possesses a TWIC and any and all vendors that enter the company’s  facility should have a TWIC if they want to avoid delays.

“The TWIC regulations are here to stay. Our mariners and shore side staff enrolled in the TWIC program as far back as November 2007. We are committed to complying with the marine transportation security regulations so that our waterfront is safer and our personnel understand the importance of port security.”

Effective April 15, 2009 all U.S. Coast Guard licensed mariners are required to possess a TWIC in order to operate under the authority of their license. TWICs are valid for five years and issued by the Transportation Security Agency (TSA). Anyone desiring access to a Coast Guard regulated facility must possess a TWIC or be escorted by a TWIC-holder that have received escort training.”

US bunker company honoured for bravery
3rd March 2009 13:32 GMT

 
Hurriance Ike struck Houston in September

A US bunker company is being honoured for its part in preventing a disaster in the Houston Ship Channel.

The City of Houston on Tuesday is saluting the bravery of the captains and crew of three vessels operated by Buffalo Marine Services.The story goes back to September 13 last year when Hurricane Ike struck the US Gulf Coast.
A deep-sea container ship owned by Rickmers Line of Germany broke away from its moorings at the height of the storm. Three Buffalo Marine Services push boats immediately responded in the face of Ike’s 160 kilometres-an-hour winds.
Patrick J. Studdert, president and CEO, of Buffalo Marine, said: “The men were suddenly confronted with a large ship in a restricted ship channel out of control. They kept their heads and acted quickly to stabilise the situation.”
He said that ahead of the runaway container ship were two barges loaded with 50,000 barrels of bunker fuel and a bridge over the Houston Ship Channel. “The storm-swollen current, estimated at 5 knots, swung her bow down the channel toward the bridge. Together the three boats pushed the ship against the barges and the bank to keep it from hitting the bridge and causing a massive disaster,” Studdert said.

Bill White, Mayor of the City of Houston, is to proclaim March 3, 2009, Buffalo Marine Services Day.

Buffalo Marine Services is a full-service marine fuel bunkering company that has operated on the Gulf Coast since 1935.

When the Rickmers Seoul, a Superflex deep-sea container ship broke away from its moorings at Hurricane Ike’s height at 4:30 in the morning of September 13, 2008, three Buffalo Marine Service push boats immediately responded, in the face of Ike’s 90-100 mile-an-hour winds.  They were suddenly confronted with a large ship in a restricted ship channel out of control.  They kept their heads and acted quickly to stabilize the situation. The push boat captains were: San Carmen (Captains Pat Beshea and Jimmy Lopez), San Rafael (Captains Michael Ellis and Les Cain), and San Patricio (Captain Al Schmidt).  The captains were assisted by their able crews; Joseph Lloyd, Ed Lott, and Victor Alvarez on the San Patricio; Joe Kissinger, Brandon Jones and Alex Stovall on the San Rafael; Kevin Flowers, Mario Villaneuava, and Greg Colvin on the San Carmen. Ahead of the runaway container ship were two barges loaded with 50,000 barrels of flammable bunker fuel and the I-610 bridge over the ship channel.  The storm-swollen current, estimated at 5 knots, swung her bow down the channel toward the bridge.  Together the three boats pushed the ship against the barges and the bank to keep it from hitting the bridge and causing a massive disaster.

The City of Houston salutes and commends Buffalo Marine Service, Inc., along with the captains and crew for their bravery and heroism during Hurricane Ike.

Therefore, I, Bill White, Mayor of the City of Houston, hereby proclaim March 3, 2009, as

Buffalo Marine Service, Inc. Day

in Houston, Texas.