Wall Breaking

On Monday, October 25, 2010, Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur and the Liquefied Gas Carrier National Center of Expertise held a ribbon cutting and wall breaking ceremony to remove the dry wall barrier between the existing MSU Port Arthur spaces and the newly built Center of Expertise spaces. Capt. J.J. Plunkett, commanding officer of MSU [...]

Plunkett awards pilots

PORT ARTHUR, Texas – During the Southeast Texas Waterways Advisory Council meeting March 18th, 2010, at Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur, CAPT J.J. Plunkett presented awards to members of the Sabine Pilots Organization for their assistance during the Eagle Otome incident response. Click here to read the full text of the awards. Story and photos submitted by Lt.j.g. Charles [...]

Taking the Stage

“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” -Benjamin Franklin Petty Officer 3rd Class Kyle Bauer has made tremendous progress, both professionally and personally over the past two years. He was, as he described it, “at the bottom of the barrel.” And where is the only place you [...]

Purified Pelican

PORT ARTHUR, Texas – A brown pelican that was recovered during oil spill response operations in Port Arthur is released Feb. 3, 2009, near the Old River Wildlife Management Area after the bird was cleaned and rehabilitated. Since the beginning of the response, Jan. 23, 2009, four birds have been released and two remain under [...]

For the love of animals

When oil spills occur and animals are affected, Rhonda Murgatroyd appears. In the oil spill response industry, Murgatroyd is the “go to” woman. She owns a company called Wildlife Response Services, which rehabilitates wildlife affected by manmade and natural disasters. She and her pool of 20 responders have been called to assist in a variety [...]

Damage Control

They call me the PADET Houston duty jinx, and I’ve come to accept that as a term of endearment.  All the “big ones” seem to hit when I assume the watch.  Should I complain? No.  Why, you may ask? Because I am gaining some of the most invaluable experiences as a PA at PADET Houston. [...]

RADM Landry Visits Port of Beaumont

January 7, 2010 – RADM Landry visited the Port of Beaumont and attended the Port of Beaumont Railroad Improvement Project groundbreaking.  In attendance were RADM Landry, CAPT Gifford (D8), CDR Pickett (MSU Port Arthur) and LCDR Donohue (MSU Port Arthur).  The project is expected to increase efficiency and security at the port.  RADM Landry spoke [...]

Parading Around Beaumont

Port Arthur, Texas- Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur participated in the Annual Beaumont Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 5, 2009. MSU Port Arthur’s Color Guard and Law Enforcement personnel led the parade off on Saturday.

Many Southeast Texans braved the chilly weather on Saturday evening for the 8th Annual Beaumont Christmas Parade. There were over 60 floats that were involved with the parade festivities, one of which was the Law Enforcement vehicle. The parade started at Main and Crockett Street, traveled to College and Pearl Street and then back to Main and Crockett Street for an approximate one mile route.

Represented in this photo for the Color Guard (from right to left) are Petty Officer Third Class Andrew Lyon, Lawson Boring and Rachel Burton. Not represented in the photo for the Color Guard was Petty Officer Third Class Ashley Carey.

(U.S. Coast Guard story submitted by Lt.j.g Kimberly Kaiser)

Central High School’s JROTC Visit

Port Arthur, Texas- U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur hosted Central High School’s Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) on Thursday, November 12, 2009. In this photo Petty Officer Second Class Mark Daly is explaining the safety procedures before the students get underway on the 25’ small boat.  Students were given the opportunity [...]

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

November 16, 2009 – Captain J. J. Plunkett, Commanding Officer of Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur, attended the Command Control Center (CCC) dedication and the groundbreaking for the Transmodal Marine Yard expansion project at the Port of Orange.

The primary objective of the Transmodal Marine Yard expansion project is to provide infrastructure to facilitate Container on Barge (COB) intermodal transloading operations. This will in turn, lower transportation costs of inbound and outbound products as well as reduce the congestions and diesel emission by utilizing the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). The CCC will provide a permanent centralized house for surveillance and access control equipment.

(U.S. Coast Guard story submitted by Lt.j.g Kimberly Kaiser)