Dutch Ships in Town

News Channel 13: Albany unprepared for Dutch ships [with video]

ALBANY - Seventeen Dutch vessels along with a couple hundred visitors from Holland are here in the Capital District. It's part of Albany's Quadricentennial celebration.

... The masts on the some of these vessels are too tall to fit under the bridge to make it to Corning Preserve... So they sailed around in circles until they were finally sent to the Albany Yacht Club in Rensselaer.
...
Either way these vessels are here until Oct. 1 and the public can go see them. There is also a festival Saturday all day at the Corning Perserve where five of the vessels will be on display.

Dave sent me a pic of this one at the Corning Preserve, sharing a dock with the Dutch Apple.

Low Octane Swap

Press-Republican: Lesser-octane fuel leads to fines

MALONE — A “major screw-up” at the Getty petroleum terminal resulted in two North Country counties receiving compensation checks.
...
During checks of regular- and mid-grade fuel at two stations, Franklin County sealer Brad Parker found the octane in a range of 84 to 85, rather than a required minimum range of 87 to 91, for fuel distributed between June 4 and 10.

He traced the delivery back to the Getty terminal in Rensselaer, where a mistake was made transferring 87-octane fuel from once place to another.
...

Scrap Truck Tips at Dunn Bridge

Sounds like a scene from a movie - and the "Salt" film crew missed it.

Times-Union: Police cite speeding in truck accident

Scott F. Fifield, 27, was ticketed for traveling too fast Monday around 12:35 p.m. as he tried to make a curve leading to ... the Dunn Memorial Bridge, Trooper Maureen Tuffey said.

The tractor-trailer was heading to the Port of Rensselaer when Fifield lost control as the trailer began to tip to the left, landing on a concrete barrier and resting against a bridge abutment, Tuffey said.

Earlier story with photo - Times-Union: Close call on I787 after truck flips, spills scrap metal

Capital News 9: video pop-up [couldn't link to the story]

Sloop Clearwater Visited Rensselaer

All Over Albany noted that the Sloop Clearwater was docked in Rensselaer yesterday. Check out their posting The Sloop Clearwater's in town for a great photo and more information. They say the Clearwater will be back in Rensselaer June 12-15.

For news and updates, visit: Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc.:

Clearwater is a 106-foot wooden sailing sloop designed after 18th and 19th century Dutch sailing sloops. In 1966, folk singer and activist Pete Seeger had the vision that the public would come to care for all of our threatened waterways by learning to care for one boat and one river. He inspired a group of dedicated people who made the dream a reality. Launched in 1969, Clearwater serves as a moveable classroom, laboratory, stage, and forum.

Port Management

Times-Union: Council wants more port authority

Albany city lawmakers ask the state to give them more input into commission appointments
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In the wake of questions about management of the sprawling complex in the South End, the Common Council has asked the state Legislature to grant it the power to confirm the mayor's nominations to the five-member Albany Port District Commission.

The appointments are made by the governor on the recommendation of the mayors of Albany and Rensselaer — four of the appointments come from Albany, one from Rensselaer, whose seat is vacant.

Times-Union (2/22/09): Port gets hard look

The arrest last year of three former port workers has led to a broader criminal probe of Albany's waterfront. Top port officials have pledged cooperation and say tips to police triggered the investigation.

Times-Union (2/11/09): FBI, State Police raid offices at port

Businesses' records seized in probe into bid-rigging allegations

REFERENCE:

• The Port of Albany, Gateway to the Northeast
• City of Albany: Albany-Rensselaer Port District Commission
• Wikipedia: Port of Albany-Rensselaer

Ship Rams Pier

Article from the Coast Guard News, dateline Dec. 29:

Ship rams pier at fuel containment facility

The Coast Guard is investigating an allision [collision?] between a ship and a pier at a fuel containment facility in Rensselaer, N.Y., that occurred at approximately, 12:30 p.m., today.

There were no injuries or pollution, but significant damage to the pier. If anyone has a photo I can post, please e-mail bathonhudson@gmail.com.

MORE: The ship, the Sanko Phoenix had already passed NYC and was headed out into the ocean at 14 knots as of 7:30 pm this evening. (The site Marinetraffic.com has a cool Ships Map application. But so far nobody is hosting a tracking station any further up the Hudson than NYC.)