R 151900Z AUG 12

ALCOAST 376/12
COMDTNOTE 16372
SUBJ: WINNERS OF THE CONGRESSMAN JAMES SENER AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN
MARINE INVESTIGATIONS
A. USCG MARINE SAFETY MANUAL VOLUME V: INVESTIGATIONS AND
ENFORCEMENT, COMDTINST M16000.10 SERIES
1. WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS OF THE CONGRESSMAN JAMES
SENER AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MARINE INVESTIGATIONS. THE TEAMS
CITED BELOW ARE RECOGNIZED FOR CONDUCTING THE MOST DISTINGUISHED
MARINE CASUALTY INVESTIGATIONS FOR CY 2011.
2. BACKGROUND: THE COAST GUARDS MARINE INVESTIGATIONS PROGRAM HAS
BEEN A VITAL ARM OF ITS MARINE SAFETY ACTIVITIES SINCE 1838 WHEN
THE PROGRAMS PREDECESSOR, THE STEAMBOAT INSPECTION SERVICE, WAS
ESTABLISHED. IN 1832, APPROXIMATELY 14 PERCENT OF THE STEAM
VESSELS IN OPERATION WERE DESTROYED BY EXPLOSIONS KILLING MORE THAN
1000 PEOPLE. THESE EXPLOSIONS OCCURRED LARGELY BECAUSE THERE WERE
NO INSPECTION LAWS OR RULES OF NAVIGATION. IN SOME CASES, MARINER
INCOMPETENCE, NEGLIGENCE, AND/OR MISCONDUCT WERE CAUSAL FACTORS. AS
A RESULT, THE U.S. CONGRESS ESTABLISHED INSPECTION LAWS AND CREATED
THE STEAMSHIP INSPECTION SERVICE. CONGRESSMAN JAMES SENER OF
VIRGINIA SPONSORED THE LEGISLATION THAT CREATED THE MODERN MARINE
INVESTIGATION PROGRAM ON 20 JUNE 1874. HIS BILL PUT IN PLACE THE
WORLDS MOST EFFECTIVE SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING AND ELIMINATING UNSAFE
CONDITIONS IN THE MARINE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, PERHAPS THE SINGLE
GREATEST STEP FORWARD IN MARINE SAFETY. SINCE THAT TIME, THE PROGRAM
HAS GREATLY EVOLVED. THE LATEST MAJOR ADVANCEMENT OCCURRED IN 2004,
WHEN THE PROGRAM ASSISTED IN DRAFTING AND THEN ADOPTED THE
INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATIONS SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO MARINE
CASUALTY INVESTIGATIONS, FOREVER LEAVING ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS AS
ANOTHER CHAPTER IN OUR HISTORY. THE SENER AWARD HONORS AND RECALLS
CONGRESSMAN JAMES SENERS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SAFETY OF MARINERS,
VESSELS, AND THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT AS WELL AS THE CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT OF THE PROGRAM BY RECOGNIZING TRULY EXCEPTIONAL MARINE
CASUALTY INVESTIGATIONS.
3. PER THE REQUIREMENTS OF REF A THE SENER AWARD WINNING TEAMS ARE
LISTED BELOW:
    A.TEAM 1:
      (1) LEAD INVESTIGATOR: LT JAMES PRITCHARD,
      (2) CONVENING AUTHORITY: SEC SE NEW ENGLAND, MA
      (3) MISLE NO/VESSEL: 3723468/F/V SILVER FOX,
      (4) INVESTIGATIVE TEAM: MST1 CRAIG SEARS, MST2 CHAD PENDARVIS
    B.TEAM 2:
      (1) LEAD INVESTIGATOR: CAPT HUNG NGUYEN,
      (2) CONVENING AUTHORITY: USCG HQ,
      (3) MISLE NO/VESSEL: 3721503/DEEPWATER HORIZON,
      (4) INVESTIGATIVE TEAM: CAPT MARK HIGGINS, CAPT SUZANNE
          ENGLEBERT, CDR MALCOLM MCLELLAN, LCDR ROBERT BUTTS, LCDR
          JEFF BRAY, GERALD WHEATLEY, CAPT, USCG, RET, JUDGE WAYNE
          ANDERSEN, U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE, RET.
4. THE SELECTION PROCESS WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT DUE TO THE
TREMENDOUS QUALITY OF ALL INVESTIGATION SUBMITTED. COMDT CGINV
CONGRATULATES THE PROFFESIONALISM AND EFFORT OF ALL INVESTIGATING
OFFICERS WHO WERE PART OF THE SELECTION PROCESS AND ENCOURAGES
CONTINUING EXCELLENCE IN THE INVESTIGATIONS MISSION.
5. THE REPORT OF INVESTIGATION FOR THE SILVER FOX WAS IMPRESSIVE IN
BOTH ITS COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION AND EXCELLENT TECHNICAL ANALYSIS.
ADDITIONALLY, THE IDENTIFIED SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS HAD AN IMMEDIATE
POSITIVE IMPACT TO MARINE SAFETY.
6. SIMILARLY, THE REPORT OF INVESTIGATION FOR THE DEEPWATER HORIZON
INVESTIGATION WAS EXHAUSTIVE IN ANALYZING THE MYRIAD OF TECHNICAL
ISSUES AS WELL AS DRAWING FROM THE BEST OF INTER-AGENCY
COLLABORATION. THE DEEPWATER HORIZON INVESTIGATION WAS THE LARGEST IN
COAST GUARD HISTORY AND THE RESULTANT SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS WILL
POSITIVELY IMPACT OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF SAFETY FOR YEARS TO FOLLOW.
7. THE SENER AWARD BOARD CONSISTED OF THE FOLLOWING:
LCDR MICHAEL SIMBULAN
LCDR RANDY WADDINGTON
LCDR BARBARA WILK
LT   ERIC RIVERA
MR.  KENNETH OLSEN
8. RDML J.A SERVIDIO, DIRECTOR OF PREVENTION POLICY, SENDS.
9. INTERNET RELEASE IS AUTHORIZED.