Proctor in Admiralty

NOAA launches nowCOAST version 2

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has launched a new version of  nowCOAST. The  site provides nationwide mapping and links to thousands of real-time coastal observations and NOAA forecasts of  particular interest to the marine community and to others in general.  It includes meteorological, oceanographic, and river observations.  This could  be useful to a maritime lawyer dealing with tidal issues or with heavy weather cases.

InformationWeek: GE Tests 'Wired' Shipping Containers To Combat Terrorism Threat

Between Sept. 28 and Dec. 13, 2004, a division of General Electric tested new "tamper-evident secure container" technology by sending shipments of GE products packed in 18 of the experimental freight containers between Hong Kong and Long Beach, California.

An integrated security sensor was attached to the inside wall of each tamper-evident container and armed after the container was packed and sealed with a standard bolt seal. See: InformationWeek > Anti-Terrorism And International Shipping > GE Tests 'Wired' Shipping Containers To Combat Terrorism Threat > January 12, 2005.

FCC issues licensing and new rules on satellite communications for broadband on vessels

A report published by the Federal Communications Commission  on January 6 details new rules to allow  satellite earth stations on vessels.  Called ESVs, these stations operate in the  C-band and Ku-Band frequencies and allow for broadband internet access on ships.  The report indicates that ESvs have been used for several years to provide communications including internet access on cruise ships, ferries and cargo vessels and barges.

Section II of the report contains an interesting history of use of ESv's on ships dating back to a petition filed by Crestcomm Transmissions Service, Inc. in December, 1991.

The publishing of the rules follow a statement from the FCC Commissioner Michael K. Powell on December 15, 2004 supporting the availability of broadband communications across the oceans. 

The ubiquitous internet takes another step forward!

Gillette's response to Walmart's RFID requirements

Techworld.com has a story concerning how Gillette has built out its RFID system to comply with Walmart's requirement for its top 100 suppliers to utilize passive RFID by the end of January.  Most suppliers are considering slap and stick methods at the distribution centers but Gillette is starting to implement their system by tagging at the source- the packaging facility.  Clearly, long term this will be more cost effective once the suppliers figure out why they want to the data (except for just complying with Walmart's mandate.

Gillette is also tracking at the pallet level - which has great application to the gathering of data through the transportation system.

Customer Service Contacts

Offtopic: Great story in the Circuits section of the New York Times today: Customer Service: The Hunt for a Human.  It talks about the length people will go through to reach a real live human being when they call customer support numbers.  Of particular note - they listed Amazon's 800 number:  800-201-7575 - according to the story, it is not on Amazon's website.   

Also very interesting, a link to a handbook published by the General Services Administration providing a directory of corporations and their customer service telephone numbers. 

I know this has nothing to do with maritime law or law office technology but I found it useful info.

An interesting new blog

I just found an interesting new blog - Jim Calloway's Law Practice Tips Blog.  He just launched it on Sunday.  Already he has posted several interesting tips.  Good luck Jim.

Welcome to Proctor in Admiralty

As today is the first business day of 2005, I figure this is a good day to launch this blog.  The maritime industry is slow to adopting new technology and reacting to changes in the business landscape and the practice of maritime law is even slower.   As a prime example of the speed of maritime law, consider that the US Supreme Court in Norfolk Southern v. Kirby, recently weighed in on the extension of Himalaya clauses to downstream commerce, only 49 years or so after the clauses came into existence.

I hope this blog will be a forum for the adoption and implementation of technology in the maritime industry, in the maritime law office and in the courthouse.   As such, I will try to post about new developments  and best practices, both within industry and within the practice of law.  Maritime lawyers otherwise known as proctors in admiralty are as opinionated as most other lawyers and I hope a lively and fruitful debate will develop.  Your comments  and opinions will help make this a success - so please let me hear from you.