Curtas do Bryant´s

USCG – boating safety app for smartphones

The US Coast Guard issued a news release [located at http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2504662/] stating that it will release its first boating safety App Saturday as the kickoff to this year's National Safe Boating Week. The Boating Safety Mobile app was not designed to replace a boater's marine VHF radio, which the Coast Guard strongly recommends all boaters have aboard their vessels. The app was mainly designed to provide additional boating safety resources for mobile device users. The app will be available on the Apple and Google Play online stores. Features of the app include: state boating information; a safety equipment checklist; free boating safety check requests; navigation rules; float plans; and calling features to report pollution or suspicious activity.  When location services are enabled, users can receive the latest weather reports from the closest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather buoys as well as report the location of a hazard on the water. The app also features an Emergency Assistance button which, with locations services enabled, will call the closest Coast Guard command center. (5/13/15).

South China Sea – US Navy patrol

The US Navy issued a news release [located at http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=87081] stating that the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) completed a week-long routine patrol in international waters and airspace of the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands. There were encounters with multiple Chinese Peoples' Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships, during which time the jointly agreed Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) was utilized. (5/13/15). Note: Jurisdiction over the Spratly Islands is disputed, particularly by China and the Philippines.

Australia – MH370 search discovers shipwreck

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) issued a media release [located at http://www.atsb.gov.au/newsroom/news-items/2015/mh370-search-discovers-shipwreck.aspx] stating that the ongoing search for the lost Flight MH370 aircraft in the Indian Ocean has led to the discovery of a previously unknown shipwreck, probably from the nineteenth century. (5/13/15). Fonte: Dennis Bryant.