National Maritime Day, May 18

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 8:30am

Castine Harbor, on East Penobscot Bay, is a working waterfront, as well as a hub of maritime education with Maine Maritime Academy, a four-year college dedicated to teaching the next generation of sea captains, engineers and scientists. (Photo by Lynda Clancy)

BELFAST —Penobscot Bay is rich in commercial maritime activity, and Saturday, May 18, that legacy will be celebrated at Heritage Park, in Belfast. The Propeller Club of the U.S. Searsport & Bucksport Chapter is hosting the first-ever local observance of National Maritime Day, calling attention to the region’s rich commercial maritime heritage, and feature companies and organizations that support growth and safe operations within Penobscot Bay’s active seaports.

In 1933, the U.S. Congress designated May 22 as National Maritime Day to honor those who serve the nation as merchant mariners. On or about that day, the nation celebrates commercial seafarers for safely and responsibly promoting commerce and for protecting freedom. The day also highlights the importance of the industry and the country's maritime heritage.

Planned activities include:

U.S. Coast Guard Color Guard honoring mariners lost at sea;

Guided tours aboard commercial and training vessels;

Boat trips, pilot gig rowing, law enforcement vessels, pilot boats, tug boats, and many other port support vessels.

There will be a live tug boat demonstration by Penobscot Bay Tractor Tug Company tug Fournier Tractor and a demonstration of the Bangor Fire Department’s new fire and rescue boat.

There will be live music by the Windbuyers, and exhibits from more than two dozen local companies.

Event Schedule

10:00 AM	Opening Ceremonies	Pres. Capt. David Gelinas
11:00 AM	Honoring those Lost at SeaHymn “Eternal Father”Blessing & PrayersLaying of the Wreath	U.S.C.G. Color Guard St. Margaret’s Choir Reverend Joel Kreuger.Capt William Abbott
11:30 AM	Maritime Person of the Year Award	Presented to Mr. Peter Vigue
12:00 PM	Live Music	The Windbuyers folk trio
2:00 PM	Demonstration of Fire Fighting Live Tug Boat Demonstration with all water cannons blazing	Bangor Fire DepartmentPenobscot Bay Tractor Tug Company, Belfast
4:00 PM	Closing Ceremonies	Pres. Capt. David Gelinas & V. Pres. Capt. Worth

Maritime Person of the Year Award

The Propeller Club of Searsport and Bucksport are proud to announce that the recipient of the club’s first Maritime Person of the Year Award for 2013 is Peter Vigue, Chair and CEO of the Cianbro Corporation. A Maine native, he received a B.S. in Marine Engineering from Maine Maritime Academy. After work in the Merchant Marine, he joined Cianbro in 1970 and soon became a leader in the construction industry. Under the leadership of Vigue, Cianbro has used Maine’s working ports in new and creative ways: They have brought valuable work to the port of Rockland, and overhauled the former Eastern Fine Paper facility in Brewer into a modular fabrication facility. For his influence in improving infrastructure in the region, his appreciation for the strategic significance of Maine’s working ports, and his ability to bring jobs and opportunity to the State, we are honoring Mr. Peter Vigue with our award as Maritime Person of the Year.

Background: In 2007, Cianbro started the overhaul of the former Eastern Fine Paper facility in Brewer, turning the former mill site into a modular fabrication facility. The site’s location adjacent to the Penobscot River was an especially attractive attribute for Cianbro, as the finished modules could be shipped out by barge. The first shipment was made in March of 2009, marking the first time in decades that manufactured goods had been exported down-river, and established the return of Brewer as a working port. In June of 2010, Cianbro was successful in securing a contract to do overhaul work on a 748’ deep-sea drill ship, the STENA FORTH. The project utilized the Port of Rockland as a staging and logistical base to successfully execute this task.

Attending Vessels and Exhibitors in alphabetical order

Bangor Fire department: 26’ Fire & Rescue Boat
Cianbro Corporation
Come Boating
Cummins Northeast LLC
Dragon Cement Products
First Wind
Front Street Shipyard
Great Northern Paper/Thermogen Industries
Hamilton Marine
Harbor tours aboard M/V Fish Hawk at discounted ticket price
Hartley Marine Services
H.O. Bouchard
Irving Oil
Lane Construction Corporation
Maine dept. of Environmental Protection
Maine Dept. of Marine Resources
Maine Maritime Academy
Maine Marine Patrol: 47’ patrol boat Guardian
Maine Port Authority
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/ National Ocean Service (NOS)
NEARACOOS (Northeast Regional Association of Coastal and Ocean Observing Systems)
Nautical Scribe Books of Belfast
Oil Spill Response Vessel Alvin McNeil
Penobscot Bay and River Pilots: 47’ Pilot Boat Penobscot Pilot.
Penobscot Bay Tractor Tug Company (one or more tugboats open for tours.)
Penobscot River Oil Pollution Abatement Committee (PROPAC)- oil spill response vessels and equipment
Penobscot Marine Museum, Searsport
Prock Marine Corporation
Reed & Reed
Searsport Pilot Boat “Ciloway III” Courtesy Hamilton Marine
Sprague Energy Corporation
Tug Pentagoet; “Motor Vessel Ned” Courtesy Maine Maritime Marine
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
U.S.C.G. Color Guard North Eastern Sector Portland division
Webber Energy/Webber Tanks