Port Employees Receive Vessel Training Certifications
Two staff members at the St. Bernard Port, Harbor and Terminal District have recently completed vessel training courses required by the U.S. Coast Guard in order to operate a boat with up to six (6) passengers.
Ryan Fayard, a Maintenance Mechanic who has worked for the Port since 2003, has successfully completed the 80-hour captain’s course to obtain a 100-ton master’s certification. The goal of the course is to enhance safety and productivity in the maritime working environment by instilling the knowledge and skills reflected in the Coast Guard exam topic table.
Heath C. Ragas, also a Maintenance Mechanic who joined the Port team in 2010, has successfully passed the 54-hour captain’s course required for operators of uninspected passenger vessels to become certified. The goal of the course is to promote safety and productivity in the maritime environment and is accepted in lieu of the standard Coast Guard examination for vessel captains carrying no more than six (6) passengers.
Robert J. Scafidel, Ed.D. the Port’s executive director, said he and the Board of Commissioners are proud of the accomplishments of these two employees.
“Mr. Fayard and Mr. Ragas both put a lot of effort into studying the material presented each day during the course,” he said. “They were able to successfully pass the test on the first try and receive their certifications.”
Topics covered in both courses include navigational rules, tides and currents, radiotelephone communications, engine operating principles, plotting courses and bearings, vessel maneuvering and handling and emergency procedures.
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Photo provided by St. Bernard Port, Harbor & Terminal District
St. Bernard Port, Harbor and Terminal District Maintenance Mechanics Ryan Fayard, left, and Heath C. Ragas, right, both recently completed vessel training courses required by the U.S. Coast Guard. Fayard successfully completed the 80-hour captain’s course to obtain a 100-ton master’s certification, and Ragas successfully passed the 54-hour captain’s course required for operators of uninspected passenger vessels to become certified.
