Oceans and Health Archives - Mystic Maritime Consulting

October 30, 2013by maritime maritime No Comments

Polluting Shipwrecks and Underwater Munitions

Potentially polluting shipwrecks pose a significant hazard to the environment, marine life, and human health. Wrecks which contain oil and whose hulls are corroding are being assessed for their damage and mitigation potential. Underwater munitions that were dumped at sea during the World Wars are also a threat to the marine environment. MMC is currently working on developing a course for undergraduate students that addresses these topics. The U.S. Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a report in 2013 that identifies shipwrecks that are at risk for pollution events.

October 29, 2013by maritime maritime No Comments

Vessel Audit Reporting and Oil Spill Contingency Planning

Vessels respond to an oil spill. NOAA

MMC drafted and edited UNOLS vessel audit reports for this naval architecture and salvage engineering firm. MMC also prepared oil spill contingency plans, including Facility Response Plans (FRP) and Marine Operations Manuals (MOM) for U.S. Coast Guard approval. The MOM describes the procedures that a facility will follow for performing transfers of oil to/from vessels. The FRP is required by federal law and prepared by all owners/ operators of drilling rigs and oil storage facilities to guide response to a “worst case discharge” of oil into the surrounding environment.

October 21, 2013by maritime maritime No Comments

Oceans and Human Health

What can we learn from a squid about our own nervous system?

How can substances found in marine sponges help to treat cancer?

MMC creates curricula and teaches online courses on Oceans and Human Health (OHH). These courses have been offered as professional development for teachers through the College of Exploration, and to undergraduate students at Goodwin College in Connecticut. The materials serve as a general introduction to a cutting-edge topic in ocean science: the relationship between oceans and human health. Global climate change, harmful algal blooms, marine biopharmaceuticals, and the use of marine organisms as biomedical models are some of the topics presented. Federal policies and organizations focusing on OHH are also explored. Potentially polluting shipwrecks and underwater munitions dumps may also impact human health.

October 17, 2013by maritime maritime No Comments

Online Learning and Education

Teachers explore online learning.
Photo by C. Dindo

MMC specializes in online education, whether it’s creating a course or workshop from scratch, recruiting participants, or instructing the workshop. We have specific expertise in using the Blackboard and Caucus systems, having created and instructed courses on shipwrecks, oceans and human health, and have supported workshops focusing on various other science topics. The number of participants in these events ranges from a dozen to several hundred, and graduate credit can be offered if desired. Audiences range from undergraduate students to teachers seeking professional development.

Courses have been designed and/or instructed for clients including the U.S. Naval Academy, Goodwin College, Ocean Technology Foundation, and also in cooperation with the College of Exploration and NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research.