Gao Report
NCL Comments on GAO Report
Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Colin Veitch Responds to GAO Report on NCL’s Project America. The GAO report released today confirms what Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has known from the beginning – Project America is good for American workers and for consumers. It means more competition in the cruise industry and will result in more choices for vacationing families. It is good for the U.S. economy because it has already created more than 1,000 new jobs and will add badly needed tax revenues to federal and state treasuries. Once fully implemented, this project will generate more than 20,000 jobs and over $800 million annually in economic activity. NCL made the decision to have a real presence in Hawai`i despite its bigger and more established competitors. NCL embarked on this initiative when none of its competitors would. This report makes clear that NCL serves as a competitive check on the two cruise lines that currently dominate North American cruises. The company is proud to be the only cruise operator willing to embrace a U.S.-flag operation and look forward to providing high-quality service in the Hawai`i islands in an entirely new way. To read the full report, please go to www.gao.gov.
Report Confirms Increased Assessments on Maritime Industry
U.S. ports got confirmation at its Annual Convention meeting from a just-released General Accounting Office (GAO) Report that both the number and the dollar amount of fees assessed on the maritime industry have increased since the last study was released in 1993. The GAO Report, Federal Assessments on the Maritime Industry, states 11 federal agencies collect 124 different fees and assessments on maritime commerce, for a total of almost $22 billion ($21 billion of which is collected by U.S
GAO Issues Report on Title XI Program
The General Accounting Office (GAO) issued a report entitled Maritime Administration: Weaknesses Identified in Management of the Title XI Loan Guarantee Program
GAO Report on USCG Arctic Requirements
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report on U.S. Coast Guard requirements for its Arctic missions. Coast Guard expansion into the Arctic is hampered by an undefined mission and an uncertain funding stream, but it could benefit from improved communication with stakeholders, particularly at the state and local level in Alaska. GAO-1-870 (9/15/10). (Source: Bryant’s Maritime News)
Senator McCain Introduces Bill to Repeal Jones Act
On June 25, Senator John McCain announced that he introduced the “Open America’s Water Act,” to repeal the Jones Act. In a release on his website, Senator McCain said: “Today I am pleased to introduce legislation that would fully repeal the Jones Act, a 1920s law that hinders free trade and favors labor unions over consumers. Specifically, the Jones Act requires that all goods shipped between waterborne ports of the United States be carried by vessels built in
Weak Internal Financial Control at USMMA
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report of its examination of internal financial controls at the US Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA). The report states that internal control weaknesses resulted in improper sources and uses of funds. Some midshipmen fee assessments were unrelated to goods and services provided to the midshipmen. The Academy improperly entered into some sole-source agreements with the Global Maritime and Transportation School (GMATS) and then inappropriately
GAO Compares Costs of Freight Shipment Modes
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued its report comparing the costs of road, rail, and waterways freight shipments that are absorbed by the government and not passed on to consumers. The analysis shows that on average additional freight service provided by trucks generated significantly more costs that were not passed on to consumers than the same amount of freight service provided by either rail or water
GAO Study of LNG Security
Representative Markey (D-MA) released a letter that he and other Members of Congress signed requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review vulnerabilities of foreign and domestic maritime energy transport infrastructure to terrorist attack and efforts by governmental and private sector entities to reduce those vulnerabilities through enhanced security, planning, and other prevention, preparedness, and response activities. (HK LAW)
Marinette Challenges Coast Guard Award
Marinette Marine is challenging the U.S. Coast Guard's choice of Bollinger Shipyards to build the Fast Response Cutters. Marinette's protest was filed with the GAO, which is required to issue a ruling within 100 days. Marinette was one of three reported finalists in the competition to build the FRC. On September 26, the Coast Guard tapped Bollinger to build the new Sentinel-class cutters, which is based on a Damen design
Large Shipbuilders Keep Profits Despite Steel Price Hike
An analyst from CITIC Securities Co., Ltd., said that the prices of steel products for shipbuilding would not increase as much as others, thanks to the long term partnership between shipbuilders and steel producers. Baosteel, a flagship in China's iron and steel industry, is a shareholder of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, and the two parties have co-invested in a leading shipbuilding base in China, Gao noted.
AMPR Releases Study on Jones Act
Crowley is a member of The Puerto Rico Maritime Alliance, which consists of representatives of U.S. flag carriers and labor unions constituting the US Merchant Marine. The Maritime Alliance of Puerto Rico (AMPR) has announced that the GAO Study released yesterday determined the Jones
Jones Act Seems Beneficial to Puerto Ricans Finds GAO
American Maritime Partnership (AMP) member, Crowley Maritime Corp. distributes the following announcement: The long-awaited General Accountability Office (GAO) study on the Jones Act in Puerto Rico shows that the U.S. domestic container shipping fleet has provided regular
Maritime Security & The Useless TWIC
Experience has clearly shown that the concept that the issuance of high-tech biometric transportation security cards, called the Transportation Worker Identification Credential or TWIC, could achieve these goals was fatally flawed from the beginning.
Legislation Aimed at Reducing TWIC Red Tape
Bill Would Reform Enrollment Process in Flawed TWIC Program. U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) introduced legislation today that would reform the burdensome enrollment process of the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Worker Identification Card (TWIC) program
OOCL Executive Changes
OOCL is pleased to announce the following executive movements in our headquarters and Hong Kong regional office, effective from June 13, 2011. Ms Miranda Lou, currently Managing Director, OOCL Hong Kong Branch will succeed Mr Taylor Gao as Director
Severn Trent Expands Wastewater Markets, Asia Pacific
Severn Trent Services announced a major expansion of its sales and service operations in the Asia Pacific region with recent hirings and promotions of six water and wastewater professionals – four in its Shanghai, China, office and two in Singapore
GAO Reports on TWIC Challenges
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued its report on challenges relating to the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program. Issuance of TWICs to maritime workers was delayed, but is now largely completed. A significant source of delay was the power failure at the
Lifecycle Strategies Important for Navy
Steve Carmel, Senior Vice President, Maritime Services at Maersk Line, Limited (MLL) was a keynote speaker at the Naval Logistics Symposium on July 22. The symposium, organized by the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE), an organization comprising of civilian and military naval engineers
GAO Says Mariner Rights Protected in Law Hearings
The U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report Friday detailing its findings following a review of the Coast Guard's Administrative Law Judge Program that was requested by Congress and welcomed by the Coast Guard. The GAO conducted an independent and objective review of 1
GAO Upholds Contract Award to Bollinger
On Jan. 12, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a bid protest decision that upheld the U.S. Coast Guard’s award of the Sentinel-class Patrol Boat to Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. GAO provides a forum for bidders and offerors seeking federal government contracts who
GAO – Report on Freight Congestion
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report on approaches to mitigate freight congestion. It states, among other things, that increasing congestion on the national transportation system poses a threat to the efficient flow of goods and has strained the system in some locations
GAO –DHS Programs Lack Oversight
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report stating that some major Department of Homeland Security (DHS) programs lack appropriate oversight. For example, the Secure Freight Initiative, designed to test the feasibility of scanning 100% of US-bound cargo containers with
GAO – Proliferation Security Initiative
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report stating that some federal agencies have taken steps to strengthen the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), but that more effort is needed to expand the program. In particular
CG Comments on Purchasing Authority
On Nov. 6, 2008, Rear Admiral Gary T. Blore, Assistant Commandant for Acquisition & Chief Acquisition Officer, commented on the status of U.S. Coast Guard’s purchasing authority: “On October 28 we posted a fact sheet (updated on November 4) that explained that DHS had rescinded
Challenges to Verify Security Ops
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report stating that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has enhanced its partnership with import trade sectors, but that challenges remain in verifying security practices. It recommends that CBP improve its electronic validation