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Public Hearing News

11 Feb 2024

FMC Mulls Investigation into Suez and Panama Canal Impacts

Ā© Pabkov / Adobe Stock

The US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) held an informal public hearing examining impacts from attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden on February 7.Opening the hearing, Commissioner Carl Bentzel, voiced concern about safe access through both the Suez and Panama Canals.ā€œWhat is at stake is severe international economic disruption. The United States is still recovering from the aftershock of the pandemic induced supply chain disruption that that saw 30% increasesā€¦

12 Jan 2024

FMC to Hold Hearing on Red Sea Shipping Conditions

Ā© lexan / Adobe Stock

The United States' Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) will examine how conditions in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden regions are impacting commercial shipping and global supply chains, during an informal public hearing on February 7.The hearing will allow stakeholders in the supply chain to communicate with the Commission how operations have been disrupted by attacks on commercial shipping emanating from Yemen, steps taken in response to these events, and the resulting effects.In additionā€¦

04 Jan 2024

Public Hearing Scheduled for Deadly Newark Ship Fire

New York City Fire Department personnel respond to a fire on the motor vessel Grande Costa Dā€™Avorio in Port Newark, New Jersey, July 6, 2023. (Photo: Dan Henry / U.S. Coast Guard)

The U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board will conduct a formal public hearing this month to consider evidence related to a deadly fire that occurred aboard the Italian-flagged cargo vessel, Grande Costa Dā€™Avorio, while docked at the Port of Newark, N.JThe hearing, slated to take place January 10-12 and 16-18 at the Union Township City Council Chambers in Union, N.J., will be open to the public, as well as broadcast live and recorded. It will focus on the condition of the Grande Costa Dā€™Avorio prior to and at the time of the fireā€¦

15 Nov 2023

Authorities Reviewing Evidence from Titan Submersible Tragedy

Coast Guard marine safety engineers conduct a survey of the aft titanium endcap from Titan in the North Atlantic Ocean October 1, 2023. (Photo: U.S. National Transportation Safety Board)

Authorities from the U.S., Canada and France are combing through evidence recovered from the Titan submersible that suffered a catastrophic implosion en route to the wreckage of the Titanic in June.Investigators from the U.S. Coast Guard, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) and the French Marine Casualty Investigation Authority (BEAmer) conducted an onsite evidence review in Newport, R.I., on November 8, as part of their respectiveā€¦

10 Oct 2023

Titan Submersible Debris and Human Remains Recovered from the Seafloor

Coast Guard marine safety engineers assigned to the Marine Safety Center, working for the Marine Board of Investigation for the Titan submersible case, conduct a survey of the aft titanium endcap from Titan in the North Atlantic Ocean October 1, 2023. The endcap was recently recovered from the seafloor and successfully transferred to a U.S. port for analysis. (Photo: U.S. National Transportation Safety Board)

The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday said its engineers recovered remaining debris and presumed human remains from the imploded Titan submersible in the North Atlantic.The evidence recovered from the seafloor by marine safety engineers with the Coast Guardā€™s Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) was transferred to shore for analysis as part of ongoing investigations into the fatal incident.In June, the Titan imploded while on a voyage to visit the wreck site of the famed sunken ocean liner Titanic, killing all five people on board.

02 Feb 2023

'Spirit of Norfolk' Fire Hearing Concludes

Capt. Ryan Nadeau, master of the Spirit of Norfolk, delivers his testimony during a formal hearing regarding the events of the Spirit of Norfolk vessel fire Jan. 27, 2023 in Virginia Beach, Va. (Photo: Edward Wargo / U.S. Coast Guard)

The U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board concluded the formal public hearing proceedings into the fire and total constructive loss of the passenger vessel Spirit of Norfolk Feb. 2, 2023.The joint investigation team reviewed and considered evidence related to the fire and total constructive loss of the passenger vessel, which occurred on June 7, 2022.The investigation team heard from 23 witnesses who provided testimony into pre-accident historical events, regulatory complianceā€¦

07 Apr 2022

US Offshore Wind: Figuring Out the Business

Ā© Collin Gravois / Adobe Stock

If awards were given for dominating the sustainable energy spotlight, offshore wind (OSW) would surely be in line for top honors.Consider:Big money: BOEMā€™s February sale of New York Bight offshore wind development rights drew a record $4.37 billion in developersā€™ bids. Not only is that real money, but just as critically, ā€œThis weekā€™s offshore wind sale makes one thing clear: The enthusiasm for the clean energy economy is undeniable and itā€™s here to stay,ā€ exclaimed Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.Off Broadway: In Januaryā€¦

13 Aug 2021

Seacor Power Public Hearing Concludes

A U.S. Coast Guard Response Boat-Medium boat crew heads toward the capsized lift boat Seacor Power about 8 miles off Port Fourchon, La. on April 13, 2021. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Coast Guard Cutter Glenn Harris)

The U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board on Friday wrapped up the formal public hearing proceedings into the sinking of the liftboat Seacor Power and the death of 13 of its 19 crewmembers in the Gulf of Mexico.The Seacor Power capsized in heavy winds and seas on April 13, 2021, about seven miles south of Port Fourchon, La. Six crewmembers were initially rescued, and six were recovered unresponsive during the course of the response.Over the course of the nearly two-week-long hearingā€¦

30 Jul 2021

Seacor Power Capsizing: Public Hearing Scheduled for Aug. 2

The Seacor Eagle is staged with gear near the Seacor Power off Port Fourchon, La. The vessel is being used as stable platform to assist in salvage and pollution response operations. (Photo: Brendan Freeman / U.S. Coast Guard)

The U.S. Coast Guard will next week hold a formal public hearing to consider evidence related to the April 2021 capsizing of the liftboat Seacor Power and the death of 13 of its 19 crewmembers in the Gulf of Mexico.The Seacor Power liftboat capsized, April 13, 2021, about seven miles south of Port Fourchon, La., in the Gulf of Mexico with 19 crewmembers aboard. Six crewmembers were initially rescued, and six were recovered unresponsive during the course of the response. Coast Guard boat and aircrewsā€¦

18 Feb 2020

Anatomy of a Marine Casualty Investigation

MV Argo Merchant was a Liberian-flagged oil tanker that ran aground and sank southeast of Nantucket Island, Mass., on Dec. 15, 1976, causing one of the largest marine oil spills in history. U.S. Coast Guard Archives

Blank Romeā€™s maritime attorneys have represented clients in some of the largest maritime casualties in the last 20 years, including the Staten Island Ferry allision with a maintenance pier in New York, the blow out and eventual loss of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, the sinking of the El Faro during Hurricane Joaquin, and the collision between the Navy Destroyer USS John S. McCain and the tanker ALNIC MC in the Singapore Strait. These casualties have resulted in the catastrophic loss of lifeā€¦

08 Jan 2020

NOx Control: Should Certain Vessels Get a Break?

(Credit: MAN)

When it comes to the EPAā€™s recent proposed delay to implementation of Tier 4 marine diesel engines ā€˜in certain high-speed commercial vessels,ā€™ where you stand probably depends on where you sit.On September 6, the U.S. Environmental Protection agency (EPA) proposed to delay implementation of Tier 4 marine diesel engines ā€œin certain high-speed commercial vessels.ā€ Specifically; EPA mentions three kinds of vessels: lobster boats, pilot boats and a third, more open-ended reference to ā€œother high-speed vessels,ā€ possibly including hovercraft.

25 Jul 2019

Panama Canal Hearing on Tolls Structure

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) held Tuesday a public hearing on the proposed modifications of its toll structure which culminated the period for receiving inquiries from the industry.The agency of the government of Panama responsible for the operation and management of the Panama Canal recently published a proposal to modify its current tolls structure for the dry bulk, passenger, containership, vehicle carrier and RoRo segments, as well as tankers, chemical tankers, LPG and LNG vessels, the intra-maritime cluster and minimum tolls.ā€œThe public hearing is an invaluable part of the process,ā€ said Panama Canal Administrator Jorge L. Quijano.

05 Feb 2018

New Ship Repair Yard Coming to Brazil

The total volume of cargo tranported by sea in Brazil from January to September 2017 was pegged at 800 million tons, according to a survey by the National Agency of Waterway Transportation (Antaq). A large number of oceangoing and cabotage ships are needed to move such a volme and many of these ships will need repairs of various kinds. Having identified a positive demand for international standard ship repair facilities in the South Atlantic basin, McQuilling Services, headquartered in New York, will be leading a project to invest nearly a billion in Lucena, on the coast of the northeast state of Paraíba, for the installation of the Brazil Basin Drydock Company (BBDC) repair yard projects.

08 Aug 2017

Panama Canalā€™s New Tolls Structure Approved

(Photo: Panama Canal Authority)

Modifications to the Panama Canal tolls structure have been approved by the Cabinet Council of the Republic of Panama. After a thorough analysis of the current utilization and productivity of the Neopanamax Locks, and after meetings with Panama Canal executives, customers and industry representatives in Europe, Asia and North America, the proposed tolls modifications were officially announced on June 1, 2017. This was followed by a formal consultation period to ensure all interested parties could provide feedback for consideration.

05 Jul 2017

Panama Canal Hearing Addresses Toll Structure Changes

Photo: The Panama Canal Authority

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) today held a public hearing on its tolls structure modifications proposal. ā€œThe modified tolls will safeguard the Canal's competitiveness, charge a fair price for the value of the route and provide a competitive service to the global shipping industry,ā€ said Panama Canal Administrator, Jorge L. Quijano. The hearing follows the conclusion of a 32-day formal consultation period for industry feedback. All comments received both in writing and at the hearing will now be evaluated and analyzed by the Board of Directorsā€¦

01 Jun 2017

Lax SMFF Enforcement a ā€˜Disaster Waiting to Happenā€™ -ROR

(Photo: Rapid Ocean Response Corp.)

A top U.S. Coast Guard official said at a recent congressional oversight hearing that the Coast Guard ā€œhas not been aggressively enforcing the complianceā€ of vessel response plans filed under federal Salvage and Marine Firefighting (SMFF) regulations. The rules, derived from the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, are meant to prevent a worst-case discharge resulting from fire or explosion aboard a vessel. ā€œThe shocking admission by the Coast Guard that it cannot, and is not, enforcing its own marine firefighting rules should be a warning to all ship ownersā€¦

23 Dec 2015

LNG Bharat to Roll Out FLNG Terminal

LNG Bharat Private Ltd is setting up a floating LNG Floating Storage Unit (FSU) with a capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum at Krishnapatnam port in Nellore district the Hindu Businessline reports quoting J. Murthy, the Managing Director. The company had taken 120 acres of land from the port and leased a berth for setting up the terminal and a pipeline would also be laid from Krishnapatnam to Ennore in Tamil Nadu, via Sullurupeta and Sri City. The total project cost, including the terminal and the pipeline, would be Rs. 1400 crores, he said. If the construction commences in May 2016 (as planned), the terminal is expected to be commissioned by December 2017.

10 Sep 2015

Penobscot Bay Dredging Called Off, for Now

The Army Corps of Engineers withdrew on Tuesday its state permitting application for a Penobscot Bay dredging project opposed by lobstermen, tourism business owners and environmentalists. The Portland Press Herald reports Corps project manager Barbara Blumeris sent a letter to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection on Tuesday saying that the federal agency was withdrawing its application for requisite state permits. Opponents of the controversial $12 million dredging project for the local harbor hailed news Wednesday that state and federal officials had withdrawn their permit application from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

10 Jul 2015

Redwood City Proposes Port Deepening Project

Photo: Port of Redwood City

A recommended $73 million plan to deepen the Redwood City Harbor and San Bruno Shoal channels, the navigation corridors essential for commerce and the Port of Redwood City, has been issued  in draft by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers' San Francisco District. The port is conducting a public hearing on what is called the "Redwood City Navigation Improvement Project" August 10 at 7 p.m. at Redwood City Hall to allow public comment and recommendations on the project's Draft Feasibility Study and Environment Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report.

02 May 2015

Panama Okays New Canal Toll Structure

Panamaā€™s cabinet council has approved a request by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) to modify the canal toll structure and implement volume-based discounts for container ships. The new toll schedule will take effect April 1, 2016. New tolls apply to all lanes, including the new third lane, according to the Panama authorities as reported by energy news provider Platts. It modifies the pricing structure for most canal segments and establishes a new segment specifically for LNG tankers - a key new market for the canal once the expansion is completed. "After working in close cooperation with our partners in the maritime industry, I am pleased we will be able to provide a more bespoke pricing solution for our customersā€¦

29 Apr 2015

Panama Council Approves New Canal Tolls

Image: Panama Canal Authority

The Cabinet Council of the Republic of Panama has officially approved a proposal to modify the Canal tolls structure, following a recommendation from the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) Board of Directors. The accepted proposalā€”which modifies the pricing structure for most Canal segmentsā€”will better facilitate the Canalā€™s goal of providing outstanding service and reliability to the global shipping and maritime community while allowing the ACP to safeguard the competitiveness of the waterway.

28 Apr 2015

Long Beach to Decide on Cement Import Facility

Photo courtesy of the Port of Long Beach

The Port of Long Beach has prepared the final environmental impact report for the Mitsubishi (MCC) Cement Facility Modification Project. The portā€™s Board of Harbor Commissioners will consider the adequacy of the final EIR at its regular meeting May 11, and whether to approve the proposed project. Mitsubishi Cement is proposing modifications to its existing import cement facility located on Pier F at 1150 Pier F Avenue. The facility receives bulk cement and cement-like materials (including Portland cement, blast furnace slag, pozzolans, and fly ash) via bulk cargo vessels at Berth F208.

24 Mar 2015

Brazil to Lease 29 Ports to Private Companies

A plan to attract private investment to Brazil's strained port infrastructure is even more important in the face of federal budget cuts that will curb public investment, Brazilian Ports Minister Edinho Araújo said in an interview. Brazil, which has seen exports of iron ore, soybeans, sugar, coffee and beef soar, is planning to lease 29 public terminals, including at the country's largest port in Santos and in the northern state of Para, to private companies under a 2012 law. The move, currently blocked by a federal audit court, could attract 4.9 billion reais ($1.6 billion) of private investment and increase port capacity by 47 million tonnes, Araujo told Reuters on Monday.

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