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Thursday, March 28, 2024
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The Commission News

25 Mar 2024

US Dredging: Plenty of Issues, New WRDA on the Way

(Photo: Janet Meredith / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

2024 marks another year for development of a biennial WRDA billā€”Water Resources Development Act, critical legislation for the Nationā€™s waterways, ports and harbors. WRDA encompasses a range of issues, from environmental regs to energy use to agriculture and, of course, a focus on projects critical for economic growth.Because these are dynamic and timely issues, Congress and the maritime sector like to keep WRDA on a two-year reauthorization timeline. Indeed, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, December and January, held three WRDA information hearings.

25 Mar 2024

Fincantieri to Open Support Facility in Everett

A rendering of the first Constellation-class frigate to be constructed by Fincantieri Marinette Marine (Image courtesy of Fincantieri Marine Group)

This spring, Fincantieri Marine Repair (FMR) is expanding its presence to the Port of Everett with a new facility to support U.S. Navy assets.On March 12, the Port of Everett Commission unanimously approved a new one-year lease to establish an FMR office at the Portā€™s Marina Village at Waterfront Place.The U.S. Navy plans to homeport up to 12 new Constellation-class guided-missile frigates at Naval Station Everett, adjacent to the Port of Everettā€™s international Seaport. The FMRā€¦

25 Mar 2024

New Zealand Deploys Naval Ship to Solomon Islands

HMNZS Canterbury (Photo: New Zealand Defense Force)

New Zealand said on Monday it will dispatch defense personnel, helicopters and a naval ship to the Solomon Islands to assist in a national election due next month, where relations with China will be a key issue.The deployment is part of a NZ$10.8 million ($6.48 million) support program for the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission announced in January and that will help transport election officers and materials around Pacific Island nations.New Zealand's foreign ministry said the vessel HMNZS Canterbury will leave Auckland on Tuesday to transport two helicopters and crewā€¦

18 Mar 2024

Liquid Hydrogen SOV Concept Unveiled

(Image: Louis Dreyfus Armateurs)

Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) has unveiled a concept for a first-of-its kind service operations vessel (SOV) that runs on liquid hydrogen.The French-headquartered company said it has been working alongside Norwegian naval architecture firm Salt Ship Design as well as main equipment suppliers, fuel providers, class and flag authorities, and others to produce the conceptā€”with support from the European Commission.The groundbreaking SOV, currently in the concept design phase, would be able to operate 95% of the time with zero carbon emissions, only releasing water during standard operations.

11 Mar 2024

US FMC Names Usman Chief Information Officer

Ā© BKP / Adobe Stock

Mohammad ā€œAliā€ Usman has been hired as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the Federal Maritime Commission and appointed to be a member of the Senior Executive Service.Usman will serve as director in all areas of information technology (IT) and as the primary IT technical advisor to the Managing Director.He assumes his new duties effective immediately.ā€œWell functioning, publicly accessible, and secured information systems are vital to being able to meet the mission of a government agency in the 21st Century. Mr.

11 Mar 2024

Callan Marine Awarded Houston Dredging Contract

General Arnold (Photo: Callan Marine)

Galveston-based dredging contractor Callan Marine has been awarded a $136 million contract from Port Houston to dredge segment 1C of the Houston Ship Channel Expansion, under the port's Project 11 program.Callan will use its recently christened 32-inch cutter suction dredge, the General Arnold, among the newest, largest and most environmentally friendly cutter suction dredge in the U.S. fleet for the undertaking. The dredge features four EPA Tier 4 engines developing a combined 24ā€¦

04 Mar 2024

Port of Long Beach Opens New Fireboat Stations

(Photo: Port of Long Beach)

Officials dedicated two new Port of Long Beach fireboat stations that are enhancing the Long Beach Fire Departmentā€™s waterside and landside emergency response capabilities, better safeguarding visiting ships, cargo and waterfront workers.The facilities ā€“ Fireboat Station 15 and Fireboat Station 20 ā€“ are the products of a $109 million Port of Long Beach program to preserve business continuity, security and economic interests. With an anticipated lifespan of 50 years, both stationsā€¦

27 Feb 2024

FMC Updates Controlled Carrier List

Source: Hede (HONGKONG) International Shipping Limited

Hede (HONGKONG) International Shipping Limited has been classified by the US Federal Maritime Commission as a controlled carrier of the Government of the Peopleā€™s Republic of China and added to the agencyā€™s Controlled Carrier List.The Controlled Carrier List was further revised by removing COSCO Shipping Lines (Europe) GmbH, which has ceased serving the US trades and has cancelled its tariff. Other COSCO entities remain on the list.Controlled Carriers are ocean common carriers operating in the US-foreign trades that areā€¦

23 Feb 2024

EU Clears CMA CGM's Acquisition of Bollore Logistics, Subject to Conditions

Ā© JHVEPhoto / Adobe Stock

The EU Commission on Friday said it had cleared the acquisition of the logistics operations of conglomerate Bollore by shipping group CMA CGM, subject to a number of conditions proposed by the companies.The commission, which oversees competition policy in the 27-nation European Union, said that the acquisition had been approved after its investigation found a number of concerns.To address them, the parties agreed to divest all of Bolloré Logistics' activities in Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Martin and French Guiana, as well as a number of assets in metropolitan France linked to these activiti

22 Feb 2024

Virtual Marine: Simulator Training is the Real Deal

(Photo: Virtual Marine)

In the commercial maritime and offshore industries, where worker safety and competency are crucial, effective training practices are an absolute must. While hands-on, in-the-field learning will always be a vital component of any marinerā€™s training, marine simulation has become a welcome enhancement to the education process. And in some cases, itā€™s seen as a safer alternative to traditional survival craft and rescue boat training.A leader in this space is Virtual Marine, based in Newfoundland and Labrador.

21 Feb 2024

Almaco Completes Two Projects for Carnival Jubilee

Source: Almaco

In October 2023, Almaco successfully delivered a project for the newbuild Carnival Jubilee at Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg. The catering project consisted of a full visual turnkey delivery of all the shipā€™s provision stores.Additionally, Almaco supported the yard with manpower for work consisting of fixed furniture installation in over 1,000 cabins. This second project was delivered in December 2023.Meyer Werft and Carnival Cruises chose Almaco to plan, design, build, supply and commission all the provision areas onboard Carnival Jubilee.

19 Feb 2024

Insights: Catherine Gianelloni, MITAGS

Catherine Gianelloni, Director, MITAGS East Coast Campus (Photo: MITAGS)

Catherine Gianelloni sailed with the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots (IOMM&P) for about 10 years after graduating from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in 2009. But in between times at sea, she would help out at the MITAGS (Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies). Operating simulators evolved into teaching opportunities, and Gianelloni took a full-time position in 2012. ā€œBecause we are the union school, I was allowed to take breaksā€”leave of absencesā€”to go out and sail.

15 Feb 2024

Letā€™s Set Some Standards for Micro Cargo

It almost boggles the mind that the success of the ISO container is effectively based on only one standard: 8 feet wide. The 8 foot standard (basically railroad car and truck widths, which are mythically reported to be related to the width of two horseā€™s asses)
Copyright Jim Mills/AdobeStock

As zero carbon cargo efforts are progressing, it is becoming more apparent that the lowest hanging fruit is in the last few miles. This is where a large amount of carbon is expended in delivering small parcels to stores and consumersā€™ doors.This is particularly apparent in dense pack cities like New York City, where delivery vans clog streets and water crossings. The NYC Economic Development Commission recently issued a Request For Expression of Interest in waterborne micro cargo delivery.

13 Feb 2024

OPINION: Seeing the Ship as a System Changes Everything

image credit ABB Marine and Ports

Shipping must engage with the decarbonization realities that lie ahead by changing the way it crafts maritime legislation to reflect its place in the interconnected, interdependent world economy, says Eero Lehtovaara, ABB Marine & Ports.ABB Marine & Ports Head of Regulatory & Public Affairs, Eero Lehtovaara has carved out an unusual - and possibly unique - role in the maritime industry over recent years, as a ā€˜stakeholderā€™ simultaneously mindful of the perspectives of owners, seafarersā€¦

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€¦

07 Feb 2024

Denmark Primed to Become European CO2 Hub

Ā© Dzmitry / Adobe Stock

With its new CCS-strategy, the European Commission has outlined a common direction for the capture, utilization, and storage of CO2 in the EU. The strategy highlights Denmark as a pioneer in the field, and Danish Shipping predicts that Denmark could play a central role.The strategy, named the "Industrial Carbon Management Strategy," sets the framework for the ambition to build an internal market for CO2, benefiting both the climate and employment. All measures are aimed at achievingā€¦

07 Feb 2024

WSC Calls for Strengthened Commitment on Renewable Fuels

Ā© EvrenKalinbacak / Adobe Stock

The European Commission's recommendation for the EU's 2040 climate targets, calling for a 90% net GHG emission reduction, are ambitious and critically important, especially following updates suggesting that EU 2030 goals may not be met, says the World Shipping Council (WSC).The climate targets point to the importance of providing renewable marine fuels for maritime sector decarbonization. Committing the EU to production of zero-GHG fuel pathways is essential, not least because European Member States account for one-fifth of global shipping energy salesā€¦

06 Feb 2024

European Shipowners Welcome EU Climate Target Proposal

Ā© donvictori0 / Adobe Stock

The European Commission has published its proposal for a 2040 climate target: greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 90% by 2040 at the latest, receiving positive feedback from European shipowners.The shipowners welcome the strong commitment of the Commission to address ā€œbarriers to the deployment of low- and zero-emissions fuels including e-fuels and advanced biofuelsā€ in shipping and to give the sector ā€œpriority access to these fuels over sectors that have access to otherā€¦

04 Feb 2024

No New Import Bans in Next EU Russia Sanctions Package

The European Commission will not add any new import bans in its next package of sanctions on Russia, EU diplomats said, as a 13th package proposal takes its final shape.The Commission and European Union member states want to quickly pass a new set of measures to mark the second anniversary of Russiaā€™s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.Despite calls from some EU countries to ban more Russian exports like aluminium, the Commission will propose a package it hopes will cause minimalā€¦

26 Jan 2024

Congressmen Urge FMC to Finalize OSRA Provisions

Ā© photostriker / Adobe Stock

Two U.S. Congressmen are urging the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to finalize the rule on demurrage and detention billing requirements required in their Ocean Shipping Reform Act that became law in 2022.The Ocean Shipping Reform Act was signed into law on June 16, 2022 and provides authority to the FMC to investigate ocean carriersā€™ business practices and apply enforcement measures following the unreasonable refusal of American exports throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.In January 2023, U.S.

26 Jan 2024

Biden Pauses New LNG Export Projects

Ā© Mike Mareen / Adobe Stock

President Joe Biden paused pending approvals of exports from new liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects on Friday, a move cheered by climate activists that could delay decisions on new plants until after the November 5 election.The Department of Energy (DOE) will conduct a review during the pause that will look at the economic and environmental impacts of projects seeking approval to export LNG to Europe and Asia where the fuel is in hot demand.The review will take months and then will be open to public comment which will take further timeā€¦

17 Jan 2024

EDF Backed EUROGUARD Project Sets Sail in Estonia

(Photo: Baltic Workboats)

The European Defense Fund (EDF)backed EUROGUARD project has officially kicked off in Estonia as Europe seeks to bolter its sea defense capabilities.The project's primary objective is to develop a modular and semi-autonomous surface vessel platform equipped with a remote control system. The initiative aims to enhance Europe's maritime defense capabilities while promoting cooperation and innovation in the field.The collaborative venture involves 23 companies and research institutions from 10 EU member statesā€¦

18 Jan 2024

Not All Underwater Reefs are Made of Coral

The South Carolina Army National Guard and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources turns unused armored carrier vehicles into an artificial reef off the coast of Beaufort, S.C. in 2014. (Courtesy photo by Phillip Jones/South Carolina Army National Guard)

When people hear about underwater reefs, they usually picture colorful gardens created from coral. But some reefs are anchored to much more unusual foundations.For more than a century, people have placed a wide assortment of objects on the seafloor off the U.S. coast to provide habitat for marine life and recreational opportunities for fishing and diving. Artificial reefs have been created from decommissioned ships, chicken transport cages, concrete pipes, rail cars and more.We study how ocean-dwelling fish use artificial reefs in the U.S. and beyond.