Federal Emergency Management Agency News

The Port of New Orleans was awarded $947,280 in recently announced Port Security Grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support the expansion and enhancement of emergency services for Port NOLA’s maritime and industrial operations.With this funding award, Port NOLA will invest in physical and technological upgrades to the Port’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) which serves as home base during hurricanes and other significant incidents. Additionally…

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation, the largest provider of dredging services in the United States, announced the receipt of several major dredging awards totaling $138.8 million.The awarded work includes Trujillo Alto Design and Build for the Lago Loiza (Carraízo) Dredging Project (Maintenance, Puerto Rico, $93.1 million); Townsends Inlet to Cape May Inlet Project (Coastal Protection, New Jersey, $28.8 million); Palm Beach Harbor Maintenance Dredging Project (Maintenance, Florida…

The Port of New Orleans was recently awarded $514,964 in Port Security Grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to upgrade technology at the Harbor Police Department (HPD)’s Maritime Security Operations Center (MSOC).“This grant funding will strengthen our ability to provide proactive law enforcement services, patrols, anti-terrorism efforts, and investigative services,” said HPD’s Police Chief Melanie Montroll. “I am grateful for FEMA’s ongoing support…

Port Canaveral will add a new security patrol vessel and a pilot boat after receiving federal grant funding for several projects to protect against terrorism and other security threats.The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded $472,500 in Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) funding to allow the Canaveral Port Authority (CPA) to purchase a new Security Rapid Response Boat. The vessel will be a 33-ft. “Life Proof” boat operated…

More than a half a billion dollars in recent, current or expected improvements at three Midwestern ports will strengthen these facilities and reinforce their important roles in the global freight network. The significant investments at Port KC, America’s Central Port, and Kaskaskia Regional Port District, along with new infrastructure funding recently secured, will spur an increase in barge services and deliver cost efficiencies that drive profitability for the industry. Port KC is located on the Missouri River.

Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana on Sunday as an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm, forcing those who did not flee to brace themselves for the toughest test yet of the billions of dollars spent on levee upgrades following Hurricane Katrina 16 years ago.Ida came ashore near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, at 11:55 a.m. CDT (16:55 GMT), the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. Hurricane-strength winds extended 50 miles (80 km) out from Ida's eye, forcing New Orleans to suspend…

The Port of Redwood City said it will invest approximately $2.5 million of Port Security Grant Program funding to develop a new fire and police boat dock, which will serve as the home base for emergency vessels.The development of a new boat dock further supports the Redwood City, Calif. port's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Federal Staging Area (FSA) designation.The Port Security Grant Program funding enables the port to support interagency operations, enhance training exercises and fund security infrastructure such as cameras…

The hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) departed Los Angeles Friday after supporting local COVID-19 response efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.Mercy has been at the World Cruise Center Terminal in the Port of Los Angeles since March 27, serving state and local healthcare providers by treating non-COVID-19 patients in support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Medical professionals aboard the ship treated a variety of patients and performed medical procedures including general…

Stay in your lane. Ignoring such wisdom can result in catastrophe if you’re drag racing and lead to general unpleasantness on bowling league nights. This same guidance in other circumstances, for example, can be toxic. It can inhibit innovation and, at the worst possible moment, prevent the sensible use of available resources to improve a bad situation.In satisfying the demands of the offshore energy sector, the U.S. maritime industry has developed incredibly versatile tools.

The  U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has given the Port of Long Beach $4.8 million to improve cyber-security.According to a press release from the second-busiest container port in the United States, FEMA Port Security Grant financing was announced earlier this month and will pay to upgrade the Port’s cameras and sensors, and continue its investment in fiber and wireless networks.“Securing the Port requires state-of-the-art technology to monitor activities on land, on the water and below the water,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero.“This grant will help us enhance our domain awareness and maintain our readiness to protect the harbor…

The Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to the education and welfare of all Coast Guard members and their families, recently recognized Chairman and CEO Tom Crowley Jr. and Crowley Maritime Corporation for more than 30 years of support at its 25th Tribute to the Coast Guard Seventh District event in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The event, originally scheduled for late January but postponed due to the partial government shutdown, was held April 18. The rescheduled date did nothing to dampen spirits…

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA)  identified nearly $4 billion in crucial port and supply chain security needs over the next 10 years.That funding level is what’s needed to maintain and upgrade America’s port facilities and ensure they are properly equipped to address new and evolving security challenges, said AAPA in the latest report in its “The State of Freight” infrastructure series.“The State of Freight IV” is the fourth report in as many years, conducted by AAPA, to highlight the needs of America’s deep-draft commercial public ports to effectively move goods into and out of their facilities by land and water.The…

Hurricane Michael, the third most powerful storm ever to strike the U.S. mainland, headed northeast on Thursday, weakened but still set to soak Georgia and the Carolinas after devastating the Florida Panhandle.By 6 AM on Thursday, heavy rain and wind had reached as far north as Charlotte, North Carolina and the Western North Carolina mountains. The center of the storm was located over Augusta, Georgia, moving north rapidly at more than 20 MPH in a north / northeast heading. Charlotte…

Hurricane Lane, a powerful Category 3 storm, spun slowly north out of the Pacific toward Hawaii on Friday, causing torrential downpours and catastrophic flooding on the Big Island.The greatest threat from wind and rain shifted to Maui overnight and then to Oahu, the U.S. state's most populous island, through Friday, the National Weather Service said. Hurricane conditions were possible over Kauai into Saturday, according to forecasts.More than 2 feet (60 cm) of rain had already fallen on a few areas on the windward side of the Big Island…

Crowley Maritime Corp. has announced that Tim Bush has been promoted to vice president and deputy general counsel. In his new position, Bush will help support the company’s growth as a provider of solutions for the U.S. government and various public-sector agencies. He will be based in Houston and report to Michael Roberts, senior vice president and general counsel. “Tim is an outstanding lawyer, and adds a great deal of value to the Crowley team,” Roberts said. Bush will continue to serve as Crowley’s lead attorney on several large projects for the U.S government, including the Defense Freight Transportation Services (DFTS) contract for the U.S.

MMA's RADM McDonald joyfully announces that the long-awaited National Security Multi-mission Vessel (NSMV) Program now has legs. On Friday 23 March 2018, President Donald Trump signed the FY18 Omnibus spending bill into law. I am very pleased to report that contained in this budget is $300M to begin the long-sought State Maritime Academy Training Ship Replacement Program. Known as the National Security Multi-mission Vessel (NSMV), this new-build replacement training ship program will improve the training and stabilize the production of mariners by the nation’s maritime academies for decades to come. Work to advance this program began over 8 years ago and thanks to much effort by the State Maritime Academies’ presidents & superintendents…

Crowley Maritime Corp. said it has retrofitted two of its heavy lift, flat-deck barges, 455-3 and Marty J, to provide additional capacity to customers shipping cargo between the U.S. mainland and Puerto Rico. With the 455-3 sailing early Tuesday morning from the Port of Jacksonville, Crowley has now expanded its fleet from nine to 16 vessels, further increasing U.S. flag capacity to transport commercial and relief supplies to support the island’s recovery after Hurricane Maria in late September.

The U.S. government has chartered another commercial cruise liner to serve as a floating hotel for relief workers in the U.S. Virgin Islands in the aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria. Carnival Cruise Line said it reached an agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that will see the 2,052-passenger vessel Carnival Fascination docked in St. Croix to provide housing and meals for relief workers during a four-month charter from October 15 to February 3, 2018.

20 Vessels, 6,500 Loads of Cargo will be Offloaded by Week’s End. The Full-Scale Logistics Operation includes 375 Trucks Used to Expedite Deliveries. With employees working around the clock and its vessels calling the Port of San Juan almost daily, Crowley Maritime Corp. said today it will have offloaded by the end of this week more than 6,500 loads of FEMA and commercial cargo from 20 vessels since Hurricane Maria struck the island in late September. And the company projects another 9 vessels, carrying between 2,500 and 3,000 loads, will arrive in Puerto Rico next week. “I am very grateful for the extraordinary work of our teams in San Juan, Jacksonville and in other parts of the country,” said Tom Crowley, chairman and CEO.

Foss Maritime Company said it has contracted with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support the relief and rebuilding efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands following Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria. Three accommodation vessels are being utilized and will serve as floating hotels, providing safe housing and warm meals for responders. With these vessels, Foss will be able to help feed and temporarily house 729 people.

President Donald J. Trump visited the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), Oct. 3, to discuss relief efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands with Navy and Marine Corps leadership.   "This is some ship," said Trump. "It has done a tremendous service for Puerto Rico and for the U.S. Virgin Islands."   Kearsarge and the 26th MEU are assisting with relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.    The Department of Defense is supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the lead federal agency, in helping those affected by Hurricane Maria to minimize suffering and is one component of the overall whole-of-government response effort.

SUNY Maritime College’s Training Ship Empire State VI will soon sail to Puerto Rico to aid in the recovery efforts and to deliver basic necessities to the island’s residents. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) activated the vessel for a pre-scripted Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) mission to support relief efforts. Once moored on site, the self-contained vessel will support recovery efforts by providing housing, power, food and water to first responders.

The Pentagon named a senior general to command military relief operations in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico on Thursday and the Trump administration sent a Cabinet emissary to the island as U.S. lawmakers called for a more robust response to the crisis. The U.S. territory of 3.4 million people struggled through a ninth day with virtually no electricity, patchy communications and shortages of fuel, clean water and other essentials in the wake of Hurricane Maria, the most powerful storm to hit the island in nearly 90 years. The storm struck on Sept. 20 with lethal, roof-ripping force and torrential rains that caused widespread flooding and heavily damaged homes, roads and other infrastructure. The storm killed more than 30 people across the Caribbean, including at least 16 in Puerto Rico.