Dhs News

Ocean Craft Marine (OCM), a builder of boats for military, law enforcement and first responder maritime end-users, announced the expansion of its manufacturing capabilities and footprint in Maryland.According to OCM, the decision to expand its manufacturing capabilities comes in response to increasing demand. The move positions OCM to proactively cater to large contracts from the U.S. Navy (NAVSEA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the company said.“We are thrilled to announce the expansion of our manufacturing capabilities in Maryland,” said Roy Nouhra, CEO of Ocean Craft Marine.

When Hurricane Michael slammed the Florida Panhandle in October 2018, the deadly category 5 storm inflicted billions in damages to the region, tearing apart homes and businesses in its path. Among those severely impacted was Eastern Shipbuilding Group, which suffered a nearly direct hit at its Allanton shipyard, located about 15 miles east of the company’s headquarters and main yard in Panama City.Eastern, which had been scheduled to begin building the first of up to 11 Heritage-class Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPC) for the U.S.

The U.S. Coast Guard must do more to improve safety in the extremely dangerous commercial fishing industry, according to a new report from watchdog agency the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).Commercial fishing has one of the highest industry death rates in the U.S., according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since fiscal year 2011, multiple commercial fishing vessel safety requirements have been enacted. As the principal federal agency for ensuring marine safety, the U.S.

The Biden administration late on Sunday approved a waiver of U.S. shipping rules to address Puerto Rico's urgent need for liquefied natural gas (LNG) after Hurricane Fiona. The Homeland Security Department (DHS) issued a waiver of the Jones Act, a century-old law that requires goods moved between U.S. ports to be carried by U.S.-flagged ships "to address Puerto Rico’s needs as recovery efforts from Hurricane Fiona continue," the department said. In late September, the DHS approved…

The Biden administration on Wednesday approved a waiver of U.S. shipping rules to address Puerto Rico’s immediate energy and other essential needs in the wake of a devastating hurricane.Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said he approved "a temporary and targeted Jones Act Waiver" to ensure Puerto Ricans "have sufficient diesel to run generators needed for electricity and the functioning of critical facilities after Hurricane Fiona." The waiver will allow the use of often cheaper or more readily available foreign-flagged vessels.An estimated 349,000 homes and businesses remained without power in Puerto Rico on Wednesday after Hurricane Fiona hit Sept.

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…

The U.S. Coast Guard announced in the Federal Register that it is issuing an interim rule as the first step to implementing the statutorily mandated requirements for fire safety on certain covered small passenger vessels. This statutory mandate is in response to the fire and loss of life on the dive boat Conception off the coast of California on September 2, 2019. This interim rule adds additional fire safety requirements for small passenger vessels, including fire detection and suppression systems…

On Monday, October 18, Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG), Northrop Grumman, L3Harris, and industry partners commissioned the new Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) Production Facility (PF) in support of the U.S. Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) program at ESG’s Allanton Shipyard. The ceremony was attended by leaders of the United States Coast Guard Project Resident Office.The C5ISR PF is a new…

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), in collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard, recently released the “Mass Rescue Operations Lifesaving Device Broad Agency Announcement” solicitation seeking innovative technology solutions to respond to mass-casualty events at sea.Innovators, industry, academia and laboratories are invited to submit solutions for a large capacity-floating device to keep survivors out of the water during mass rescue operations. White papers are due by 2 p.m. EDT Aug.

The Port of Corpus Christi Authority (PCCA) has added a new patrol boat to its security force.The new 44-foot port security boat was purchased using a combination of Port Security Grant Program funds from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as well as matching funds from the PCCA. The new boat replaces one existing police vessel that has been in operation for more than a decade and had limitations when operating in severe sea states.

Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations Supervisory Air Interdiction Officer Ali Baig recognized for promoting regional maritime securityThe National  Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Executive Steering Committee annual national level “MDA ESC Excellence Award for 2021 for law enforcement was presented to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations Supervisory Air Interdiction Officer Ali Baig of the Jacksonville Air and Marine Branch. The recognition…

The U.S. Coast Guard is seeking proposals from shipyards to design and construct its new river buoy and inland construction tenders as part of the waterways commerce cutter (WCC) program.In total, the Coast Guard plans to acquire 16 river buoy tenders, 11 inland construction tenders and three inland buoy tenders to replace its aging inland tender fleet, which has an average vessel age of over 55 years.The request for proposal (RFP) released on April 30 encompasses designing the river buoy tender and inland construction tender (designs which share 95% commonality)…

The Transportation Department said on Tuesday it was evaluating whether a temporary waiver of the Jones Act is needed to ensure sufficient gasoline supply to some U.S. states after the ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline."The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has started the work needed to enable consideration of a temporary and targeted waiver of the Jones Act," the department said. The Jones Act requires goods moved between U.S. ports to be carried by ships built domestically and staffed by U.S.

The U.S. Justice Department declined to investigate or prosecute then-Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao after the inspector general’s office referred allegations of potential misuse of office for review, a report made public on Wednesday said.The report included allegations that Chao directed staff to research or purchase personal items for her online using her personal credit card or performed other personal errands for her or her father.The report focused largely on Chao’s actions related to her family’s shipping business…

Has the age of maritime discovery and exploration actually ended? Perhaps not exactly. As the history of maritime resilience and the human element shows, as far back as the 1500s and earlier, from using new navigational aids and improved ship designs, to coastal and inland route sailing, to navigating on open seas with uncertain charts, wayward icebergs, dense fog and luckily at times, clear starry nights, mariners have faced human element and maritime resiliency challenges. "Short of food and water…

The Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, Admiral Charles Ray, tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. He was tested the same day, after feeling mild symptoms over the weekend, the Coast Guard said Tuesday.The Coast Guard's second-in-command will quarantine from home in line with the Coast Guard's coronavirus policy. Any Coast Guard personnel that were in close contact with Admiral Ray will also quarantine.Other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are also quarantining at…

Law enforcement teams interdicted about 33 pounds of cocaine on board a Togo-flagged cargo ship in Miami on Monday.U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations law enforcement teams boarded the 55-meter general cargo vessel La Temperance on the Miami River due to suspected fraudulent mariner credentials. The 55-meter ship has sailed to Miami from Port-de-Paix, Haiti.While on board, the law enforcement teams inspected common spaces on the vessel…

In 2007, scholar Nassim Nicholas Taleb, who holds a doctorate from the University of Paris, wrote a bestselling book titled “Black Swan,” which proposed a theory involving unpredictable events with significant impact. Taleb believed that a black swan event was an outlier with significant impact and, once it occurs, is the source of deep reflection and rationalization. Since the book’s publication, a significant number of research efforts have been developed to consider possible black swan events that significantly impact the Maritime Transportation System (MTS) and the Maritime Global Commons.

Unique among the nation’s armed services, the Coast Guard’s missions include national defense, law enforcement, natural disaster incident management, recreational boating safety and environmental protection. This diversity of mission scope presents opportunities for the Coast Guard at the strategic, operational and tactical levels as the service works to make their efforts as effective and efficient as possible.Contributing to the service’s overall execution effort is the Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC), based in New London, Connecticut.

On March 3, the Coast Guard published a notice that Martin Midstream Partners (MMP), a petrochemical transport and storage company, was seeking approval to modify terminal operations in Beaumont, Texas, along the Sabine-Neches Waterway. If approved, MMP would expand its liquefied hazardous gas (LHG) operations, both in volume and products. Instead of just handling ammonia the change would allow shipments of butane, propane, ethane, ethylene and propylene.Critically, MMP’s expansion would increase LHG vessel transit from 24 ships to as many as 350 per year.

The good news is that work has commenced on the first new heavy polar icebreaker for the United States Coast Guard in 43 years. The bad news is that when it enters service, projected to occur in FY2024, it will be the first new heavy polar icebreaker for the USCG in 47 years.Meanwhile, Russia has approximately 30 active polar icebreakers, including four that are nuclear powered. Arktika, the first of a new class of three heavy polar icebreakers, has commenced sea trials in the Gulf of Finland, with the other two under construction.

Choosing the year’s ‘top stories’ is always a difficult task. Many compelling story threads played out, each dramatically impacting the North American waterfront, and in particular, the workboat sector – each in their own unique way.The Infrastructure Battle ContinuesThe EXECUTIVE SUMMARY H.R. 2396, the “Full Utilization of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Act”, will ensure that the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund is used for its intended purpose – maintaining Federally-authorized harbors. The legislation would allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to dredge all Federal harbors to their constructed widths and depths. Unfortunately, Washington continues in chaos with another continuing resolution on the budget; the next one expires on December 20th.

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) proposes to modify and revoke various prior ruling letters relating to CBP’s application of the Jones Act to the transportation of certain merchandise and equipment between coastwise points.Comments must be received by 22 November. Customs Bulletins & Decisions, Vol. 53, No. 38, starting at page 12 (October 23, 2019). LINK to the CBP proposal by clicking HERE. CBP made a similar proposal in 2017 that was later withdrawn.OMSA President Aaron Smith…