Maritime Policy News

For 15 years the Maritime Risk Symposium (MRS), an annual three-day event, has brought together government and maritime industry leaders, port representatives, international and domestic researchers and solution providers to examine current and emerging threats to maritime security. World events highlight that maritime security is increasingly at risk during the current period of great-power competition and ongoing conflicts. The active competition between nations who are not…

With a fleet of nine U.S.-flag RoRo ships, American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group (ARC), is the U.S.’ premier commercial RoRo carrier of U.S. government and military cargo. As the world becomes an increasingly contentious place, Eric P. Ebeling, President & CEO, ARC, discusses the vast capabilities of the ARC fleet and logistics network, as well as the challenges and opportunities ahead for U.S.-flag ships in the international trade.By the numbers’ is a simplistic means to gauge the size and shape of any shipping company…

The Indian Navy on Friday rescued the crew of a merchant vessel after its attempted hijack in the Arabian Sea and said it had not found any pirates on board.An Indian Navy warship intercepted the Liberian-flagged MV Lila Norfolk bulk carrier less than a day after it had received a report that the vessel had been hijacked about 460 nautical miles off Somalia.About five to six armed people boarded the vessel on Thursday, according to a report received by the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency…

On 29 June, Professor Maximo Q. Mejia, Jr. assumed office as the eighth President of the World Maritime University (WMU). Appointed by the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), who also serves as Chancellor of the University, President Mejia assumes the role of Chief Executive Officer, overseeing and directing the academic programmes, operations and administration of the University. Professor Mejia is the first President from Asia and the first President who is a graduate of WMU.Regarding his appointment…

On September 14, 2022, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee (T&I Committee), Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, held a hearing which indicated a potential revitalization, and new enforcement regime, of U.S.-flag requirements under the Cargo Preference Act of 1954 (the CPA). The hearing occurred on the heels of a Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) report regarding the Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) lack of COA enforcement, with significant recommendations to revamp oversight by the agency to ensure a growing…

Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA) launched a vessel dubbed the Jones Act Enforcer, a boat that will be used to gather video and photographic evidence of Jones Act violations, the organization reports. In turn, evidence of violations will be submitted to authorities, made public and shared with the media.The Jones Act  requires seaborne cargo shipped between two U.S. points to be carried by U.S.-built, crewed, and owned vessels, and is a primary component of U.S. maritime policy with support of the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, U.S.

Shipping line MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and oil firm Shell have partnered up to speed up the decarbonization of the global shipping sector."The long-term memorandum of understanding will help MSC and Shell to play enhanced roles in the energy transformation of shipping, as developers and early adopters of innovative technologies and fuel solutions," the companies said in a statement.The companies plan to develop a range of safe, sustainable and competitive technologies…

Container shipping giant MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company doubled down on its position to avoid sending its vessels through the Northern Sea Route and urged others to follow suit, citing environmental concerns.“As a responsible company, this was an obvious decision for us,” said MSC CEO, Soren Toft. “MSC will not seek to cut through the melting ice of the Arctic to find a new route for commercial shipping, and I consider this a position the whole shipping industry must adopt.”Running from Murmansk near Russia’s border with Norway to the Bering Strait near Alaska…

I have a good friend named John Guste. He and his wife grew up in the same neighborhood as my wife, they all went to college together, and now our kids are friends. As a doctor, I’m sure he has little concern with the messy, yet mundane, intricacies of offshore energy and maritime policy. You can imagine my surprise then when one night while I was reading the Congressional Record from 1977—I’m a blast at parties—to see John’s grandfather testifying before the U.S. House of Representative’s Ad Hoc Select Committee on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) issues.Mr.

Seafarers' lack of access to vaccinations is placing shipping in a "legal minefield", while leaving global supply chains vulnerable, warns the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).The organization is planning to circulate a legal document to the global shipping community later this week highlighting its concerns following reports that some states may require crews to be vaccinated in order to enter their portsComplicating matters even further, it's expected developing nations will not achieve mass immunization until 2024…

President Joe Biden on Monday signed an executive order aiming to use government spending to strengthen domestic manufacturing and create markets for new technologies, in a move widely praised by America's maritime industry.The executive order, titled Strengthening "Buy American" Provisions, Ensuring Future of America is Made in America by All of America’s Workers", calls for increasing the amount of U.S. content that must be in a product for it to be considered made in America under existing "Buy American" requirements.

Container shipping giant Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) said it is working to advance the exploration viability of hydrogen and fuels derived from it as potentially viable fuel sources for its vessels.The initiative is part of the Swiss-Italian shipping line’s wider approach to decarbonization which has already seen the company pioneer the use of biofuels as a blended marine fuel, and on Tuesday MSC said it joined the Hydrogen Council, an industry body, to help drive R&D…

Container shipping giant Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) counts biofuels and hydrogen-based fuels among options worth studying to potentially help the shipping industry meet decarbonization targets, one of the company's executive told an industry conference in Switzerland on Monday.“There’s no one single solution to decarbonize shipping. We need a range of alternative fuels at scale and we need them urgently,” said Bud Darr, MSC Group's Executive Vice President, Maritime Policy & Government Affairs…

Mining the ocean floor for submerged minerals is a little-known, experimental industry. But soon it will take place on the deep seabed, which belongs to everyone, according to international law.Seabed mining for valuable materials like copper, zinc and lithium already takes place within countries’ marine territories. As soon as 2025, larger projects could start in international waters – areas more than 200 nautical miles from shore, beyond national jurisdictions.We study ocean policy…

Vassilios Demetriades has been appointed as Cyprus' new Shipping Deputy Minister, the country's president Nicos Anastasiades announced as part of a cabinet reshuffle. The seasoned maritime policy expert, known for his extensive work within the shipping industry and contributions to the European Union (EU), joins the Cyprus Shipping Deputy Ministry effective July 10.Since the ministry's inception in March 2018, the Cyprus flag has grown to become the 11th largest merchant fleet worldwide and the third largest fleet in the European Union.

The U.S. maritime industry takes great pride in our motto: “In Peace and War.” It sums what we’re all about. From colonial times, through the Revolution, the Civil War, two World Wars, several regional conflicts, and many natural and humanitarian disasters, we got the cargo delivered because our economic security and our national security depend on it.Today, we confront a new kind of enemy: an invisible, debilitating, and too often deadly disease. Yet, just as the courageous merchant…

Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) announced that two new deputy director generals joined its the Executive Board.The new deputy director generals are Rikke Wetter Olufsen and Niels Wammen-Jensen. They both come from director positions within DMA.For the past four years, Rikke has been director of Blue Growth and Maritime Policy at the Danish Maritime Authority. Rikke joined the DMA from the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, where she covered a broad portfolio of business policy areas.Niels has been director and served as the DMA's "ambassador" in the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs for the past two years.

In November the U.S. House of Representatives’ Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee held a hearing on “Commercial and Passenger Vessel Safety: Challenges and Opportunities.” Testimony covered a range of issues, from recent tragedies such as the Conception dive-boat disaster to antiquated maritime laws.Hearing witness list:Rear Admiral Richard V. Timme, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, United States Coast GuardThe Honorable Richard Balzano…

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world’s second-biggest container shipping line, has decided not to use the Arctic as a new short cut between northern Europe and Asia and will instead focus on improving environmental performance on existing global trade routes.In declaring the northern sea route out of bounds, MSC follows CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd that have similarly eschewed the commercial benefits of an Asia-North Europe option that is 30 percent shorter than the southern route via the Suez Canal.The Northern Sea Route lies entirely in Arctic waters and has been trialed by other shipping lines seeking to take advantage of melting ice from global warming.“As a responsible company with a longstanding nautical heritage and passion for the sea…

International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s World Maritime University (WMU) trains future maritime leaders, many of whom will be involved with formulating maritime policy in their home countries.To assist them, a three-day seminar on maritime transport policy is delivered to students following the MSc in Maritime Affairs (2-4 October), informed the UN body.Maritime transport policy formulation is being promoted by IMO as a good governance practice, to guide planning, decision making and legislation in the maritime sector, and a key driver for a country's sustainable development.Students ended the seminar with a a practical group exercise…

An effective maritime transport system is an important foundation for sustainable development. But it needs proper planning and a solid policy foundation.So, as part of its efforts to help deliver the global Sustainable Development Goals, International Maritime Organization (IMO) encourages and assists its Member States to devise national maritime transport policies.A seminar on maritime transport policy, delivered by IMO and the faculty of the World Maritime University is now an integral part of the curriculum at IMO’s Malta-based International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) – and the fourth in the series has just been completed (13-15 November).The seminar highlights the importance of a national maritime transport policy to guide planning…

Madagascar is the latest country to benefit from International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s work promoting good maritime governance to support sustainable development.A workshop started the process to develop a National Maritime Transport Policy (NMTP) for the country took place in the capital, Antananarivo (13-15 November).Forty participants from across government departments took part and decided to complete a draft policy in early 2020.All relevant government entities and stakeholders would be involved in the process, with the goal being to contribute to the country’s sustainable socio-economic development and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.Maritime transport is essential for sustainable trade and development.

Swiss-Italian international shipping line MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) announced that its vessels bunkering in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, will now bunker biofuel blends on a routine basis - the first  major shipping line to do so.Following successful trials with biofuel blends earlier this year, MSC has decided to continue bunkering responsibly sourced biofuel blends on a routine basis.The trials were completed with a minimal 10% blend fuel and following further trials the company is now using much higher 30% blends.“We are pleased to see these trials completed successfully and look forward to now using biofuel on our vessels as a routine matter.