Parade News

Shipping across the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Seaway system topped 4.2 million tons in October, led by strong gains in grain as well as potash, salt and other dry bulk cargos. Overall grain shipments reached 1.5 million tons, a reflection of the strong late harvest in various regions of the Great Lakes.“It’s great to see these positive numbers for the late harvesting of grain in the U.S. and Canada,” said Bruce Burrows, President & CEO of the Chamber of Marine Commerce. “The…

Like swallows arriving in the spring, a chorus for Jones Act waivers can reliably be anticipated to accompany the annual parade of hurricanes across the geographical region covered by the Act. The logic: emergency situations dictate maximum emergency relief, and the Jones Act is perceived to be an obstacle to providing that relief. That perception is wrong.A review of hurricane induced disaster situations over recent years reveals that maritime supply chains into affected ports are rarely a problem.

The head of the Russian navy, Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov, has met with crew members from the sunken missile cruiser Moskva and said they would continue to serve in the navy, the defense ministry said on Saturday. Russia said on Thursday the Moskva sank after an ammunition explosion. Ukraine said it hit the vessel, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea fleet, with a missile.The Russian defense ministry released a 26-second video showing Yevmenov and two other officers standing outside in front of around 100 sailors on a parade ground.

The Russian navy can detect any enemy and launch an "unpreventable strike" if needed, President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday, weeks after a UK warship angered Moscow by passing the Crimea peninsula."We are capable of detecting any underwater, above-water, airborne enemy and, if required, carry out an unpreventable strike against it," Putin said speaking at a navy day parade in St Petersburg.Putin's words follow an incident in the Black Sea in June when Russia said it had fired…

There are many hallmarks of great civilizations, but perhaps none so universal as their desire to push the boundaries of human achievement through innovation. A key source of American pride has always been our ability to dream big. When it comes to ships, there is no more powerful example of this than the SS United States.“America’s Flagship” was more than a symbol of our nation’s post-war strength and global reach. She remains a singular and unrivaled marine engineering and design achievement.Curiously…

A World War II era submarine sunk during a Cold War training exercise off the shores of Hawaii more than six decades ago has been discovered by a team of ocean explorers utilizing pioneering robotics and methods at the forefront of today's underwater technology.USS Stickleback (SS 415), lost in nearly 11,000 feet of water 62 years ago, was discovered by veteran ocean explorer and Tiburon Subsea CEO Tim Taylor and his "Lost 52 Project" team equipped with a combination of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV)…

The UK’s new polar research ship is being formally named the RRS Sir David Attenborough today (Thursday, September 26) by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and special guest Sir David Attenborough will be in attendance. A three-day public celebration, hosted at the shipyard by British Antarctic Survey and Cammell Laird, will follow the naming ceremony and aims to inspire and inform people about polar science, engineering and technology. Primary school students from the STEM Polar…

A modest event designed as a get-together for commercial workboat operators in upstate New York is now celebrating 20 years as a three-day community festival.On September 11, 1999, local resident John Callaghan had an idea to bring in some friends who ran tugs on the Hudson River and NYS Canal System for a quick one-day get together, right at the entrance to the famed Erie Canal. Callaghan, then a tug captain himself for the state canal system, brought in seven tugs and cooked several dozen hot dogs.

The Nanchang, China's first Type 055 guided missile destroyer, will soon be put into commission in the People's Liberation Army Navy, a spokesperson said.China plans to have a fleet of 8 Type 055 destroyers, its most powerful naval vessel which was showcased during the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s 70th anniversary on Tuesday in Qingdao.Long expected by Chinese military enthusiasts, the Nanchang, China's first Type 055 destroyer, which is painted with the hull number 101, was part of the destroyer group.President Xi Jinping reviewed the major naval parade which further had the direct participation of nearly a dozen regional navies, including Japan, Australia, and the Philippines.

Carnival Corporation announced it will launch four new cruise ships in 2019 across three of its leading global brands – Carnival Cruise Line, America's Cruise Line; Costa Cruises, the largest European cruise operator; and Princess Cruises,  international premium cruise line. The world will get a preview of one of these spectacular new vessels when Carnival Cruise Line debuts a floral replica of its new Carnival Panorama sailing down Colorado Boulevard in the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day…

The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point (USMMA) will celebrate 75 years since initial dedication in 1943, at homecoming this weekend. Events scheduled include a 75th anniversary dinner, the season’s first home football game for the 2-0 Mariners, a parade by the Regiment of Midshipmen, and the ceremony of Beating Retreat.“We are pleased to welcome alumni classes, families and friends for a jam-packed homecoming weekend at USMMA, especially the 75th anniversary events,” said George Rhynedance…

Israel would deploy its military if Iran were to try to block the Bab al-Mandeb strait that links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday.Last week, Saudi Arabia said it was suspending oil shipments through the strait, on the main sea route from the Middle East to Europe, after Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis attacked two ships in the waterway.Saudi Arabia and Iran are in a three-year-old proxy war in Yemen, which lies on the eastern side of Bab al-Mandeb.Yemen's Houthis, who have previously threatened to block the strait, said last week they had the naval capability to hit Saudi ports and other Red Sea targets.Iran has not threatened to block Bab al-Mandeb but has said it would block the Strait of Hormuz…

Indonesia and India pledged on Wednesday to step up defense and maritime cooperation, with plans to develop a strategic Indonesian naval port in the Indian Ocean, the leaders of the two countries said after meeting in Jakarta. Indonesian President Joko Widodo met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss, among other issues, developing infrastructure and an economic zone at Sabang, on the tip of Sumatra island and at the mouth of the Malacca Strait, one of the busiest shipping channels for global trade. "India is a strategic defence partner...and we will continue to advance our cooperation in developing infrastructure, including at Sabang Island and the Andaman Islands," Widodo told a news conference after the meeting at the presidential palace.

At first glance from above it looks like any clean and neatly planned small town, complete with sports grounds, neat roads and large civic buildings. But the town is on Subi reef in the Spratlys archipelago of the hotly contested South China Sea and, regional security experts believe, could soon be home to China's first troops based in the maritime heart of Southeast Asia. Private sector data analysis reviewed by Reuters shows Subi, some 1,200 km (750 miles) from China's coast, is now home to nearly 400 individual buildings – far more than other Chinese islands.

Wise visitors to Bangkok will be sure to take a Chao Phraya river cruise past the spectacular Temple of the Dawn, Wat Arun, and the glories of the golden spired Grand Palace. The ultimate way to do this is on a dinner cruise with a buffet of the celebrated Thai food.This has become such a popular experience that the river at night becomes a spectacular parade of beautifully lit low-slung river cruise ships gliding under bridges and moving sedately amidst that city’s lights and sights.

The leaders of India and southeast Asia agreed on Thursday to boost their maritime ties at a summit in New Delhi, as they seek to balance the increasing weight of China across the region. India is hosting the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Regional Cooperation (ASEAN) and the summit comes at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pursuing an “Act East” policy of developing ties with these countries. The Indian and ASEAN leaders agreed “to establish a mechanism for greater cooperation in the maritime domain sector”…

Washington-based ships assigned to Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11 returned Dec. 10, just in time for the upcoming holidays following a six-month deployment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and the Arabian Gulf. The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), with embarked CSG-11, returned home to Naval Base Kitsap, and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Shoup (DDG 86) and USS Kidd (DDG 100) returned to Naval Station Everett. The strike group consists of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9, and Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers USS Princeton (CG 59) and USS Lake Erie (CG 70). The air wing and DESRON command staff disembarked in San Diego Dec.

The Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini left Lyttelton on 12 December 2017 for its onward journey to Port Stanley (Falklands). INSV Tarini had arrived at Lyttelton on 29 November 2017 after completion of second leg of its maiden voyage to circumnavigate the globe. This historic circumnavigation attempt by an all-women crew is being led by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi, and the crew comprises Lieutenant Commanders Pratibha Jamwal, P Swathi, and Lieutenants S Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta. The crew of INSV Tarini was officially welcomed to Lyttelton by Mr Andrew Turner, Deputy Mayor of Christchurch on 29 November 2017. The crew was also welcomed in the traditional Maori culture by members of the community.

U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hamilton held a salute to the participating ships of 2017 Fleet Week New York (FWNY) during the official Parade of Ships kickoff May 24. Amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) rendered a seven-gun salute with U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hamilton, with Fort Hamilton providing a 15-gun salute in return. "New York has always had a close relationship with the military," said Anthony Giovinco, U.S. Navy Vietnam veteran and chief of staff and secretary of the United Military Veterans of Kings County Memorial Day Parade. "The Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen are treated very well here. This is a tradition that is important to me.

Missiles flew about 200 km into sea off east coast - S.Korea; launch is fourth by Pyongyang in four weeks. North Korea fired what appeared to be several land-to-ship missiles off its east coast on Thursday, South Korea's military said, a day after the South postponed full deployment of a controversial U.S. anti-missile system designed to deter a North Korean attack. The launches, the latest in a fast-paced series of missile tests defying world pressure to rein in its weapons programme, come less than a week after the United Nations Security Council passed fresh sanctions on the reclusive state. South Korea on Wednesday said it will hold off on installing remaining components of the U.S.

For the fourth time in a row, AIDA Cruises has agreed to sponsor a ship for one of these major public attractions of one of Germany’s biggest maritime festivals. Thanks to the support of the cruise company based in Rostock, the venerable Russian vessel “Kruzenshtern” will be a guest at the 27th Hanse Sail from August 10–13, 2017. The “Kruzenshtern,” a four-masted barque, which sails under a Russian flag, is the only remaining ship still in service from the famous Flying-P Liners…

HMAS Darwin has completed her final port visit to Darwin, farewelling the city by exercising the right to Freedom of Entry and showcasing her capability to thousands of locals. The six-day port visit included a ceremonial gun salute on arrival, the Freedom of Entry parade, an open day and various public performances by the Royal Australian Navy Band. Commanding Officer Darwin, Commander Phillip Henry, said the ship’s company were overwhelmed and deeply grateful to the community for the support they had received. “We are very proud to sail Darwin and we do so with respect for the officers and sailors who have served in this vessel before us,” Commander Henry said. “The support we saw from the Darwin community is a reminder to all of us why we work so hard to serve this country.

HMAS Huon capped off a South West Pacific deployment recently with the final of six port visits to Hobart, Tasmania, and her nearby namesake city of Huonville. Having already toured the remote Australian territories of Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands, as well as Luganville and Port Vila, Vanuatu, and as far east as Nelson, New Zealand, Huon finally made her way to the southern capital for a four-day visit. Whilst in Hobart, Huon hosted an official reception with dignitaries from the two cities, including a ceremonial sunset with a volley of blank cartridges to wow the guests on the wharf. Commanding Officer, HMAS Huon, Lieutenant Commander Jason Mullen said the occasion couldn’t be more fitting for his last visit as Commanding Officer.