Short Sea Transportation News

On May 5, 2023, the White House announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was “taking the next step to invest $3 billion in its Clean Ports Program to fund zero-emission port equipment and technology and to help ports develop climate action plans to reduce air pollutants, improve air quality and public health in neighboring communities, and advance environmental justice.” That “next step” was the issuance of a Request for Information to inform EPA of the availability…

Recent changes have opened up the Capital Construction Fund program to owners and operators of vessels on the U.S. inland waterways.Among the programs offered by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Maritime Administration (MARAD) to promote the growth and modernization of the U.S. maritime industry, the Capital Construction Fund (CCF) program is one that has remained largely unavailable to the owners and operators of vessels on the inland waterways—until now.Created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936…

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg this week announced the appointment of 25 new members to the Maritime Transportation System National Advisory Committee (MTSNAC). The MTSNAC Charter will advise the Secretary, through the Maritime Administration (MARAD) Administrator, on ways to identify and address impediments hindering the effective use of short sea transportation. The MTSNAC’s counsel comes as the Biden-Harris Administration takes aim at tackling inflation and reducing the cost of goods in the country…

The America’s Marine Highways Program is one of several grant programs administered by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) to promote more effective use of the nation’s navigable waterways. This particular program was established by Congress in 2007 to provide grants for projects that would promote water-borne alternatives to available landside transportation services, especially for freight carried by trucks.Consistent with this specific goal, the program’s statutory authority…

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) has taken several steps to streamline and simplify the Federal Ship Financing Program under Chapter 537 of Title 46 of the U.S. Code (commonly referred to as Title XI). The Title XI program provides for a full faith and credit guarantee by the United States government to promote the growth and modernization of the U.S. merchant marine and U.S. shipyards. The Title XI Program supports U.S. shipowners obtaining new vessels from, or reconstructing and reconditioning vessels in, U.S. shipyards. It also aids U.S.

The end of 2019 promises to be a busy, and potentially discordant, legislative and regulatory period for the United States maritime industry as both Congress and the Executive Branch look to take decisive action, with both positive and negative potential impacts depending on your perspective. With appropriation and authorization bills still pending, and various open regulatory actions, there are significant opportunities for maritime stakeholders to influence policy outcomes.Funding Fights Continue in CongressOn October 31…

Niels Aalund was elected President of the International Propeller Club at their 93rd International Convention and Conference. The prominent maritime industry stakeholder will serve a two-year term, commencing from October 17th. Aalund, a well-known maritime subject matter expert and executive, also serves as an Officer and as Senior Vice President of the West Gulf Maritime Association (WGMA). WGMA communicates and coordinates with various governmental entities throughout the West Gulf…

Artificial intelligence (AI) assisted vessels to save fuel, Battery power propulsion, huge reduction of single use plastic on board, continued low level of crew and passenger accidents and an increased rate of female leaders.The European ferry services has  released its third sustainability review “A Sustainable Journey” describing initiatives, improvements and challenges in the operations from the sustainability perspective as well as results on their ambitious sustainability targets.The review also highlights the main initiatives the company has worked on during the past year. Stena Line CEO Niclas Mårtensson said: “With size comes responsibility and our ambition is to improve our operations every year to become a leader in sustainable shipping.

The Finnish technology group Wärtsilä has signed an agreement with the international shipping company Hagland Shipping AS for a hybrid retrofit installation.The project will take place onboard the ‘Hagland Captain’, a general cargo vessel owned by Hagland Shipping. It will be the first project of its kind ever in short-sea shipping applications. The agreement was signed in December 2018.The installation of a Wärtsilä battery hybrid propulsion solution will significantly enhance the ship’s environmental performance by reducing its emissions, fuel consumption, and noise. Included in the solution are a shore power connection to provide power for loading/unloading operations and for battery charging…

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (the 2007 Act) authorized a Short Sea Transportation (SST) Program. As passed by the House, the legislation would have authorized $2 billion for the Maritime Administration (MARAD) Title XI Program and have extended the Capital Construction Fund Program (CCF or Program) to shipyards and operators building and operating vessels in SST services nationwide. Mr. Oberstar and his Congressional co-sponsors were confident that with their proposals in place, the much-discussed use of U.S.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced the appointment of 29 new members to the Marine Transportation System National Advisory Committee (MTSNAC). Established in 2010, MTSNAC is comprised of leaders from commercial transportation firms, ship construction, repair and recycling, trade associations, state and local public entities, labor organizations, academics, and environmental groups that advise the Secretary and the Maritime Administration on policies to ensure that the U.S. Marine Transportation System is capable of responding to projected trade increases. The Committee advises the Secretary on solutions to impediments hindering effective use of short sea transportation and other matters as the Secretary determines.

Maritime and logistics service provider Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) has been appointed agent for Neptune Lines’ new Arabian Gulf short sea car transportation service in Kuwait, Iraq and Qatar. As agents for Neptune Lines in these three countries, ISS will provide full port agency, vessel husbandry and liner services, as well as vehicle documentation, on the new Arabian Gulf short sea service. The vessel Neptune Ploes, which can accommodate up to 750 units at a time, is connecting eight countries and ports across the Arabian Gulf on its new…

The CMA CGM Group has acquired the German shipping company Oldenburg-Portugiesische Dampfschiffs-Rhederei GmbH & Co. KG (OPDR), CMA CGM founder, chairman and CEO Jacques R. Saadé announced during his visit in Hamburg, Germany on November 25. The closing of the transaction remains subject to the approval of the relevant regulatory authorities. OPDR, a shipping company owned by the Bernhard Schulte Group, specializes in short sea shipping and door-to-door logistics for North Europe, Canary Islands, the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco.

SEACOR Holdings Inc. has announced its results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2014. For the quarter ended June 30, 2014, net income attributable to SEACOR Holdings Inc. was $21.1 million, or $0.98 per diluted share. For the six months ended June 30, 2014, net income attributable to SEACOR Holdings Inc. was $32.6 million, or $1.58 per diluted share. For the preceding quarter ended March 31, 2014, the company reported net income attributable to SEACOR Holdings Inc. of $11.5 million, or $0.56 per diluted share. A comparison of results for the quarter ended June 30, 2014 with the preceding quarter ended March 31, 2014 is included in the "Highlights for the Quarter" discussion below. For the quarter ended June 30, 2013, net income attributable to SEACOR Holdings Inc.

On May 13, 2014 Mitsubishi Corporation, GDF SUEZ and NYK signed a framework agreement aiming to develop the LNG bunkering market worldwide, in the context of international regulations that seek to reduce the impact of shipping activities on the global environment. This partnership now resulted in two concrete contracts: a joint order of an LNG bunkering vessel, the world’s first LNG bunkering vessel with the aim of providing LNG to LNG-fueled vessels; and also an LNG bunkering contract between GDF SUEZ and United European Car Carries (UECC)…

SEACOR Holdings Inc. has announced its results for its year and fourth quarter ended December 31, 2013. •    For the year ended December 31, 2013, net income attributable to SEACOR Holdings Inc. from continuing operations was $47.2 million, or $2.32 per diluted share, compared with $25.3 million, or $1.22 per diluted share, from continuing operations in the preceding year. •    For the quarter ended December 31, 2013, net income attributable to SEACOR Holdings Inc. from continuing operations was $8.4 million, or $0.41 per diluted share, compared with $30.3 million, or $1.36 per diluted share, from continuing operations in the preceding quarter ended September 30, 2013.

It has been almost two years since the Deepwater Horizon incident occurred on April 20, 2010. As a result of this incident, although there have been many bills introduced in Congress to address issues raised by this incident, as well as numerous related hearings, Congress was unable to see the way clear to actually enact any pollution-related legislation, or for that matter any substantial maritime legislation in 2011. The following is a summary of the action taken by Congress last year and a perspective on such legislation for 2012.

On April 7, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood unveiled a new initiative to move more cargo on the water rather than on crowded U.S. highways. Under the America’s Marine Highway program, the Department’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) will help identify rivers and coastal routes that could carry cargo efficiently, bypassing congested roads around busy ports and reducing greenhouse gases. “For too long, we’ve overlooked the economic and environmental benefits that our waterways and domestic seaports offer as a means of moving freight in this country,” said Secretary LaHood, speaking to transportation professionals at the 7th Annual North American Marine Highways and Logistics Conference in Baltimore, MD. “Moving goods on the water has many advantages: It reduces air pollution.

On Dec. 19, 2007, President George W. Bush signed into law the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which contains provisions establishing a formal marine highway program within the federal government. Under the new law, marine highway or "short sea" transportation refers to the carriage by vessel of cargo in containers, loaded on the vessel by cranes or by means of wheeled technology. Specifically, the new law requires the establishment of a program and the designation of transportation projects to mitigate landside congestion. The program will encourage the development and expansion of vessels, shippers, port and landside infrastructure, and marine transportation strategies by state and local governments.

The Maritime Administration (MarAd) issued a final rule implementing provisions of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and amending the definition of Agreement Vessel under the Capital Construction Fund.  Among other things, amendment incorporates into the term Agreement Vessel those US vessels engaged in the Short Sea Transportation Trade, as defined by the Act.  The changes come into effect immediately. Source: HK Law

SeaBridge Freight, Inc. highway” short sea transportation service on December 1, 2008. SeaBridge Freight will initiate its bluewater container-on-barge operation between the Port of Brownsville, TX and Port Manatee, FL. The Company’s 600 TEU capacity barge (approximately 300 truckloads) will link the large and growing Texas/Mexico and Southeastern U.S. markets. SeaBridge Freight’s Chairman Mark Cleveland noted that, “Our success is directly attributed to bringing the attitude and customer focused mentality of a trucking company to our nation's marine highway.

demand for short sea transportation linking Eastern and Western Europe. Felixstowe, Rotterdam and Hamburg. office in Riga in August. Kursiu Linija. now require us to have our own offices in key locations. system across all of them. Linija's UK gateways. In Rotterdam it will employ 8 staff and in Hamburg 6. us from Eimskip," explains Martin Dale, marketing director. continuity and a platform to build on. and tracking. Klaipeda, Lithuania. operational costs. units. reducing costs for the customer.