Us Delegation News

The World Shipping Council (WSC) has appointed Joe Kramek as its new President and CEO, to succeed John Butler upon his retirement at the end of July.Kramek brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role, from both the maritime sector and government service. He has already served as the WSC's Director of U.S. Government Relations.His professional journey includes 28 years as a commissioned officer with the U.S. Coast Guard where he spent time at sea and as the Chief of Maritime, International, and Environmental Law. Notably, Kramek led the U.S.

The prestigious International Maritime Prize for 2018 has been presented to Joseph J. Angelo, a former United States Coast Guard (USCG) and International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO) senior executive who participated in International Maritime Organization (IMO) meetings for many years, providing leadership on a number of key regulatory developments.IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim presented the prize on Monday (25 November) at the annual IMO Awards ceremony. Lim outlined Angelo's long commitment to IMO and his reputation as a technical expert, diplomat and problem solver - who earned the nickname, "IMO‑Joe".

The International Maritime Prize for 2018 will be awarded to Joseph J. Angelo, a former United States Coast Guard (USCG) and International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO) senior executive who participated in International Maritime Organization (IMO) meetings for many years, providing leadership on a number of key regulatory developments.The IMO Council, meeting for its 122nd session in London (July 15-19) decided to award the Prize to Mr. Angelo, in recognition…

The International Maritime Organization approved the Bering Strait and Bering Sea ship routing measures proposed by the United States and Russian Federation. Taking effect Dec. 1, 2018, the six two-way routes and six precautionary areas are the first internationally recognized ship routing measures the IMO has approved for polar waters. In November 2017, the U.S. and Russia proposed a system of two-way routes for vessels to follow in the Bering Strait and Bering Sea in response to increased shipping traffic there. “We have observed a steady increase in Arctic shipping activities over the last decade, and these routing measures were jointly developed in response to this increased activity,” said Mike Sollosi, the chief of the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Standards Division. Located in U.S.

Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) 71 was a very busy week and ship owners can now benefit from having a firm view of the regulatory timeline for complying with the latest global require-ments for managing the ballast water from their vessels. Unfortunately, the timeline remains very crowded and for owners with ships trading to and from the U.S., compliance is more complicated. While some deadlines were eased to reflect the fact that many dates from the original BWM Convention had lapsed while consensus was being reached…

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) held a public listening session in Washington D.C. on September 27, 2016 to address ships’ use of heavy fuel oil (HFO) in the Arctic, examining its risks and as well as potential mitigation strategies which can be taken to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The event was held in the Department of Transportation building, where Paul “Chip” Jaenichen, Sr., Maritime Administrator for the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), welcomed participants. The listening session was led by Jeff Lantz, director of Commercial Regulations and Standards at USCG headquarters, and head of U.S. Delegation to the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee and Marine Environment Protection Committee.

Consolidation of shipping lines, realignment of carriers alliances, environmental improvements in the shipping industry and achieving supply chain efficiencies were all among topics addressed during the U.S.-China Bilateral Maritime Consultations held in Los Angeles last week. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Chairman Mario Cordero co-headed the U.S. delegation to the meeting with Deputy Maritime Administrator Michael Rodriguez. The consultations are organized by the Maritime Administration and the Chinese Ministry of Transportation and take place on a regular basis.

Kathy Metcalf, President & CEO, Chamber of Shipping of America was confirmed as the keynote speaker for the Eleventh Annual WISTA USA Luncheon at the CMA Shipping 2016 Conference in Stamford, CT, scheduled to take place at 11:30 a.m., Monday, March 21, 2016. WISTA USA uses this high-profile platform to highlight key personalities in the industry leaders that exemplify and resonate with WISTA's mission to promote and facilitate the exchange of information and education. Metcalf fits that role well…

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s (BSEE) David M. Moore recently traveled to Seattle, Wash., for a meeting of the Arctic Council Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response (EPPR) Working Group. The EPPR Working Group addresses various aspects of prevention, preparedness, and response to environmental emergencies in the Arctic. Working Group members, which include representatives from eight member nations, share information on best practices and conduct projects to develop guidance and risk assessment methodologies, response exercises and training specific to the Arctic.

Shipping may think they hear the sound of new regulations as they are slammed onto their desks. What is all the noise concerning noise at IMO? This may very well be the question from ship owners, operators and builders closely following activities at the International Maritime Organization (IMO). In 2013, IMO issued mandatory regulations for shipboard airborne noise and earlier this year IMO internal committees approved new draft guidelines for minimizing underwater noise. Even though the author advised the U.S.

Despite its unquestionable allure, LNG as a fuel carries with it as many risks as it does answers to the problems it promises to solve. As industry and OEM’s work to remove any doubt, the collaborative effort outpaces the slow-moving regulatory machine. Even as Lloyds Register predicts that LNG will reach a maximum 11% share of marine propulsion solutions in 2030, it also says that segments with higher proportion of small ships will see the highest LNG uptake. And, at the same time, says the global classification society in its recent paper entitled, Global Marine Fuel Trends 2030, the marine fuel mix for bulk, containers and tankers…

The United States said on Saturday it will send its No. 2 diplomat to Geneva to meet senior Iranian officials on Monday and Tuesday in what appeared an effort to break a logjam in wider negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program. Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns, who led secret U.S.-Iranian negotiations that helped bring about a Nov. 24 interim nuclear agreement between Iran and the major powers, will head a U.S. delegation. Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, the primary U.S. negotiator with Iran, will accompany him on a team that will include senior White House national security staff. The most recent round of nuclear talks between Iran and six major powers in Vienna last month ran into difficulties…

The United States on Friday dismissed suggestions that Iran was exporting much more oil than it is allowed to sell under a preliminary nuclear deal with world powers and predicted that aggregate Iranian oil sales would meet targets set for Tehran. The remarks from a senior U.S. official came ahead of a new round of senior-level negotiations between Iran and the United States, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia in Vienna on April 8-9. It will be the third round of talks this year in the Austrian capital on a long-term deal with Iran. Western sanctions for a fifth month, the latest sign that the limited sanctions relief agreed upon in November is helping Tehran sell more crude, according to sources who track tanker movements.

The Coast Guard Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to the education and welfare of all Coast Guard members and their families, announced its 2014 board of trustees. Consisting of 117members, the Coast Guard Foundation Board of Trustees and Directors oversees management of the organization and helps to provide resources to advance the Foundation’s mission to support the service of men and women in the United States Coast Guard. This year, the board welcomes three newly elected officers and four new members to its executive committee, as well as three new board members. Robert J.

Commissioner Doyle briefed the Federal Maritime Commission at today's open meeting and provided details and recent information pertaining to efforts to clarify the People's Republic of China new Value Added Tax regime. He also discussed China's interest in establishing a mutual NVOCC legal assistance and mutual bond rider recognition mechanism as well as tax concerns in connection with terminal ownership and operations. On October 28, 2013, the Annual U.S. Bilateral Maritime Consultation with the People’s Republic of China was held in Chicago, Illinois. On behalf of President Obama, the U.S.

FMC Commissioner William P. The Panama Canal may remake world trade patterns. To be finished in 2015, the $5-billion expansion of the Panama Canal will create a third lane accommodating mega-ships nearly three times larger than previously passable and this may significantly reduce shipping time to Asia. The expansion impacts state ports, rail lines, trucking and cargo movement from the south and east to the west. The U.S., once an importer of natural gas, could see new shale gas development, LNG projects, and the faster shipping lanes open new Asian markets.

FMC Chairman Mario Cordero and Commissioner William P. Doyle met recently with Acting Maritime Administrator Paul “Chip” Jaenechin. Topics of discussion included: U.S. – China Transportation Forum, Proposed P 3 Alliance, SISI Briefing, U.S.-flag International Fleet. U.S. The Federal Maritime Commission and the Maritime Administration will participate in the U.S. – China Transportation Forum later this month. FMC Commissioner Doyle will attend the forum as part of the U.S. delegation on behalf of the Commission. The agenda for this forum is still being formalized between the United States and China. The P3 Alliance is being proposed by the world’s three largest container carriers – Maersk, CMA CGM and MSC.

US- China Transportation Forum, Proposed P 3 Alliance, SISI Briefing, U.S.-flag International Fleet. FMC Chairman Mario Cordero and Commissioner William P. Doyle met with Acting Maritime Administrator Paul “Chip” Jaenechin on October 8, 2013. The officials discussed the recent hearing before the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. The hearing titled, Maritime Transportation Regulations: Impacts on Safety, Security, Jobs, and the Environment; Part I, took place on September 10, 2013. They also talked about the upcoming U.S. - China Transportation Forum, the proposed P 3 Alliance, and the U.S.-flag international fleet and synergies in this regard between agencies. The Federal Maritime Commission and the Maritime Administration will participate in the U.S.

Members of the American Great Lakes Ports Association (AGLPA) elected new leadership at their annual summer meeting held this year in Oswego, New York. The new president is William Friedman, President & CEO of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority. Dean Haen, director of the Brown County Port & Solid Waste Department in Green Bay, will serve as vice president. The secretary-treasurer position will be held by Paul LaMarre, port director at the Port of Monroe (Michigan). The term of office is two years. Friedman became president and CEO of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority in June 2010. He has more than 25 years of experience in port management, real estate development, international supply chain and multimodal distribution.

Adolph Ojard, Executive Director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, plans to retire this year after serving in that leadership role for the past decade. A national search is underway for a new Executive Director. The board anticipates having that person hired by the end of summer/early fall. After a brief transitional time, Ojard will then settle into retirement. Ojard was appointed executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority in March 2003. A Great Lakes maritime and transportation veteran, he now serves as the Port Authority's chief executive officer.

Testifying for the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) before the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee in a hearing titled “Foundations for a New Water Resources Development Act,”  Duluth Seaway Port Authority Executive Director and AAPA U.S. Delegation Chairman Adolph Ojard laid out three key areas that AAPA believes should be addressed in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) legislation currently being considered by Congress that would result in real benefits to the nation. First is bill language that would ensure federal Harbor Maintenance Tax revenues are fully used each year. Second is to make the U.S.

Congresswoman Janice Hahn (D-CA) and Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX), Co-Founders of the bi-partisan PORTS Caucus were honored with the distinguished American Association of Port Authorities 2013 “Port Person of the Year” award at the association’s annual spring conference in Washington, DC. “I am honored to accept this prestigious award with my friend and colleague, Congressman Poe,” said Congresswoman Hahn. “Occasions of bipartisanship in this city are few and far between, especially now when our nation’s economic future hinges on cooperation and compromise. “Ted and I teamed up to ensure that our ports play a prominent role in our national policy discussions, and this award is a ringing endorsement of the PORTS Caucus’ progress.

U.S. Reps Janice Hahn & Ted Poe to Accept AAPA’s ‘Port Person of Year’ Award at March 19 Event in D.C.; AAPA’s 2013 ‘Spring Conference’ to focus on key seaport priorities: infrastructure, security, trade. U.S. Representatives Janice Hahn (D-CA) and Ted Poe (R-TX) will be honored on March 19 as the American Association of Port Authorities’ (AAPA) 2013 “Port Persons of the Year” during the association’s annual Spring Conference event, March 18-19, at The Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel.