Policy Division News

Earlier this year, a high-level defense event simply dubbed 'Industry Day' was held in Japan, an event aimed at strengthening the supply chain to the Japanese Self-Defense Forces equipment and strengthening Asia-Pacific Security and the Defense Industries.The event was significant in that the Japanese government has signaled its intention to increase defense spending, particularly with heightened tensions in the region from both China and North Korea. Also significant was the inclusion of U.S.

Just two weeks ago, the world watched as the first commercial vessel, M/V COSCO SHIPPING PANAMA, successfully navigated the Panama Canal’s new expanded locks. The inaugural event was broadcast live to a worldwide audience as the Panamanians in attendance cheered and waved flags in celebration of their country’s newest engineering marvel. Along with numerous heads of state and with representatives from many nations, I had the opportunity to attend the ceremony to congratulate the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) and the citizens of Panama on a successful expansion.

When I visit Rhode Island, one of the first things I notice its extensive water resources available for tourism, sports and commerce not to mention the ability to move people from one place to another. Next, I think about the dynamic men and women working on and near the water in the maritime industries and businesses including ship construction and repair that support the State’s long-term economic prosperity. Boasting over 400 miles of coastline, it’s easy to see why maritime is a central part of the “Ocean State’s” heritage as well as the key to its economic future.

The Northern Territory (NT) Government in Australia announced the successful bidder for the Port of Darwin – Landbridge Group, based in the People’s Republic of China. Chinese privately owned energy and infrastructure conglomerate Landbridge Group has won a $A506 million bid to run Australia's Port of Darwin for 99 years, NT's Chief Minister Adam Giles announced. Under the terms of the agreement, the Northern Territory will lease the Darwin Port land and facilities of East Arm Wharf, including the Darwin Marine Supply Base, and Fort Hill Wharf to Landbridge Group for 99 years. The three arms of the defence force, the Australian Signals Directorate, the Defence Security Agency and Defence's strategic policy division were all consulted about the 99-year lease to the Landbridge Group.

Rear Adm. Robert  Burke turned over command of Submarine Group EIGHT (CSG8) to Rear Adm. Daryl Caudle, during a change of command ceremony at Naval Support Activity Naples, July 29, 2015. Presiding at the change of command ceremony were Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, Adm. Mark Ferguson, and Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, Vice Adm. James Foggo III. In his remarks, Ferguson praised Burke’s leadership within CSG8. Burke served as CSG8′s Commander from June 21, 2013 to July 2015. He also served as deputy commander for U.S. 6th Fleet Director of Operations (N3).  He will report to the Chief of Naval Personnel as Director, Military Personnel Plans and Policy Division.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014, New York, NY – Today in New York Morton S. Bouchard, III and many local maritime dignitaries officially opened The Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. Tug & Barge Simulation Center on the campus of the State University of New York (SUNY) Maritime College. Captain Robert Glas, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Bouchard Transportation made the traditional ribbon cut with the comically sized pair of scissors, as Morton S. Bouchard, III, his two sons, US Congressman Joseph Crowley…

Paul “Chip” Jaenichen was appointed by President Obama and sworn in as Maritime Administrator on July 25, 2014. Before his appointment, Administrator Jaenichen served as Acting Administrator beginning in June 2013. He joined the U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration in July 2012 when he was appointed Deputy Maritime Administrator. A career naval officer, retiring in 2012 after serving 30 years as nuclear trained Submarine Officer in the U.S. Navy, Jaenichen’s…

Recognising that LNG is one of the best solutions for complying with upcoming emission regulations for ships, DNV is currently conducting a feasibility study for the Flemish Government relating to the provision of LNG bunkering facilities in three Belgian ports. The annual Process & Asset Risk Management Conference (PARC) focused on LNG opportunities in addition to debating the future of energy supply. The conference, which was hosted by DNV in Brussels, brought together EU regulators, industry experts and port representatives. Antwerp, Zeebrugge and Ghent add to the list of European ports making an investment in LNG bunkering facilities, which includes ports in the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland and Poland.

MARINER'S SAFETY ENDANGERED WHEN VHF RADIO DISTRESS ALERTS BY DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING (DSC) LACK LOCATION AND IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION. As the Coast Guard's new marine radio network Rescue 21 becomes operational throughout the U.S., rescue centers can now receive instant distress alerts from commonly used DSC-capable VHF marine radios. However, approximately 90% of VHF DSC distress alerts received by the Coast Guard do not contain position information, and approximately 60% do not contain a registered identity. The Coast Guard cannot effectively respond to a DSC distress alert sent from such a radio. * no position information is known. FIRST Obtain a Maritime Mobile Installation Identity (MMSI) and enter it into your radio.

In a recent ceremony at Naval Support Activity Capodichino in Naples, Italy, Capt. Richard Soucie assumed command from Capt. James E. Tranoris of Military Sealift Command Europe and Africa (MSCEURAF), MSC’s Naples-based office. MSCEURAF is responsible for MSC ships operating in the European and African theaters and is dual-hatted as Commander, Task Force 63, coordinating and providing transportation and delivery of personnel, equipment, fuel, supplies, repair parts, mail and ammunition via air and surface logistics assets to sustain U.S. forces in the European and African theaters.

In a ceremony today at Naval Support Activity Capodichino in Naples, Italy, Capt. Richard Soucie assumed command from Capt. James E. Tranoris of Military Sealift Command Europe and Africa, also called MSCEURAF, MSC’s Naples-based office. MSCEURAF is responsible for MSC ships operating in the European and African theaters and is dual-hatted as Commander, Task Force 63, coordinating and providing transportation and delivery of personnel, equipment, fuel, supplies, repair parts, mail and ammunition via air and surface logistics assets to sustain U.S. forces in the European and African theaters. Soucie reports to MSCEURAF from his most recent duty as director of the Plans and Policy Division in the manpower and personnel directorate at U.S. Central Command Headquarters in Tampa, Fla.

ASNE Day 2009 takes place April 8-9, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. The event will explore how the 21st century cooperative strategy and related maritime efforts are impacting naval engineering while answering the questions—what technical areas must be emphasized to enable and support this strategy, what are the implications for the way future naval engineers are educated and developed, and what improvements are needed in naval engineering tools and processes? •    U.S. •    U.S. What is Our Goal? •    RDML Robert L. •    RDML Joseph R. •    BGen Andrew W. Moderator: Mr. Asst. Moderator: Ms. •    Mr. Asst. Moderator: Mr. •    General Dynamics—Mr. •    Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding—Mr. •    Lockheed Martin—Mr. •    Boeing—RADM John V. Asst.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of Defense’s Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate (JNLWD) recently conducted a demonstration of a developmental non-lethal weapon designed to stop suspicious small boats. The program, referred to as Boat Trap, involves dropping an entangling net from a helicopter into the path of a boat. The net entangles in the boat’s propeller, forcing the vessel to a safe stop. According to Darrel Webb, Maritime Project Engineer at the JNLWD, potential applications of the Boat Trap device include port security…

The Coast Guard Cutter Tornado will welcome its new Commanding Officer during a change-of-command ceremony at the Naval Station in Pascagoula, Miss. on Fridayy. Lt. Cmdr. Robert J. Landolfi Jr. will relieve Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Hollingshead who served as the Commanding Officer of the Tornado for the past two years. Hollingshead assumed command of Coast Guard Cutter Tornado in October 2004. Tornado is one of five 179-foot Cyclone-class Patrol Coastal cutters (PC-179s) transferred to the Coast Guard from the Navy. Tornado rapidly proved ideally-suited for Coast Guard operations as it deployed in support of the Coast Guard counter-drug, alien migrant interdiction, homeland security, and search and rescue missions in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, Florida Straits, and Atlantic Ocean.

The comment period for vessel owner/operators affected by the Automated Identification System (AIS) ends July 31. AIS is a shipboard broadcast system that acts like a continuous and autonomous transponder, operating in the VHF maritime band. The system allows ships to easily track, identify and exchange pertinent navigation information from one another or ashore; for collision avoidance, security and VTS reporting. “This schedule is of particular importance to fishing vessels that travel to and from Alaska to Seattle,” said Capt. Richard Preston, chief of the Seventeenth Coast Guard District’s Operational Plans and Policy Division in Juneau.