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Monday, March 18, 2024
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Government & Military News

18 Mar 2024

IMO to Open Regional Office in Fiji

Source: IMO

The IMO will open its seventh Regional Presence Office (RPO), in Suva, Fiji, after IMO Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, and Fiji Minister for Transport, Ro Filipe Tuisawau, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on March 18.The Regional Presence Office will support the maritime needs and priorities of countries in the Pacific Islands region, aligning IMO actions with national and regional development policies, while providing advice on key maritime issues such as training, safety and security, legislation and marine environment.

18 Mar 2024

US Navy Christens Submarine Idaho (SSN 799)

(Photo: U.S. Navy)

Groton, Conn. submarine builder General Dynamics Electric Boat hosted a christening ceremony for the U.S. Navy's new Virginia-class submarine Idaho (SSN 799) March 16.Idaho is the 26th submarine in the Virginia class, designed for the full range of 21st-century mission requirements, including anti-submarine and surface ship warfare and special operations support. Electric Boat and its partner Newport News Shipbuilding share construction of the Virginia class in a teaming agreement. Idaho is the 13th submarine in the class to be delivered by Electric Boat.The submarine will be the fourth U.S.

18 Mar 2024

Somali Forces, Foreign Navies Prepare Attack on Hijacked Ship

Bulk carrier Abdullah was hijacked off the coast of Somalia last week. (Photo: EUNAVFOR)

Somali police and international navies were preparing on Monday to attack a commercial ship that was hijacked by pirates last week, the Puntland region's police force said, two days after Indian commandos rescued another cargo vessel held by pirates.The MV Abdullah was hijacked off the coast of Somalia last week, the latest of more than 20 attacks since November by Somali pirates who had laid dormant for nearly a decade.On Saturday, the Indian navy rescued another cargo vessel, the Maltese-flagged MV Ruen, which had been seized in December, freeing its 17 crew members and arresting 35 pirates.

18 Mar 2024

Pressure Builds for Charge on Shipping Sector's CO2 Emissions

© Yellow Boat / Adobe Stock

The European Union, Canada, Japan and climate-vulnerable Pacific Island states are among 47 countries rallying support for a charge on the international shipping sector's greenhouse gas emissions, documents reviewed by Reuters showed.The documents, being discussed at an International Maritime Organization (IMO) meeting now entering a second week, outline four proposals with a combined 47 backers for imposing a fee on each tonne of greenhouse gas the industry produces.Support for…

18 Mar 2024

GE Vernova Notches Singapore Navy Win

GE Vernova’s Power Conversion business was awarded a contract by Singapore shipbuilder ST Engineering Marine Limited to supply its Ship’s Electric Grid with Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) equipment for the Republic of Singapore Navy’s six-ship Multi-Role Combat Vessel (MRCV) program.The six MRCVs will be the first IFEP-powered vessels for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and will replace its fleet of mechanical drive Victory-class missile corvettes, which have been in service since 1989. Delivery of the electric propulsion systems for the new ships is planned over the next 10 years.GE Vernova’s Ship’s Electric Grid includes all generators…

17 Mar 2024

Momentum Builds For a Universal GHG Price

Source: UMAS

The 16th Meeting of the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships concluded with some progress made on the finalization of mid-term measures, and without a decisive shift in the landscape of positions and preferences.This meeting was the first convening of the IMO following the adoption of the Revised GHG Strategy in July 2023.Although it was already agreed in the Revised GHG Strategy to adopt both a GHG Fuel Standard (a mandate on GHG intensity of fuel/energy)…

17 Mar 2024

US Coast Guard Cutter Accidentally Discharges Diesel Fuel off California

FILE PHOTO: USCGC Alder (WLB-216). (Photo: Kenneth Honore / U.S. Coast Guard)

The U.S. Coast Guard said one of its buoy tenders accidentally discharged approximately 500 gallons of diesel fuel 30 miles offshore of Fort Bragg, Calif., Friday morning.The vessel, USCGC Alder (WLB-216), was enroute to Humboldt Bay when the incident occurred, the Coast Guard said.Members of Coast Guard Sector San Francisco Incident Management Division notified interagency stakeholders and are investigating the oil spill and cause. They are also evaluating potential impacts to sensitive sites.

17 Mar 2024

Indian Navy Seizes Ship from Somali Pirates and Rescues 17 Crew

(Photo: Indian Navy)

Indian naval forces including special commandos seized a cargo vessel that had been hijacked by Somali pirates, rescuing 17 crew members, a spokesperson for the navy said on Saturday.The navy said in a post on social media platform X that all 35 pirates aboard the ship, the Maltese-flagged bulk cargo vessel Ruen, had surrendered, and the ship had been checked for the presence of illegal arms, ammunition and contraband.The Ruen had been hijacked last year and the navy said it had…

15 Mar 2024

Houthis Attack US Destroyer in Red Sea

© Alejandro / Adobe Stock

Yemen's Houthis said on Friday that the group launched an attack on "Pacific 01" ship in the Red Sea with missiles.Houthis used drones to attack a U.S destroyer, said a statement published by group's military spokesperson.It did not give any evidence of such an attack.(Reuters - Reporting by Mohammad Ghobari and Ahmed Elimam; Editing by Michael Georgy)

15 Mar 2024

Dutch Government Picks France's Naval Group for Submarines Order

Illustration (Credit: Naval Group)

The Dutch government on Friday said it had picked French defense company Naval Group to build four new submarines in coming decades in a long-brewing deal seen by politicians as a potential lifeline for the national shipbuilding industry.The government said the first two submarines would be operational within the next 10 years. It did not specify the exact value of the multi-billion euro contract.The submarines will be of a size to both operate in shallow waters and take part in missions far from base.The agreement still has to be approved by the Dutch parliament…

15 Mar 2024

Merchant Vessel West of Yemen's Hodeidah Not Hit by Missile as Earlier Reported

© Sergey Fedoskin / Adobe Stock

A daylight inspection showed that a merchant vessel was not hit or damaged in the Red Sea off Yemen's Hodeidah after initial reports it was struck by a missile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and British security firm Ambrey said on Friday.Iran-aligned Houthi militants in Yemen have repeatedly launched drones and missiles against international commercial shipping in the region since mid-November in professed solidarity with Palestinians against Israel's war in Gaza.Their Red Sea attacks have disrupted global shipping…

15 Mar 2024

Vessel Struck by Missile West of Yemen's Hodeidah

© mino21 / Adobe Stock

A merchant vessel reported it had been hit by a missile and sustained damage 76 nautical miles west of Yemen's Hodeidah, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and the British security firm Ambrey said on Friday."The vessel has sustained some damage. The crew are reported safe and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call," the UKMTO said in an advisory note.Ambrey also reported that the ship suffered damage and that there were no injuries.UKMTO said another ship…

14 Mar 2024

Missiles Fly Over Ship near Yemen's al Hudaydah

© lesniewski / Adobe Stock

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) organisation said early on Friday that it had received a report that missiles passed near a ship 50 nautical miles (93 km) southwest of al Hudaydah, Yemen."The Master reported two missiles flying over the vessel and heard two loud blasts in the distance," the UKMTO said in an advisory note, referring to the person in command of the ship.It added that the vessel reported no damage and that the crew are reported safe."The vessel is proceeding to its next port of call.

14 Mar 2024

Hijacked Ship May Have Been Used in Attack near Somalia

Source: EUNAVFOR

Somali pirates who seized the Maltese-flagged bulk cargo ship Ruen in December may have used the vessel in the takeover of a Bangladesh-flagged cargo ship off the coast of Somalia two days ago, the European Union naval force said on Thursday.Somali pirates caused chaos in important global waterways for a decade leading up to 2018, but had been dormant until a resurgence of attacks starting late last year.If confirmed, Tuesday's attack from a confiscated ship would mark a return…

14 Mar 2024

Conrad to Build Another US Navy Berthing Barge

(File photo: Conrad Shipyard)

U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has exercised an option with Conrad Shipyard to build another Yard, Repair, Berthing, and Messing (YRBM) barge.The award is a $18,484,619 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded contract for the detail design and construction and  includes exercise of a design changes option.Work will be performed in Amelia, La., and is expected to be completed by June 2025. The new barge will be delivered to Norfolk, Va.The YRBM barge is an ABS A1 Accommodation Barge with a 151’-4” x 49’-4” x 14’ footprint.

13 Mar 2024

Keel Laid for Finnish Border Guard’s New Patrol Vessel

The Finnish Border Guard, Meyer Turku, Baltic Operator and Bureau Veritas project teams (Credit: Meyer Turku)

The Finnish Border Guard has held a keel laying ceremony for its new patrol vessel at Baltic Operator's shipyard in Gdansk.On March 12, 2024, a keel laying ceremony was arranged at Baltic Operator’s shipyard in Gdansk. The ceremony took place in the presence of the representatives of the Finnish Border Guard, Meyer Turku, Baltic Operator and Bureau Veritas.The keel laying ceremony is an old tradition. Before the keel laying, the ordering party - the Finnish Border Guard - and the shipyard’s representative placed their lucky coins under the keel beneath the first block.Later on…

12 Mar 2024

Houthis Fired Ballistic Missile Towards USS Laboon

Source: U.S. Navy

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the Iran-aligned Houthis fired on Tuesday one close-range ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward USS Laboon in the Red Sea, but it did not hit the vessel and there were no injuries or damage reported."United States Central Command and a coalition vessel successfully engaged and destroyed two unmanned aerial systems (UAS) launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen," CENTCOM added in a statement early on Wednesday.(Reuters - Reporting by Enas Alashray; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

12 Mar 2024

US Military Strikes Back After Pinocchio Vessel Attack

(Credit: CENTCOM)

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed that Yemen's Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles from their controlled areas into the Red Sea toward merchant vessel Pinocchio.The Singaporean-owned, Liberian-flagged ship was attacked on March 11, CENTOM said early on Tuesday, adding that the missiles did not impact the vessel and that there were no injuries or damage reported.Later on the same day, CENTCOM conducted six self-defense strikes destroying an unmanned underwater…

11 Mar 2024

US FMC Names Usman Chief Information Officer

© BKP / Adobe Stock

Mohammad “Ali” Usman has been hired as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the Federal Maritime Commission and appointed to be a member of the Senior Executive Service.Usman will serve as director in all areas of information technology (IT) and as the primary IT technical advisor to the Managing Director.He assumes his new duties effective immediately.“Well functioning, publicly accessible, and secured information systems are vital to being able to meet the mission of a government agency in the 21st Century. Mr.

11 Mar 2024

Coast Guard Will Not Enforce New California Rule, Citing 'Safety Concerns'

© Jill Clardy / Adobe Stock

(The Center Square) - The U.S. Coast Guard says it “will not enforce” a new California Air Resources Board regulation, citing “safety concerns.”The Coast Guard and business organizations oppose CARB's requirement that commercial harbor craft install diesel particulate filters (DPF) linked to a number of fires. Seventeen states are suing the Environmental Protection Agency for giving an exemption to California alone to enact its own air standards that, by power of its market size…

08 Mar 2024

Babcock Delivers Refitted HMS St. Albans to Royal Navy Ahead of Schedule

HMS St. Albans (Credit: Babcock International)

Defense company Babcock International has delivered Type 23 frigate HMS St. Albans back to the Royal Navy for sea trials three months ahead of the planned schedule, following a refit operation.Once the current sea trials are completed, HMS St. Albans, with her 178-strong crew, will return to sea as the most advanced, equipped, and capable Type 23 frigate in the Royal Navy’s fleet, boasting next-generation weapons systems and radar, according to Babcock.During her time in dock…

07 Mar 2024

Damen and Saab Agree to Export C-71 Submarines

L to R: Micael Johansson, CEO of Saab, and Arnout Damen, CEO of Damen Shipyards (Credit: Damen)

Damen Shipyards and Saab have agreed to export the advanced expeditionary C-71 submarines, which have been developed for the Royal Netherlands Navy to replace the current Walrus class.The agreement doubles the long-term prospect of employment and income for the Netherlands Naval Cluster with the replacement of the Walrus submarines by Saab-Damen.Saab and Damen have been working together since 2015 to build, modernize, and maintain the new expeditionary submarine for the Royal Netherlands Navy.The two companies have now also agreed to offer their advanced expeditionary submarines to Canada…

06 Mar 2024

Three Killed in Houthi Attack On Greek-owned Ship

(Photo: U.S. Central Command)

A Houthi missile attack killed three seafarers on a Red Sea merchant ship on Wednesday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said, the first fatalities reported since the Iran-aligned Yemeni group began strikes against shipping in one of the world's busiest trade lanes.The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, which set the Greek-owned, Barbados-flagged ship True Confidence ablaze around 50 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen's port of Aden.In an earlier message on X responding to the Houthi claim, Britain's embassy wrote: "At least 2 innocent sailors have died.

06 Mar 2024

Fincantieri in Talks to Buy Leonardo's Submarine Unit Wass

© Franco Nadalin / Adobe Stock

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri is in talks with Leonardo to buy the defense group's submarine unit Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei (Wass), several newspapers reported on Wednesday.Spokespersons for Fincantieri and Leonardo both declined to comment.The acquisition would have a value of between 200 and 300 million euros ($217-$326 million), Corriere della Sera and financial daily Il Sole 24 Ore reported.The move by Fincantieri would be part of the group's broader strategy to grow non-organically and focus more on the defence sector…

05 Mar 2024

Philippines Summons China Diplomat Over 'Aggressive' Actions in South China Sea

© luzitanija / Adobe Stock

The Philippines summoned China's deputy chief of mission in Manila on Tuesday to protest what it called "aggressive actions" by Chinese naval forces against a resupply mission for Filipino troops stationed on a South China Sea shoal.Manila's South China Sea task force said Philippine vessels carrying out the routine mission to the Second Thomas Shoal were "harassed (and) blocked" by Chinese maritime militia and coast guard ships on Tuesday.Chinese coast guard ships fired water cannon…

05 Mar 2024

Singapore and Australia Formalize Corridor Collaboration

© ake1150 / Adobe Stock

Singapore and Australia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formally collaborate on establishing the Singapore-Australia green and digital shipping corridor.The MoU was signed by Chee Hong Tat, Singapore’s Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance, and Catherine King, Australian Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.Both countries will work with interested partners to explore opportunities to develop zero or near-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emission fuel supply chains for the maritime industry…

05 Mar 2024

Ukraine Says it Sunk a Russian Patrol Ship Near Crimea

(Photo: Ukraine Defense)

Ukrainian sea drones hit and sank a Russian Black Sea Fleet patrol ship off occupied Crimea in an overnight attack, the Ukrainian military said on Tuesday.Ukraine's GUR military intelligence agency said a special unit called Group 13 had fired Magura V5 maritime drones at the Sergey Kotov near the Kerch Strait, which connects the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea.It said on the Telegram messaging app that the vessel had sustained damage to the stern, starboard and port sides, at an estimated cost of $65 million."Right now this ship is on the seabed as a result of fire damage by unmanned boats…

05 Mar 2024

Dutch Defense to Spend Billions on New Frigates

© Wojciech Wrzesień / Adobe Stock

The Dutch government on Friday said it would replace nearly its entire navy fleet in the coming 15 years, in a project worth several billion euros that it said would mainly benefit Dutch industry.A large part of the project would consist of the replacement of four air defense frigates, the government said, confirming an earlier report by RTL Nieuws.The government said it would work closely with Dutch industry in building the ships, with large roles for shipbuilder Damen and the Dutch arm of French defense company Thales, which would likely supply radar and missile guidance systems."This will s

05 Mar 2024

Seaspan Shipyards Orders ABB Propulsion for Canadian Polar Icebreaker

(Image: Seaspan Shipyards)

Canadian shipbuilder Seaspan Shipyards has awarded ABB a contract to deliver an integrated propulsion system for the first of the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) new-generation polar class icebreakers.The first vessel of its kind to be built in Canada in over 60 years, the vessel is expected to be one of the world’s largest and most powerful diesel-electric icebreaker when it enters service in 2030, complying with IACS Polar Class 2 requirements for year-round operations in moderate multi-year ice conditions.

04 Mar 2024

Italian Naval Ship Shoots Down Drone in Red Sea

(Photo: Italian Ministry of Defense)

An Italian navy ship shot down a drone flying towards it in the Red Sea on Saturday, the defence ministry said.A ministry statement described the action as self-defence by the Duilio, which is helping protect trade routes from drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi militia."The drone, with similar characteristics to those already used in previous attacks, was about 6 km (3.73 miles) from the Italian ship, flying towards it," the statement said.Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said the Houthi attacks…

04 Mar 2024

HII Completes Acceptance Trials on Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29)

(Photo: HII)

HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division on Monday announced  it has completed acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico for amphibious transport dock Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29), the final Flight I transition ship before Ingalls moves into serial production of the LPD Flight II line.The Ingalls’ Test and Trials team spent several days with the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey running the ship at full power and through steering maneuvers. The team will now complete final finish work on the San Antonio-class ship in preparation for delivery to the U.S.

04 Mar 2024

Houthi Attacks Having Limited Impact on Israeli Trade, Prices - Ministry

Attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on cargo ships in the Red Seas are having limited effect on trade to Israel and have not led to any significant inflationary pressures, Israel's Finance Ministry said in a report on Monday.Houthi militants have repeatedly launched drones and missiles against international commercial shipping in the Gulf of Aden since mid-November, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians against Israel's military actions in Gaza.Their Red Sea attacks have disrupted global shipping…

03 Mar 2024

Houthis Blame UK and US for Glitch in Red Sea Undersea Cables

USS Mason (DDG 87) has shot down Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles (ASBM) launched into the Gulf of Aden from Iranian-backed Houthi controlled areas of Yemen. Source: US CENTCOM

The Houthi Transport Ministry in Yemen said on Saturday there had been a "glitch" in undersea communication cables in the Red Sea as a result of actions by U.S. and British naval vessels.The actions "endangered the security and safety of the international communications and the flow of information," the ministry said in a statement, reported by the Houthi-run Saba news agency, without giving details."Any glitch in these cables as a result of the militarization of the Red Sea by U.S.

03 Mar 2024

Houthis Say They Will Continue Sinking British Ships

On Feb. 18 between 9:30 p.m. and 10:40 p.m., Iran-backed Houthi terrorists attacked the M/V Rubymar, a Belize-flagged, UK-owned bulk carrier. Source: US CENTCOM

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis vowed on Sunday to continue targeting British ships in the Gulf of Aden following the sinking of UK-owned vessel Rubymar.The U.S. military confirmed on Saturday that the UK-owned vessel Rubymar had sunk after being struck by an anti-ship ballistic missile fired by Yemeni Houthi militants on Feb. 18."Yemen will continue to sink more British ships, and any repercussions or other damages will be added to Britain's bill," Hussein al-Ezzi, deputy foreign minister in the Houthi-led government…

03 Mar 2024

Malaysia Says MH370 Search Must Go On

© atulvermabhai / Adobe Stock

Malaysia is pushing for a renewed search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, the transport minister said on Sunday, as the 10th anniversary of its disappearance in one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries approaches.Flight MH370, a Boeing 777 carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, vanished en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014.Malaysian investigators initially did not rule out the possibility that the aircraft had been deliberately taken off course, and debris…

01 Mar 2024

US Navy Accepts Delivery of Future USS Kingsville (LCS 36)

(Photo: U.S. Navy)

The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the future USS Kingsville (LCS 36) at Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Ala., March 1.Kingsville is the 18th Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) constructed, and is the first ship ever named after Kingsville, Texas.The LCS class comprises fast, optimally manned, mission-tailored surface combatants that can operate in both near-shore and open-ocean waters to counter 21st-century coastal threats.Kingsville successfully completed Acceptance Trials on February 1 and will be commissioned later this summer…

01 Mar 2024

Babcock Tallies Contract to Refit UK Nuclear Submarine

(Photo: UK Ministry of Defense)

Babcock International Group and the UK’s Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) have agreed a full cost recovery contract worth an estimated £560 million to undertake the planned deep maintenance and life extension program for HMS Victorious, one of the UK’s Vanguard Class nuclear submarines.The multi-year life extension program will deliver HMS Victorious back to the Royal Navy modernized and improved, enabling it to continue operational patrols well into the 2030s. Work on the submarine is already underway…

01 Mar 2024

US Says it Struck Missiles, Drone that Posed Threat to Red Sea Ships

(Photo: U.S. Central Command)

The U.S. military said it conducted strikes on Thursday against anti-ship missiles and an aerial drone that posed a threat to Red Sea shipping.U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over the southern Red Sea and conducted two strikes against six mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch toward the Red Sea, labeling both actions as self-defense.Military officials determined that the missiles and drone "presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the U.S.

29 Feb 2024

Virginia-Class Submarine New Jersey (SSN 796) Completes Initial Sea Trials

(Photo: HII)

HII on Thursday announced its Newport News Shipbuilding division has completed initial sea trials for Virginia-class attack submarine New Jersey (SSN 796). New Jersey spent several days at sea to test the boat’s systems and components.Testing included submerging the submarine for the first time and conducting high-speed maneuvers while on the surface and submerged. NNS teams will continue the testing program ahead of delivering the boat to the U.S. Navy.“Taking New Jersey out for the first time is a significant milestone and the first major test of the submarine’s capabilities at sea…

28 Feb 2024

US Hits Iran with New Sanctions Targeting Commanders, Shipping

© Creuxnoir / Adobe Stock

The United States targeted Iranian and Houthi commanders and a vessel that shipped more than $100 million in Iranian commodities to businesses in China in sanctions announced on Tuesday.Mohammad Reza Falahzadeh, deputy commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), and Ibrahim al-Nashiri, a member of Yemen's Houthi militia, were designated under the sanctions, the Treasury Department said.The Iranian military has provided weapons and intelligence support to the Houthis that support the group's attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea…

28 Feb 2024

German Warship Shoots Down Two Drones in the Red Sea

(Photo: Yvonne Albert, courtesy Bundeswehr / Leon Rodewald)

A German warship shot down two drones in the Red Sea on Tuesday amid escalating attacks by Yemen's Houthis and efforts by the European Union to protect international shipping, German officials said.Shipping risks have increased due to repeated strikes by the Iran-aligned Houthis in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait since November in what they describe as acts of solidarity with Palestinians against Israel in the Gaza war.U.S. and British forces have responded with several airstrikes on Houthi facilities but have so far failed to halt the attacks.The German navy frigate Hessen…

28 Feb 2024

Kraken Robotics Delivers Minehunting Systems to Royal Danish Navy

Kraken KATFISH on MSF drone vessels (Credit: Kraken Robotics)

Canadian company Kraken Robotics has completed deliveries and sea acceptance tests of all systems for its minehunting sonar equipment under the contract with Royal Danish Navy.The contract was signed in September 2020, following a competitive bidding process. Under the contract with the Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO), Kraken has delivered four complete turnkey minehunting systems.Each system consists of a KATFISH towed Synthetic Aperture Sonar…

27 Feb 2024

FMC Updates Controlled Carrier List

Source: Hede (HONGKONG) International Shipping Limited

Hede (HONGKONG) International Shipping Limited has been classified by the US Federal Maritime Commission as a controlled carrier of the Government of the People’s Republic of China and added to the agency’s Controlled Carrier List.The Controlled Carrier List was further revised by removing COSCO Shipping Lines (Europe) GmbH, which has ceased serving the US trades and has cancelled its tariff. Other COSCO entities remain on the list.Controlled Carriers are ocean common carriers operating in the US-foreign trades that are…

27 Feb 2024

Houthis Say They Can Reassess Red Sea Attacks if Israeli 'Aggression' Stops

(Photo: Screenshot from video shared by Yemeni Armed Forces)

Yemen's Houthis said on Tuesday they could only reconsider their missile and drone attacks on international shipping in the Red Seaonce Israel ends its "aggression" in the Gaza Strip.Asked if they would halt the attacks if a ceasefire deal is reached, Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam told Reuters the situation would be reassessed if the siege of Gaza ended and humanitarian aid was free to enter."There will be no halt to any operations that help Palestinian people except when the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the siege stop…

27 Feb 2024

GAO: Coast Guard Should Address Workforce Recruitment and Retention Challenges

Chief Warrant Officer Aaron Studie climbs a Jacob's ladder to perform a vessel inspection. Marine inspectors board boats in dry dock, moored at a pier, anchored and in rare occasions while underway. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Darryl W. Bradshaw)

The Coast Guard has struggled for years to recruit and retain a sufficient workforce. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), the non-partisan, fact-based arm of the Congress, has published multiple reports related to the Coast Guard’s workforce including recruitment and retention challenges. Three of these reports published in 2022 and 2023 have resulted in 17 GAO recommendations to address these issues, but as of today, 16 remain open and need to be addressed. Implementing…

27 Feb 2024

Damen, Portuguese Navy Co-Develop Multi-Purpose Support Ship (MPSS)

The Multi-Purpose Support Ship (MPSS) has been co-developed by Damen and the Portuguese Navy. Image courtesy Damen

Damen Shipyards Group has unveiled a new ship design based on modern defense and security requirements. The Multi-Purpose Support Ship (MPSS) has been co-developed with the Portuguese Navy, the vessel’s launching customer. It is a solution for the increasing use of drone technology in combat and surveillance. In addition to its primary function, the MPSS is designed to fulfil a wide range of additional tasks, including auxiliary roles.Damen has begun construction of the first vessel of this new design.

26 Feb 2024

IMO’s PPR11 Agrees Guidance on Key Environmental Issues

Source: IMO

The IMO’s Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 11) agreed new guidance on several key environmental issues.Meeting from February 19 to 23, 2024, the following guidance will now be submitted to the Marine Environment Protection Committee for approval this March (MEPC 81) and October (MEPC 82):• the safe transport of plastic pellets by sea• best practices for cutting black carbon emissions from ships operating in or near the Arctic• reducing risks of use and carriage…

26 Feb 2024

Greek Frigate Departs to Join EU Red Sea Mission

(File photo: Hellenic Navy)

Greece's frigate Hydra departed for the Red Sea on Monday to participate in a mission to protect merchant ships from attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia, a defense ministry official said.Earlier on Monday, the Greek government approved the country's participation in the European Union naval mission dubbed Eunavfor Aspides in the Red Sea.Many commercial shippers have diverted vessels following attacks by the Houthis who control much of Yemen and say they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians as Israel and Hamas wage war in Gaza.Greece's security council approved a proposal by

26 Feb 2024

US Coast Guard Announces New Merchant Mariner Credential

Example of the new certificate size one page merchant mariner credential (Image: USCG)

The U.S. Coast Guard announced a new merchant mariner credential (MMC) set to launch on March 1, 2024, marking the first comprehensive revision of the mariner credential in nearly a decade.The Coast Guard is the exclusive source of U.S. MMCs, which are required for U.S. mariners who serve on commercially operated vessels such as passenger boats, tug and barges, offshore supply vessels, and deep draft ocean going cargo vessels throughout the nation and internationally.The Coast…

26 Feb 2024

Serco Joins VARD's Team Vigilance for Canadian Navy Build

(Image: Vard Marine)

Serco has signed on a team assembled by Vard Marine Inc. to replace the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) Kingston Class Maritime Coastal Defense Vessels (MCDV) under Pillar Two of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy.Vard Marine, a Fincantieri company, launched VIGILANCE in 2023 to "provide the RCN with a state-of-the-art, capable, operationally flexible, and globally deployable multi-mission naval vessel" that is designed, built and equipped in Canada.Other Team Vigilance partner companies include Ontario Shipyards…

26 Feb 2024

USS Hershel “Woody” Williams Maintenance Completed in Croatia

The Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary sea base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) undocks during its first Regular Overhaul (ROH), a planned maintenance period, in the European area of operations at Palumbo Shipyard Malta. (Photo: U.S. Navy)

The Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary sea base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) completed its routine planned maintenance in Rijeka, Croatia Feb. 8, 2024 at Viktor Lenac Shipyard.Military Sealift Command, Europe and Africa (MSCEURAF) and Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC) executed the ship’s planned Mid-Term Availability (MTA), a depot-level maintenance period, to maintain safety and mission-essential equipment and ensure the ship will reach its planned service life.Maintenance work during the MTA included Safety of Life At Sea equipment such as communication…

25 Feb 2024

IMO Finalizes Arctic Pollution Prevention Guideline Drafts

Source: IMO

The IMO Pollution Prevention and Response Sub-Committee PPR 11 was held February 19-23, and agreement was reached on guidance for the prevention of pollution in the Arctic marine environment.The guidance will now be presented to the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC).Lloyd’s Register reports the following was agreed at PPR 11:• Draft guidance on best practice for goal-based control measures to reduce the impact on the Arctic of black carbon emissions from international shipping (expected to be approved at MEPC 82…

24 Feb 2024

Houthis Target Torm Tanker

Source: Torm

Yemen's Houthis targeted MV Torm Thor, a U.S.-flagged, owned, and operated oil tanker, in the Gulf of Aden, the Iran-aligned group's military spokesman Yahya Sarea said on Sunday, as the militants continue to attack shipping lanes in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.The group targeted the tanker with "a number of appropriate naval missiles," Sarea added in a televised speech.The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the USS Mason, a guided missile destroyer, on Saturday shot…

23 Feb 2024

US Imposes Sanctions on Russia's Leading Tanker Group Sovcomflot

© Andriy Sharpilo / Adobe Stock

The U.S. Treasury said on Fridayit has imposed sanctions on Russia's leading tanker group Sovcomflot FLOT.MM, as Washington seeks to reduce Russia's revenues from oil sales that it can use to support its invasion of Ukraine.The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Asset Control also designated 14 crude oil tankers vessels as property in which Sovcomflot has an interest. It issued a general license allowing the offloading of crude oil, or other cargoes, from the vessels for 45 days."Sovcomflot as a whole…

23 Feb 2024

Virginia-class Submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798) Launched

(Photo: HII)

HII announced that Virginia-class submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798) was recently launched into the James River at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division.Shipbuilders transferred the submarine from a construction facility to the floating dry dock, where it was later submerged and moved by tugboats to a submarine pier at the shipyard for final outfitting, testing and crew certification.“Following the christening of this mighty submarine in May, witnessing Massachusetts launch into the river is a source of immense pride for our shipbuilding team…

22 Feb 2024

German Government Funds Rotor Sail Install on Baltrader Cement Carrier

(Image: Norsepower)

The German government is providing funding to support the installation of an auxiliary wind propulsion system on board a cement carrier vessel.Hamburg-based Baltrader Capital GmbH & Co. KG. has signed a contract with wind propulsion systems provider Norsepower for the delivery of one 24m x 4m sized rotor sail in summer 2024. The product will be fitted on the newest cement carrier of the Baltrader fleet, Cemcommander, designed by SDC Ship Design & Consultants GmbH and built by Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard (Group) Co. Ltd.The Norsepower rotor sail is a modernized version of the Flettner rotor.

22 Feb 2024

Austal Awarded Contract for Two More Patrol Boat Builds

Austal Australia has been awarded a contract extension for two additional Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats for the Royal Australian Navy (Image: Austal Australia)

Shipbuilding group Austal Limited announces that Austal Australia has been awarded a contract extension for the construction of two additional Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats for the Royal Australian Navy.The A$157 million contract follows the procurement announcement made by the Commonwealth of Australia (CoA) on November 23, 2023 and brings the total number of Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats being delivered to the Navy, under the SEA1445-1 Project, to ten.Austal Limited Chief…

22 Feb 2024

Houthis Vow to Step Up Ship Attacks in the Red Sea

(Photo: Indian Navy)

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack on a UK-owned cargo ship and a drone assault on an American destroyer on Thursday, and they targeted Israel's port and resort city of Eilat with ballistic missiles and drones.The statement by a Houthi representative on social media site X came shortly after the group's leader said it was ramping up attacks on ships in the Red Sea and other waters - including with new "submarine weapons" -to mirror Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip.Houthi militants have launched repeated drone and missile strikes in the Red Sea…

22 Feb 2024

Pearlson to Upgrade Shiplift at Australia's Osborne Naval Shipyard

Australian Naval Infrastructure in Osborne, South Australia (Photo: Pearlson Shiplift Corporation)

Pearlson Shiplift Corporation, a subsidiary of The Pearlson Group, announced it has been awarded a multimillion-dollar contract to deliver a large capacity upgrade and extension for Australian Naval Infrastructure (ANI) in Osborne, South Australia.The works will be installed by McConnell Dowell, one of the largest construction companies in the region. Once completed later this year, Pearlson Shiplift Corporation will recommission ANI’s shiplift system as the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.“We are honored to be awarded this project - the largest in the region.

22 Feb 2024

Liberian Bulk Carrier Banned from Australian Ports

Source: AMSA

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has banned the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier KMAX Leader from entering Australian ports for 12 months, effective February 15, 2024.The ban was instigated as a result of serious safety violations and breaches of Australian legislation committed by the ship’s master and owner while in Gladstone Harbour.KMAX Leader first experienced mechanical issues on October 26, 2023, reporting unidentified engine room vibrations.On October 28, the ship’s agent advised work had commenced on the mechanical issues and would take eight to 10 days to complete.

21 Feb 2024

Maritime AI Company to Support INTERPOL

© whitcomberd / Adobe Stock

Maritime AI company Windward has announced a partnership with INTERPOL, the International Criminal Police Organization, to assist in their mission of facilitating a secure maritime environment.Windward’s Maritime AI will provide intelligence to help identify, track, and prevent criminal activities such as illicit trafficking, human smuggling, piracy and illegal fishing.The lack of actionable visibility in the maritime domain emboldens criminals, negatively impacts global trade…

21 Feb 2024

Newport News Begins Topside EMALS Testing on John F. Kennedy (CVN 79)

(Photo: HII)

HII announced today that its Newport News Shipbuilding division (NNS) recently began topside testing of the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) on aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN 79).EMALS, first integrated into USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), replaces the existing steam catapults currently in use on the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.Following successful “no-load” testing on catapults one and two, known as the ‘bow cats,’ the NNS team, alongside the John F. Kennedy crew, has now started “dead-load” testing.

21 Feb 2024

Biden Executive Order Targets Cybersecurity at US Ports

© Brian E Kushner / Adobe Stock

President Biden on Wednesday signed an Executive Order aiming to strengthen cybersecurity at U.S. ports amid growing threats to America's vital maritime supply chains.The directive bolsters the Department of Homeland Security’s authority to address maritime cyber threats, including through the creation of new standards to ensure the security of networks and systems throughout the nation’s marine transportation system (MTS), which supports $5.4 trillion in economic activity each year."Most critical infrastructure owners and operators have a list of safety regulations they have to comply with…

21 Feb 2024

ARC Keeps the Cargo Rolling

Flags on M/V ARC Defender.
Image courtesy ARC

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…

21 Feb 2024

Canadian Coast Guard Awards Contract for Icebreaker Life Extension

(Photo: Canadian Coast Guard)

Canada's Minister of Public Services and Procurement, Jean-Yves Duclos, on behalf of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Diane Lebouthillier, announced a contract award following a competitive process, valued at approximately $44 million (including taxes) to Ocean Industries Inc. for the vessel life extension of the CCGS Griffon.Scheduled to take place from June 2025 to October 2026, the vessel life extension work entails refurbishing and repairing the main propulsion motors…

21 Feb 2024

UK's Trident Nuclear-deterrent Missile System Misfires During Test

FILE PHOTO: Nuclear submarine HMS Vanguard at HM Naval Base Clyde, Faslane, Scotland. (Photo: Tam McDonald / U.K. Ministry of Defense)

Britain's Trident nuclear-deterrent system misfired during a test last month, sending a missile crashing into the ocean off the Florida coast near the submarine that launched it, The Sun newspaper reported on Wednesday.The Ministry of Defense confirmed that an "anomaly" had occurred during the test but said Britain's "nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure and effective".With Defense Secretary Grant Shapps on board the HMS Vanguard to witness the test, The Sun said, the first…

21 Feb 2024

Fincantieri and EDGE to Launch JV for Naval Vessels Construction


Hamad Al Marar, EDGE’s Managing Director and CEO, and Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri (Credit: Fincantieri)

EDGE Group, a United Arab Emirates-based advanced technology and defense group, and Fincantieri, one of the largest shipbuilders in the world, have entered into a term sheet aimed at creating a joint venture (JV) that will focus on the manufacturing of a broad range of sophisticated naval vessels.EDGE will hold a 51% stake in the venture, which has a commercial pipeline valued at approximately $32.4 billion (€30 billion), with management direction provided by Fincantieri.The Abu Dhabi-based JV will be awarded prime rights to non-NATO orders…

20 Feb 2024

China Coast Guard Boarded Taiwanese Boat Near Frontline Islands

© barks / Adobe Stock

Chinese coast guard personnel briefly boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat near Taiwan-controlled islands next to China's coast on Monday, the government in Taipei said, in an escalation of tensions after China said it would carry out regular patrols.China announced on Sunday that its coast guard would strengthen law enforcement activity around the Kinmen islands following the death of two Chinese nationals fleeing Taiwan's coast guard having entered into prohibited waters too close to Kinmen, which lies opposite the Chinese cities of Xiamen and Quanzhou.Taiwan's coast guard said in a statement th

20 Feb 2024

EU Launches Naval Mission to Protect Red Sea Shipping

© Fotokon / Adobe Stock

The European Union launched on Monday a naval mission to the Red Sea "to restore and safeguard freedom of navigation" there.The "defensive maritime security operation", dubbed Eunavfor Aspides, comes after Iranian-aligned Houthi militants started attacking international shipping in the Red Sea in support of Palestinian militant group Hamas in its war with Israel."The European Union is responding swiftly to the necessity to restore maritime security and freedom of navigation in a highly strategic maritime corridor"…

20 Feb 2024

Techcross HYCHLOR 2.0 BWMS Earns USCG Type Approval

(Image: Techcross)

Techcross announced its filterless HYCHLOR 2.0 ballast water management system (BWMS) obtained type approval from the U.S. Coast Guard at the end of January 2024.Techcross' HYCHLOR 2.0 is an updated version of the company's  HYCHLOR 1.0 system, which received USCG type approval in 2020. Notably, the filter had been eliminated in the HYCHLOR 2.0 system.BMWS filters, which play a role in initially filtering out sediment in seawater, have been a source of many AS service issues due to clogging or maintenance troubles.While the absence of filters may raise concerns about disinfection capability…

20 Feb 2024

Taiwan Says China Triggered Panic by Boarding Tourist Boat

© Peter Hermes Furian / Adobe Stock

The boarding of a Taiwanese tourist boat by China's coast guard near sensitive frontline islands triggered "panic" among Taiwan's people, a government minister said on Tuesday, but Taiwan's military added it was not planning to get involved.Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory despite the island's rejection, has been wary of efforts by Beijing to ramp up pressure on Taipei following the election last month of Lai Ching-te as president, a man Beijing views as a dangerous…

19 Feb 2024

Potential Abolition of Danish International Ship Register Under Fire

© canaran / Adobe Stock

It is sad and worrying that the Frigast committee now proposes to scrap the Danish International Ship Register (DIS) scheme, says Danske Rederier (Danish Shipowners). The organization therefore makes a clear call to the government not to implement the proposal, as it will have major negative consequences for Danish shipping.The so-called Frigast committee published its recommendations for changes to the existing business support schemes this week. Among other things, the committee…

19 Feb 2024

African Union Bans Donkey Skin Trade

Source: The Donkey Sanctuary

African Heads of State have agreed a landmark moratorium on the donkey skin trade. The agreement was reached on February 18 during the 37th African Union Summit in Ethiopia.Over the last decade, Africa has seen its donkey population decimated due to Chinese demand for ejiao, a gelatine used in traditional Chinese medicine that is made from boiling down donkey skins. Believed to have unsubstantiated health benefits, demand for ejiao has obliterated China’s own donkey population…

19 Feb 2024

German Government Approves Military Participation in EU Red Sea Mission

(Photo: Yvonne Albert, courtesy Bundeswehr / Leon Rodewald)

The German government has approved the deployment of armed forces in a European Union naval mission in the Red Sea to protect merchant ships from attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia, a government spokesperson said on Friday.Many commercial shippers have diverted vessels following attacks by the Houthis, who control much of Yemen and say they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians as Israel and Hamas wage war in Gaza."The ongoing escalation of violence and the threat to life and limb of the crews of ships…

19 Feb 2024

Edison Chouest Withdraws Title XI Application

ECO Edison is being built at LaShip in Houma, La. for delivery in 2024 (Photo: Orsted)

An affiliate of Edison Chouest Offshore has withdrawn its application for financing under the U.S. Maritime Administration's (MARAD) Title XI program.Title XI is a government loan program with the Federal Financing Bank as the lender. It is intended to promote the growth and modernization of the United States' merchant fleet and shipyards by offering repayment terms and interest rates that are generally better than those available from the commercial lending market.ECO Edison…

18 Feb 2024

Tobago's Tourism, Fishing Hit by Oil Slick

Source: TEMA

Nine days after a slick was first spotted by Trinidad and Tobago's Coast Guard, an oil leak from a capsized barge remains unplugged, according to first responders and authorities, prompting nations across the Caribbean to coordinate a response.The spill has spread miles from Tobago's shore, the area first hit by the incident. Trinidad this week alerted neighbors Venezuela and Grenada on possible impact to their coasts.The Caribbean Disaster Management Agency, dependent on regional group Caricom…

18 Feb 2024

Houthis Claim Missile Attack on Oil Tanker

© momentscatcher / Adobe Stock

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis claimed responsibility on Saturday for an attack on the oil tanker M/T Pollux, which U.S. officials said the previous day had been hit by a missile."The naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a targeting operation against a British oil ship (Pollux) in the Red Sea with a large number of appropriate naval missiles," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement, adding the strikes "were accurate and direct".U.S. Central Command…

18 Feb 2024

China to Send Coast Guard Ships as Tensions Rise Over Taiwanese islands

© Peter Hermes Furian / Adobe Stock

China's coast guard said on Sunday it will strengthen its law enforcement activities and carry out regular patrols around a small group of Taiwanese-controlled islands off the Chinese coast as tensions rise over the deaths of two Chinese nationals.Taiwan on Thursday defended the actions of its coast guard after two people on a Chinese speedboat, which got too close to a frontline Taiwanese island, died when their boat overturned while trying to flee a coast guard ship.

16 Feb 2024

US Conducts Cyberattack on Suspected Iranian Spy Ship - Report

© WhataWin / Adobe Stock

The United States conducted a cyberattack recently against an Iranian military ship in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden that had been collecting intelligence on cargo vessels, NBC News reported on Thursday, citing three U.S. officials.The cyberattack took place a week ago as part of a government response to a drone attack by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq that killed three U.S. service members in Jordan late last month and wounded dozens of others, the report said.NBC reported…

15 Feb 2024

WSC Proposes Green Balance Mechanism

© Kalyakan / Adobe Stock

As the IMO prepares for negotiations on regulations to support net-zero by 2050 at MEPC 81 in March, the World Shipping Council (WSC) has proposed a greenhouse gas pricing mechanism it calls the Green Balance Mechanism.The aim is to provide a new approach to greenhouse gas pricing which makes it possible to close the price gap between fossil fuels and green fuels, at the lowest possible overall cost:• Through the Green Balance Mechanism, fees are taken from fossil fuels and allocated to green fuels used…

15 Feb 2024

Iran Will Reciprocate If Its Ships Are Seized, Official Says

© AUUSanAKUL+ / Adobe Stock

Iran will reciprocate if its ships are seized, the legal adviser to Iran's President told state media on Thursday, in response to a statement by the United States Department of Justice.This month, the Department of Justice issued a statement announcing the seizure of more than 500,000 barrels of Iranian fuel to clamp down on the "Revolutionary Guards' financing network"."If an Iranian ship is seized, we will reciprocate and the legal way is not closed in this regard," legal adviser Mohammad Dehghan said, adding that he was not able to confirm whether U.S.

15 Feb 2024

For Ferries to Go Green, Governments Will Need to Provide the Green

© jjfarq / Adobe Stock

Whether it is from international organizations or state government agencies, there is growing pressure on ferry operators to meet stringent goals to reduce the environmental toll from their operations.The California Air Resource Board’s Commercial Harbor Craft Regulation issued the most stringent of these policies, which requires all short-run ferries to achieve zero emission by January 1, 2026. But it’s not just California that wants this industry to clean up its act. The United…

14 Feb 2024

Video: Ukraine Says It Sunk a Russian Warship in the Black Sea

(Photo: Defense Ministry Ukraine)

Ukraine destroyed a Russian landing warship off the coast of occupied Crimea in an operation with naval drones that breached the vessel's port side on Wednesday and caused it to sink, Kyiv's military spy agency and armed forces said.There was no immediate comment from Russia, which said earlier that it had destroyed six drones in the Black Sea. The Kremlin declined to comment."The Ukrainian Armed Forces, together with the Defense Ministry's intelligence unit, destroyed the Tsezar Kunikov large landing ship.

13 Feb 2024

Coast Guard R&D Center Receives Auxiliary Integration Award

The photo shows 10-year Auxiliary member Steve Morowsky and 30-year member Aux Joe Romanowsky underway supporting an RDC research project focused on Private Aids to Navigation verification. Photo courtesy Auxiliarists David Thiede

The Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC), under the command of Capt. Michael Chien, has won the Commodore Viggo C. Bertelsen Jr. and Vice Admiral John P. Currier Auxiliary Integration Award in the category of Applied Innovation. The award was presented by Commander Steven Koch, who leads the Auxiliary (AUX) in New England, at a command all hands. The Auxiliary is the 25,000-member volunteer organization supporting the Coast Guard across 11 missions.Regional Auxiliary Commodore Michael West noted…

12 Feb 2024

US Spending $7 Million a Year to Maintain Yacht Seized from Russian Oligarch

Amadea (File photo: Sukkoria / CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED)

The U.S. government said it is spending more than $7 million a year to maintain a superyacht it seized from a sanctioned Russian oligarch, and urged a judge to let it auction the vessel before a dispute over its ownership is resolved.Authorities in Fiji seized the 348-foot (106-meter), $300 million Amadea in May 2022, pursuant to a U.S. warrant alleging it was owned by Suleiman Kerimov, a multibillionaire sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2014 and 2018 in response to Russia's activities in Syria and Ukraine.Efforts to auction the yacht are being challenged by Eduard Khudainatov…

12 Feb 2024

MARAD’s Title XI Changes: Good News for Offshore Wind?

© Maxim Khalansky / Adobe Stock

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) in December issued a final rule updating its financial requirements for the Federal Ship Financing Program, commonly referred to as Title XI. While the move applies to the U.S. maritime industry as a whole, it is seen as especially helpful for players looking to serve the U.S. offshore wind sector.Designed to promote the growth and modernization of the U.S. merchant marine and U.S. shipyards, Title XI provides for a full faith and credit guarantee by the U.S. government. The program essentially aims to encourage U.S.

12 Feb 2024

Philippines Accuses China of Dangerous Maneuvers Near Scarborough Shoal

(Photo: Philippine Coast Guard)

The Philippines' coast guard (PCG) on Sunday accused China of "dangerous and blocking" manoeuvres while its vessel patrolled near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea this month.Manila's coast guard said in a statement that on a nine-day patrol near the shoal by its 97-meter (318-foot) vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua, four Chinese coast guard (CCG) vessels had shadowed the boat more than 40 times.Four Chinese maritime militia vessels were also present near the shoal, the PCG said.Located within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ)…

11 Feb 2024

FMC Mulls Investigation into Suez and Panama Canal Impacts

© Pabkov / Adobe Stock

The US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) held an informal public hearing examining impacts from attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden on February 7.Opening the hearing, Commissioner Carl Bentzel, voiced concern about safe access through both the Suez and Panama Canals.“What is at stake is severe international economic disruption. The United States is still recovering from the aftershock of the pandemic induced supply chain disruption that that saw 30% increases…

11 Feb 2024

Russia Says it Foiled Ukrainian Drone Attack on Civilian Cargo Ships

© SerPhoto / Adobe Stock

Russia said on Saturday it had repelled an attempted Ukrainian drone attack on Russian "civilian transport ships" on Friday evening in the southwestern part of the Black Sea, a key artery for grain and oil exports from both countries.Civilian vessels on the Black Sea have not generally been targeted since Moscow ordered its troops into Ukraine in February 2022, but last July both sides said they would start treating ships headed to the other's ports as potential carriers of military cargo.In a statement posted on the Telegram messaging app…

11 Feb 2024

US Strikes Unmanned Surface Vessels Near Yemen

© Peter Hermes Furian / Adobe Stock

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Sunday its forces on Feb. 10 had carried out strikes on two unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and three anti-ship cruise missiles north of Yemen's port city of Hodeidah that were threatening ships in the area."CENTCOM identified these USVs and missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region," it added.(Reuters - Reporting by Nayera Abdallah, Editing by Edmund Blair)

09 Feb 2024

Steel Cutting Ceremony Held for Fifth NSMV

(Photo: California State University Maritime Academy)

Philly Shipyard on Friday held a keel laying ceremony for the fifth and final vessel in a series of new purpose built, state-of-the-art training ships for America’s state maritime academies.The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) new vessel program – known as National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMVs) – was designed to provide world-class training for America’s future mariners and to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions…

09 Feb 2024

Seaspan Builds ‘Prototype Block’ for Canadian Polar Icebreaker Program

(Photo: Seaspan)

Seaspan Shipyards announced it has completed construction of the ‘Prototype Block’ for the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) Polar Icebreaker program. Construction of this Prototype Block ensures that Seaspan has the proper processes, procedures, equipment and skills necessary to build the first heavy Polar Icebreaker in Canada in more than 60 years.Seaspan said it developed and built the Prototype Block to ensure that its production teams are fully prepared to cut steel on the Polar Icebreaker in late 2024.

09 Feb 2024

Kongsberg Discovery Wins US Navy DIU Contract

HUGIN Endurance, one of the newest members in the HUGIN AUV family, measures 39-ft. long and nearly 4-ft. in diameter, with a 15-day endurance. Image courtesy Kongsberg Discovery

Kongsberg Discovery announced a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) award to assist in the U.S. Navy’s Large Displacement Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (LDUUV) prototype.Kongsberg Discovery has been awarded a contract with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to rapidly deliver HUGIN Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) capabilities for the U.S. Military. The total contract  could result in the Navy acquiring HUGIN Endurance and HUGIN Superior deep-water AUV systems.HUGIN Endurance, one of the newest members in the HUGIN AUV family, measures 39-ft. long and nearly 4-ft.

09 Feb 2024

US to Establish National Offshore Wind Center of Excellence

© Andriy Sharpilo / Adobe Stock

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has set out plans to invest $4.75 million to establish a new national center of excellence to accelerate offshore wind deployment across the United States.The Academic Center for Reliability and Resilience of Offshore Wind (ARROW), led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst with approximately 40 partners, will focus on workforce development, targeted research, and partnerships and strategies to advance offshore wind development.As offshore…

08 Feb 2024

Littoral Combat Ship USS Kingsville Complete Acceptance Trials

(Photo: Austal USA)

Last week, on January 31, the future USS Kingsville (LCS 36) returned pier side after successfully completing acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico for the U.S. Navy, Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA announced.During acceptance trials, comprehensive testing is conducted on the ship’s major systems and equipment in order to demonstrate their successful operation and mission readiness. The U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey participates throughout the trials to validate…

07 Feb 2024

Denmark Primed to Become European CO2 Hub

© Dzmitry / Adobe Stock

With its new CCS-strategy, the European Commission has outlined a common direction for the capture, utilization, and storage of CO2 in the EU. The strategy highlights Denmark as a pioneer in the field, and Danish Shipping predicts that Denmark could play a central role.The strategy, named the "Industrial Carbon Management Strategy," sets the framework for the ambition to build an internal market for CO2, benefiting both the climate and employment. All measures are aimed at achieving…

07 Feb 2024

Sweden Ends Nord Stream Sabotage Probe

© guteksk7 / Adobe Stock

Sweden on Wednesday dropped its investigation into the explosions in 2022 on Nord Stream pipelines carrying Russian gas to Germany, saying it lacked jurisdiction in the case but had handed evidence it had uncovered over to German investigators.The multi-billion-dollar Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines transporting gas under the Baltic Sea were ruptured by a series of blasts in the Swedish and Danish economic zones in September 2022, releasing vast amounts of methane into the air.Russia and the West…

06 Feb 2024

Concern Raised that Australian Sheep Will be Re-Exported

Source: Michael Mondello

The Australian government refused a request by an Israeli livestock exporter to send a ship carrying around 14,000 sheep and hundreds of cattle on a month-long voyage around Africa to Israel earlier this week, but it left the way open for other options.The Bahijah sailed from Australia for Israel on January 5 but was recalled over a week into the voyage after diverting towards South Africa, unwilling to sail through the Red Sea.The ship has been docked in Fremantle port, Western Australia…

06 Feb 2024

European Shipowners Welcome EU Climate Target Proposal

© donvictori0 / Adobe Stock

The European Commission has published its proposal for a 2040 climate target: greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 90% by 2040 at the latest, receiving positive feedback from European shipowners.The shipowners welcome the strong commitment of the Commission to address “barriers to the deployment of low- and zero-emissions fuels including e-fuels and advanced biofuels” in shipping and to give the sector “priority access to these fuels over sectors that have access to other…

06 Feb 2024

Houthis Fire Missiles at Two Ships in Red Sea

© woodpencil / Adobe Stock

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Tuesday they had fired missiles at two vessels in the Red Sea, causing damage to the ships.The Houthis have been targeting commercial vessels with drones and missiles in the Red Sea since mid-November, in what they describe as acts of solidarity with Palestinians against Israel in the Gaza war.The group's military spokesman said it had fired naval missiles at the Star Nasia and Morning Tide, identifying the Marshall Islands and Barbados-flagged ships…

06 Feb 2024

Diplomacy Underway to Allow Houthis a 'Climbdown' from Attacks

Marshall Islands-flagged Marlin Luanda was struck by a Houthi missile in January (Photo: Indian Navy)

Diplomatic efforts are underway to try to find a "climbdown" for Yemen's Houthis, the special U.S. envoy to Yemen said in a video recording released on Tuesday, in an apparent reference to finding a face-saving solution to ending their attacks on ships in the Red Sea.U.S. Special Envoy Tim Lenderking recorded his comments on Friday for a think-tank conference before flying to Oman for talks on the crisis that has triggered retaliatory U.S. and British strikes against Houthi weapons sites.Oman has been a mediator with the Iran-aligned Houthis…

06 Feb 2024

Irish Naval Service Signs Up for Wärtsilä Optimized Maintenance Agreement

(Photo: Wärtsilä)

Wärtsilä announced it has signed a five-year Optimized Maintenance Agreement with the Irish Naval Service. The agreement, which covers four offshore patrol vessels (OPV), is designed to ensure operational reliability along with long-term cost predictability.“We have had good experience with Wärtsilä over the years, and we have great trust in their capabilities. This agreement will help us to achieve the level of efficiency and reliability that we aim for, which in turn will improve the environmental performance of these ships…

05 Feb 2024

ARC Adds Ninth US-flag RoRo Vessel to Its Fleet

(Photo: ARC)

American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group Inc. (ARC) added ARC Honor as the ninth American flag roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessel to its fleet.“This tremendously capable and flexible U.S.-flag ship is crewed by American merchant mariners and now operates in ARC’s global network supporting America’s national defense and economic security through trade,” said Eric Ebeling, ARC President & CEO. The vessel is ARC’s fourth large car/truck carrier (LCTC) vessel.The former Tulane was re-flagged to American registry and re-named the ARC Honor on February 2, 2024.

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