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Us Department Of Homeland Security News

25 Aug 2022

Port Canaveral to Add New Patrol and Pilot Boats

Photo of a security rapid response boat, similar to the vessel that will be  custom built for the Canaveral Port Authority (Photo: Life Proof Boats)

Port Canaveral will add a new security patrol vessel and a pilot boat after receiving federal grant funding for several projects to protect against terrorism and other security threats.The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded $472,500 in Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) funding to allow the Canaveral Port Authority (CPA) to purchase a new Security Rapid Response Boat. The vessel will be a 33-ft. “Life Proof” boat operated


17 Jun 2021

Port of Corpus Christi Buys New Police Boat

(Photo: PCCA)

The Port of Corpus Christi Authority (PCCA) has added a new patrol boat to its security force.The new 44-foot port security boat was purchased using a combination of Port Security Grant Program funds from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as well as matching funds from the PCCA. The new boat replaces one existing police vessel that has been in operation for more than a decade and had limitations when operating in severe sea states.

13 May 2021

Jones Act Waiver Granted to Valero After Colonial Shutdown

© Nightman1965 / Adobe Stock

U.S. refiner Valero Energy Corp was granted a Jones Act waiver, sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday, after a cyberattack shut the Colonial Pipeline late last week, creating a fuel crunch in several parts of the U.S. Southeast and Northeast.Jones Act waivers are a key way to ensure fuel supplies reach some of the hardest hit areas as pump prices continue to surge while Colonial begins to ramp up flows on its pipeline network that transports more than 2.5 million barrels of fuel every day.The Jones Act requires goods moved between U.S.

13 May 2021

U.S. Grants Jones Act Waiver to Company to Ease Fuel Supply Shortages after Cyber-attack on Pipeline

Credit: Jose Gil/AdobeStock

The U.S. government relaxed a long-standing maritime law protecting domestic shipping commerce to allow an undisclosed company to transport gasoline and diesel to ports in the East Coast after a cyberattack crippled the nation's largest fuel pipeline network.The Jones Act, implemented in 1920, requires goods moved between U.S. ports to be carried by ships built domestically and staffed by U.S. crews. The waiver will allow foreign vessels to ship petroleum products such as gasoline and diesel to the country from the Gulf Coast to U.S.

26 Jan 2021

Op/ed: Investing in America’s Critical Maritime Infrastructure

© jccain / Adobe Stock

Congress recently made a major, if little noticed, new investment in American infrastructure. As part of the year-end budget deal, lawmakers released $10 billion that had been locked away in the Harbor Maintenance Tax Trust Fund to be used for its intended purpose: dredging U.S. harbors to keep our ports open and support U.S. economic and national security.Maritime infrastructure is an indispensable national asset, which is why the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recognizes the Maritime Transportation System (MTS) as one of the seven critical subsectors within the transportation system.

06 Jul 2020

Selecting Crew Comms for High-speed Craft

(Photo: David Clark Company)

Headset communications on board workboats in harsh marine environments are subject to a variety of challenges: background noise from loud engines and high wind turbulence around the microphone and the highly corrosive salt and spray in marine environments. On board rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB) and high-speed craft (HSC) that pound through rough waters at 60 knots – including a variety of patrol boats and interceptor/interdiction vessels – critical communication can be rendered all but impossible.

20 Mar 2020

Dredging: Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce

(Photo: Dredging Contractors of America)

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released guidance to help state and local jurisdictions and the private sector identify and manage their essential workforce while responding to COVID-19.The Dredging Contractors of America (DCA) helped the federal government develop this first-of-a-kind guidance on Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers.“This is why Government Coordinating Councils and Sector Coordinating Councils are so important.

10 Mar 2020

HII Promotes Boudreaux

Chad N. Boudreaux (Photo: HII)

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced Tuesday that Chad N. Boudreaux has been appointed executive vice president and chief legal officer, effective April 1, 2020. Current Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Kellye Walker recently announced her decision to pursue another opportunity, and she will depart HII on March 31.Boudreaux is currently the corporate vice president for litigation and chief compliance and privacy officer for HII. As executive vice president and chief legal officer, Boudreaux will report to HII President and CEO Mike Petters.

18 Oct 2019

Coast Guard Issues RFI for Offshore Patrol Cutter

On October 18 the U.S. Coast Guard issues a Request for Information (RFI) for information and planning purposes only.On October 10, 2019, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security approved and granted extraordinary relief to Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc., on its OPC contract, for up to four hulls as a result of the impact of Hurricane Michael (DHS & USCG press releases are available at the following links: https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Assistant-Commandant-for-Acquisitions-CG-9/Newsroom/Latest-Acquisition-News/Article/1987279/department-of-homeland-security-approves-limited-extraordinary-relief-for-offsh/ and https://www.dhs.gov/news/2019/10/11/dhs


30 Aug 2019

Long Beach Port Gets Federal Grant

The  U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has given the Port of Long Beach $4.8 million to improve cyber-security.According to a press release from the second-busiest container port in the United States, FEMA Port Security Grant financing was announced earlier this month and will pay to upgrade the Port’s cameras and sensors, and continue its investment in fiber and wireless networks.“Securing the Port requires state-of-the-art technology to monitor activities on land, on the water and below the water,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero.“This grant will help us enhance our domain awareness and maintain our readiness to protect the harbor


27 Jun 2019

Shipping Companies: Is Bigger Better?

© Julien/Adobe Stock

“If consolidation was the solution to all that ails shipping, then container liner companies would be super profitable. They are not. In ‘commoditized’ sectors of the shipping industry, which by now includes pretty much everything apart from very small niche markets, there is hardly any economies of scale at the company level. As long as bigger is not in fact much better, then meaningful consolidation will not happen.”Dr. Roar Adland, visiting scholar at MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics and Professor at the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH).Like any other business


30 Apr 2019

OOIL Sells Long Beach Terminal for $1.8bln

Hong Kong-based Orient Overseas International Ltd. (OOIL) said that it will sell Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT) to a consortium led by Australia’s Macquarie Group for $1.78 billion.OOIL, which is majority-owned by Cosco Shipping Holdings, was the terminal operator under a lease agreement with the port. It has entered into a Sale and Purchase Agreement to sell 100% of LBCT  to the consortium led by Macquarie Infrastructure Partners (MIP). LBCT LLC operates the container terminal in the Port of Long Beach, California, United States.The sale is undertaken pursuant to the National Security Agreement entered into by OOIL, Faulkner Global Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of COSCO SHIPPING Holdings Co., Ltd, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S.

12 Mar 2019

ABS, SecurityGate Partner for Integrated Platform

ABS Advanced Solutions has announced a partnership with SecurityGate to provide enhanced cyber risk analysis to the maritime market.The effort integrates the ABS proprietary FCI Cyber Risk Methodology into the award-winning SecurityGate SaaS platform, further solidifying the ABS maritime cyber security leadership. The resulting dashboard provides an instant shared view, illustrating the degree of cyber risk across assets, operations and critical suppliers. “ABS is the global leader in marine and offshore cyber security. This partnership with SecurityGate takes us to the next level,” said Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman, President and CEO.

17 Jan 2019

ABS, Fleet Management Join Force on Cybersecurity

Global provider of classification and technical advisory services to the marine and offshore industries ABS Advanced Solutions and Hong Kong-headquartered Fleet Management Limited signed an agreement to implement the ABS industry-leading cyber security solution for Fleet Management’s 220-vessel liquid cargo fleet.“Fleet Management Limited is one of the world’s leading ship management firms, and their decision to select the ABS FCI Cyber Risk model underlines its position as an industry leader,” said Russell Medeiros, Vice President, ABS Advanced Solutions.“Working together, we will provide a comprehensive cyber security solution to assist in ensuring compliance with the International Maritime Organization (IMO)


14 Dec 2018

LRAUV: Arctic Oil-Spill-Mapping Robot Put to the Test

An artist’s depiction of LRAUV under sea ice. Using photo-chemical sensors, the robot scans the density of a billowing cloud of oil coming from an ocean floor well. The red and yellow objects are parts of a communication system consisting of antennas suspended under ice from a buoy installed on top of the ice.  Graphic by ADAC.

As commercial shipping and energy activities picks up in the Arctic region, the prospect of accidental oil spills in this pristine environment remain a concern. In response, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is taking the lead – through the U.S. Coast Guard – to develop a subsea robotic system to map and report on spills.“Because of ice coverage and the tyranny of distance, it is difficult to get resources and assets up in the Arctic in a quick manner,” said Kirsten Trego, Executive Director of the Coast Guard’s Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research.

26 Nov 2018

Shrinking Arctic Sea Ice Raises Security Concerns

Shrinking ice cover is making the Arctic more accessible to various countries, commercial entities and researchers, among others."While Arctic sea ice continues to shrink, human activity in the region is only growing. Ice extent, which is monitored by the U.S. National Ice Center (USNIC), often determines what types of activities are pursued in the region," says NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS).This increased human activity in the Arctic has also led to more national security concerns from both a traditional and non-traditional point of view. For the U.S., national security in the Arctic is more than just shielding the nation from potential threats to the northern border.Instead, the nation is starting to look at Arctic security more broadly.

16 Oct 2018

FLIR Systems Awarded $9.9m USCG Contract

Photo courtesy of FLIR

FLIR Systems, Inc. announced it has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in support of the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) Second Generation Automatic Identification System (AIS-2) program.The indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract has a ceiling value of $9.9 million to provide second-generation Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders, associated peripherals, and spare parts for nearly 1,774 boats and 282 cutters in


05 Jun 2018

ABS Takes a New Approach to Cyber Risk

(Image: ABS)

New approach applies data-driven decisions to produce actionable insight into cyber risksABS announced it has developed a new methodology to measure cyber security risk associated with operational technology, providing marine and offshore clients a calculated risk index for vessels, fleets and facilities. The index quantifies cyber security risk and gives owners and operators an actionable strategy to reduce cyber risk on board a vessel.Until now, cyber risk assessment methods were largely qualitative, characterizing risk based on threats, vulnerabilities and consequences.

19 Jul 2017

DHS Custom Passenger Ferry Launched

Photo: Gulfstream Shipbuilding

Gulfstream Shipbuilding launched a custom passenger/vehicle ferry for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on July 12, 2017. This 118 x 27 x 10.75 ft. crew boat-style vessel will be delivered in the fall 2017 to service the New York and Connecticut waters. The aluminum ferry will service the DHS Directorate of Science and Technology Plum Island Animal Disease Center in Orient Point, NY. The vessel is capable of transporting passengers, freight and vehicles in and around the waters of the Eastern Long Island Sound and Gardiner’s Bay.

24 Jul 2017

New Multi-mission Patrol Boat for Montauk, NY

(Photo: Silver Ships)

A new 38-foot multi-mission patrol boat for Montauk, N.Y. will be officially dedicated during a “splash down” ceremony on July 26. Delivered by aluminum boat builder Silver Ships, Inc., the vessel is a multi-agency, multi-mission vessel designed for emergency response and patrol within the Montauk Harbor. The vessel was garnered through the collaborative efforts of the Montauk Fire Department, the East Hampton Town Police Department, East Hampton Town Marine Patrol and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

04 Oct 2017

Foss Joins FEMA's Hurricane Relief Operations

(Photo: Foss Maritime Company)

Foss Maritime Company said it has contracted with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support the relief and rebuilding efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands following Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria. Three accommodation vessels are being utilized and will serve as floating hotels, providing safe housing and warm meals for responders. With these vessels, Foss will be able to help feed and temporarily house 729 people.

20 Oct 2017

Rob Nakama: From USCG to Foss Maritime

Rob Nakama (Photo: Saltchuk)

Just two weeks after accepting the U.S. Coast Guard’s congratulations on a military career spanning almost three decades, Rob Nakama drove from Washington D.C. to Seattle to join Foss Maritime as the company’s Manager of Contingency Planning and Emergency Response. “I’ve been in the military for the majority of my life; the transition has been surreal,” he said. Nakama was born in Hawaii, growing up on the island of Maui as the son of a taro farmer who worked for the Aloha Poi Factory.

20 Feb 2018

Silver Ships Hires Lobree as Federal Contracts Manager

Shawn Lobree (Photo: Silver Ships)

Silver Ships, Inc. announced the hiring of Shawn Lobree, a recently retired U.S. Navy captain, as Federal Contracts Manager. Lobree has more than 25 years of military experience in maritime operations, human resources, information technology, shipbuilding and repair. His skillset will help give Silver Ships military customers a seamless contract and build process experience. In addition to his service in the Navy, Lobree’s career has included working as a maritime and defense consultant and assistant to a shipbuilding supervisor.