Florida News

The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), the national association representing the U.S. shipbuilding, maintenance, and repair industry, today announced its annual member safety awards for the 2025 calendar year. This year, 21 shipyards across Alabama, California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin are receiving awards for their achievements in safety.The following shipyards and repair facilities…

Special agents with the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), supported by multiple Coast Guard surface and aviation assets, seized the sailing vessel Soulmate approximately 40 nautical miles off the coast of Melbourne, Florida, as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into the disappearance of Lynette Hooker.The seizure was conducted during a complex surveillance and interdiction operation coordinated by CGIS and operational Coast Guard surface from Sector Miami and aviation assets from Air Station Miami.

As a vessel construction manager with extended building experience in both the U.S. and South Korea, more than several opportunities have landed on our desks as Private Equity and Venture Capital analyze tanker tonnage and construction in the domestic trades. With the understanding these requests are based upon the current Persian Gulf and Venezuela issues driving that market we should also pay attention to the 2027 Maritime budget that allocates $1.5 trillion dollars for overall National Security and $65.8 billion set aside for U.S. Navy Shipbuilding.

The future of shipbuilding and maritime competitiveness will be featured at the Maritime Risk Symposium 2026, hosted by the Institute for Homeland Security, Sam Houston State University. On June 2–3, 2026 at LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy and Technology in Pasadena, Texas, leaders from industry and academia will examine the strategy, workforce, investment, and partnerships needed to advance America’s maritime comeback.A new era in American shipbuilding is emerging, and the U.S. Gulf Coast stands at its center.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Resolute’s crew offloaded approximately 2,570 pounds of cocaine worth more than $19.3 million and transferred six suspected drug smugglers to federal authorities, Thursday, at Base Miami Beach.The seized contraband was the result of three interdictions in the Caribbean Sea by the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma and the crew of the USS Billings with an embarked Coast Guard law enforcement detachment.The following assets and crews were involved in the interdiction operations:USCGC TahomaUSS BillingsCoast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical SquadronU.S.

Saildrone has announced its newest platform, Spectre. At 52 meters (170 feet) long, weighing 250 tonnes, and capable of up to 30 knots, Spectre is a high-endurance USV designed to deliver multi-mission effects above and below the surface. Spectre’s design is engineered from the keel up for long-range, quiet, persistent operations.Spectre is Saildrone’s largest, fastest, and most capable platform to date.The US Navy is facing unprecedented challenges in maintaining maritime superiority across numerous regional hotspots simultaneously, says the company.

New U.S.-Flag coastwise registered tonnage was delivered into service April 18, 2026 by Alternative Marine Technologies (AMTECH) as Vessel Construction Managers. The ATB MAM 141 & Tug Battery Park departed Gulf Marine Repair of Tampa, Florida after completing a major conversion and reconstruction to chemical and petroleum service. The barge was refitted with a full stainless steel cargo system and cargo tanks coated with Advanced Polymer Coatings Marine Line 784. The coating application was reportedly the first job with the polymer completed in the United States…

President Donald Trump said on Sunday the U.S. Navy would start blockading the Strait of Hormuz, raising the stakes after marathon talks with Iran failed to reach a deal to end the war, jeopardizing a fragile two-week ceasefire.The U.S. Central Command said U.S. forces would begin implementing the blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports at 10 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) on Monday.It would be "enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas…

Port Tampa Bay welcomed a container vessel Thursday that set a new record for carrying capacity at the port. The ZIM Canada docked with 11,900 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), nearly 2,000 more than any vessel previously handled at the port. The arrival underscores the port’s growing role in handling larger, high-capacity container ships and highlights the importance of ongoing infrastructure investments.The ship, stretching 1,083 feet and measuring 158 feet wide, carries enough containers that…

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor joined Port Tampa Bay leadership to announce $10 million in federal funding to support the Tampa Harbor Navigation Improvement Project, an investment that will enhance navigation safety, expand cargo capacity and strengthen supply chains across Florida.The funding included $3 million secured by Rep. Castor through Fiscal Year 2026 community project funding requests to advance Phase 1 planning, engineering and design. In addition, Rep. Castor led the Florida Congressional Delegation in securing $7 million in general-use funding through the U.S.

For centuries, shipowners have fought a persistent enemy beneath the waterline: biofouling. Barnacles, algae, slime and other marine organisms attach themselves to hull surfaces, increasing hydrodynamic drag and reducing vessel efficiency. Traditionally, the fight against fouling relied on antifouling coatings, diver cleaning teams, and periodic drydock maintenance. But in the last decade, a new class of underwater robotics has begun to change that equation.Robotic hull-cleaning systems…

The future of shipbuilding and maritime competitiveness will be featured at the Maritime Risk Symposium 2026, hosted by the Institute for Homeland Security, Sam Houston State University. On June 2–3 at LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy and Technology in Pasadena, Texas, leaders from industry and academia will examine the strategy, workforce, investment, and partnerships needed to advance America’s maritime comeback.A new era in American shipbuilding is emerging—and the U.S. Gulf Coast stands at its center.

World Fuel Services and West Coast Clean Fuels have established a methanol bunkering capability for vessels across U.S. ports, following a pilot fuel delivery in South Florida.The companies said the over-the-water methanol bunkering operation demonstrated a scalable and regulatory-compliant solution that is now ready for wider deployment.The capability includes U.S. Coast Guard-approved procedures, trained personnel and purpose-built equipment, enabling shipowners and operators…

The International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA) is calling attention to the consequences of deregulation and competition in maritime pilotage:Maritime pilotage is a public, not commercial, service that exists for the safety of navigation — protecting people, the environment and trade, says IMPA. Some jurisdictions are tempted by the idea that deregulation and competition deliver a better service at a lower cost.IMPA believes decision-makers need to understand that deregulation…

President Donald Trump said on Sunday his administration is talking to seven countries about helping to secure the Strait of Hormuz amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, calling on them to help protect ships in the vital waterway that Tehran has mostly blocked to oil tanker traffic.With the conflict creating turmoil across the Middle East and shaking up global energy markets in its third week, Trump insisted that nations relying heavily on oil from the Gulf have a responsibility to protect the strait."I'm demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory…

U.S. officials responding to economic uncertainty over high oil prices predicted on Sunday that the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran would end within weeks and that a drop in energy costs would follow, despite Iran's assertion that it remains "stable and strong" and ready to defend itself.U.S. President Donald Trump threatened more strikes on Iran's main oil export hub Kharg Island over the weekend and said he was not ready to reach a deal to end the war which has shut off the vital Strait of Hormuz and shaken up global energy markets.Trump has said Iran wants to negotiate…

The U.S. Navy has refused near-daily requests from the shipping industry for military escorts through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war on Iran, saying the risk of attacks is too high for now, according to sources familiar with the matter.The Navy's assessments spell continued disruption to Middle East oil exports and reflect a divergence from President Donald Trump’s statements that the U.S. is prepared to provide naval escorts whenever needed to restart regular…

U.S. President Donald Trump is considering easing oil sanctions on Russia and releasing emergency crude stockpiles as part of a package of options aimed at curbing spiking global oil prices amid the Iran conflict, according to multiple sources.The deliberations reflect White House worries that the surge in oil prices following more than a week of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran will hurt U.S. businesses and consumers ahead of the November midterm elections, when Trump's fellow…

Boksa Marine Design (BMD), a full-service naval architecture and marine engineering firm based in Tampa, announced a strategic leadership transition and the opening of a new Fort Lauderdale, FL, office.After more than 20 years as Founder and President, Nick Boksa will transition into the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Senior Engineer. In this capacity, Boksa will focus on technical leadership, complex engineering initiatives, and guiding the firm’s long-term direction.Jeff Kuenning has been appointed President of BMD.

The U.S. Coast Guard has accepted delivery of the 62nd Fast Response Cutter, USCGC Vincent Danz (WPC 1162), in Key West.Danz was serving in the New York City Police Department, Emergency Services Unit, ESU Truck 3, when he responded to the World Trade Center as part of a massive emergency response and was killed when the World Trade Center collapsed. He was posthumously awarded the New York City Police Department’s Medal of Honor for his heroic deeds. His actions that day embodied the Coast Guard's core values of honor…

President Donald Trump denounced a clean energy agreement between the United Kingdom and California Governor Gavin Newsom hours after it was signed on Monday, Politico reported.In an interview with the outlet, Trump said it was "inappropriate" for Britain to be dealing with the Democratic governor. Trump, a Republican, also branded Newsom "a loser," saying "his state has gone to hell, and his environmental work is a disaster.”Newsom is an outspoken Trump critic and has publicly…

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to explore legal questions arising from the fraught history of U.S.-Cuban relations when it considers the scope of a 1996 law that lets U.S. nationals seek compensation for property confiscated by the communist-led Cuban government.The justices hear arguments on Monday in two cases centered on the federal law called the Helms-Burton Act, one involving U.S. oil major ExxonMobil and the other involving the cruise lines Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises.One of the law's provisions, called Title III, allows for lawsuits in U.S.

Cuban forces killed four people and wounded six others aboard a Florida-based speedboat that entered Cuban waters on Wednesday and opened fire on a Cuban patrol, the Cuban government said at a time of heightened tensions with the United States.The wounded were evacuated and receiving medical attention, while the Cuban patrol commander was also wounded, Cuba's Interior Ministry said in a statement, adding that the matter was under investigation to clarify exactly what happened.The highly unusual incident took place as the United States has blocked virtually all oil shipments to the island…