Government & Military News

The UK Ministry of Defense has awarded £3.95 billion (currently ~$4,81 billion) of funding to BAE Systems for the next phase of the UK's next-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine program, known as SSN-AUKUS.According to BAE Systems, SSN-AUKUS will be the largest, most powerful, and most advanced attack submarine the Royal Navy has ever operated and will eventually replace the Astute class, which BAE Systems builds at its site in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.The funding follows the AUKUS announcement in March by the leaders of Australia, the UK and the United States.

Taiwan unveiled its first domestically developed submarine on Thursday, a major step in a project aimed at strengthening the island's defense and deterrence against the Chinese navy, though it won't enter service for another two years.Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has made the indigenous submarine program a key part of an ambitious project to modernize its armed forces as Beijing stages almost daily military exercises to assert its sovereignty.President Tsai Ing-wen…

The IMO’s commitment to the preservation of the marine environment is being highlighted on World Maritime Day, September 28, 2023, with the theme "MARPOL at 50 – Our commitment goes on."This year sees the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), the primary global treaty for the prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from intentional, operational or accidental causes.IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim notes that achievements have already made in regulating to protect ocean health…

The U.S. Navy's first Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125) departed HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division Tuesday. DDG 125 will be commissioned October 7, 2023 at a ceremony in Tampa, Fla., before sailing to its homeport in San Diego.“Watching Jack H. Lucas sail away is a proud moment for our entire DDG shipbuilding team,” Ingalls Shipbuilding DDG Program Manager Ben Barnett said. “Our shipbuilders will follow this first Flight III destroyer…

U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro on Tuesday called for a “new maritime statecraft” to prevail in an era of intense strategic competition.During remarks at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Secretary Del Toro stated that maritime statecraft, in a broad sense, encompasses not only naval diplomacy, but a national, whole-of-government effort to build comprehensive U.S. and allied maritime power, both commercial and naval.“Our new maritime statecraft should be bold…

The Philippines on Sunday accused China's coast guard of installing a "floating barrier" in a disputed area of the South China Sea, saying it prevented Filipinos from entering and fishing in the area.Manila's coast guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources "strongly condemn" China's installation of the barrier in part of the Scarborough Shoal, Commodore Jay Tarriela, a coast guard spokesperson, posted on the X social media platform, formerly Twitter.The barrier blocking fishermen from the shoal was depriving them of their fishing and livelihood activities…

American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group Inc. (ARC) President and CEO Eric P. Ebeling was appointed by President Joe Biden to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy’s Board of Visitors.The Board of Visitors provides independent advice and recommendations concurrently to the President of the United States, the Secretary of Transportation, Congress, and Superintendent of the Academy on matters related to the state of morale and discipline, curriculum, instruction, physical equipment, fiscal affairs…

Taiwan hopes to deploy at least two new, domestically developed submarines by 2027, and possibly equip later models with missiles, to strengthen deterrence against the Chinese navy and protect key supply lines, the head of the program said.Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has made the indigenous sub program a key part of an ambitious project to modernise its armed forces as Beijing stages almost daily military exercises to assert its sovereignty.President Tsai Ing-wen…

Laser Weapon Demonstrator (LWD) trials onboard the German frigate Sachsen have successfully been completed, following on from the integration of the LWD in June 2022, MBDA, a multi-national European group specializing in the field of complex weapon system.The High-Energy Laser Naval Demonstrator Working Group (or ARGE), consisting of MBDA Deutschland GmbH and Rheinmetall, is responsible for development and construction of the LWD, and for supporting the trials that were planned and organized by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment…

HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division authenticated the keel on Wednesday for the America-class amphibious ship Fallujah (LHA 9).The ship’s sponsor, Donna Berger, former first lady of the Marine Corps and spouse of Gen. David H. Berger, 38th commandant of the Marine Corps, was in attendance to declare the keel “truly and fairly laid.”During the authentication ceremony, Ingalls welder Seveta Gray welded the initials of the sponsor onto a ceremonial keel plate that will remain with…

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded nearly $12 million in grants to eight marine highway projects across the nation under the United States Marine Highway Program (USMHP). The funding will improve the movement of goods along our navigable waterways and expand existing waterborne freight services in Alaska, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin, which will strengthen supply chains and ultimately cut costs for consumers.“Our country has always relied on American waterways to get vital goods where they need to go,” said U.S.

On a windswept island 50 miles north of Seattle sits a U.S. Navy monitoring station. For years, it was kept busy tracking whale movements and measuring rising sea temperatures. Last October, the Navy gave the unit a new name that better reflects its current mission: Theater Undersea Surveillance Command.The renaming of the spy station at the Whidbey Island naval base is a nod to a much larger U.S. military project, according to three people with direct knowledge of the plans:…

The Brazilian Navy said on Tuesday it had seized 3.6 metric tons of cocaine on a boat off the coast of northeastern Pernambuco state, in the largest single off-shore capture of the drug by Brazil.In a statement, the Navy said it had captured a small motor boat used for transporting people and cargo along the coast with five crew members heading to Africa.

Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Carlos Del Toro announced that a future John Lewis-class oiler, T-AO 205-class, will be named after American abolitionist and social activist Harriet Tubman.SECNAV Del Toro made the announcement during an Emancipation Celebration at Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center in Church Creek, Md. National Park Service Director Chuck Sams, who is also a U.S. Navy veteran, joined Secretary Del Toro for the announcement at the park.The future…

The United States is boosting access to commercial products tankers as part of a security drive to safeguard oil shipping for its armed forces in times of crisis, a top Department of Transportation (DOT) official said.The U.S. flagged commercial fleet comprises a few dozen tankers with the majority involved in domestic trade and there has been concern over possible disruptions to the U.S. economy if those vessels were sought for use by the military, according to a Department of…

A&P and Cammell Laird have been awarded contracts by BAE Systems to build units for the U.K. Royal Navy’s Type 26 Frigates.The advanced anti-submarine warfare vessels are being constructed at BAE Systems’ site in Govan, Scotland, but will incorporate units built by both A&P and Cammell Laird.A&P Tyne has built four lower units for Ship No3, HMS Belfast Ship 3, all of which were delivered earlier this year.

The European Commission said on Friday that it would not extend a ban on imports of Ukrainian grains into Ukraine's five EU neighbors due to expire on Friday."It has concluded that thanks to the work of the Coordination Platform and to the temporary measures introduced on 2 May 2023, the market distortions in the 5 Member States bordering Ukraine have disappeared," the European Commission said in a statement.Restrictions imposed by the European Union in May allowed Poland, Bulgaria…

A dynamic era in naval oceanography recently ended as the iconic Floating Instrument Platform — popularly known as FLIP — was officially retired from service.Built in 1962 with funding from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), FLIP helped generations of scientists and oceanographers better understand the mysteries of the sea, including internal waves, air-sea interaction and long-range sound propagation. Sadly, age and exorbitant life-extension costs resulted in the platform being disestablished.On Aug.

Naval forces of Iran's Revolutionary Guards have in recent days seized two Panama-flagged ships smuggling a total of 1.5 million liters of fuel, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Thursday.The two ships had 37 crew members in all from various countries, and were seized on their way out of Iran, it added.(Reuters - Reporting by Elwely Elwelly; editing by Mark Heinrich)

Roger Wicker, a U.S. Senator from Mississippi, urged Acting Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa M. Franchetti to focus on shipbuilding and the expansion of the nation's naval forces.Wicker, the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, on Thursday led a full committee hearing examining the nomination of Franchetti to become the next Chief of Naval Operations.In his remarks, Wicker observed that China’s naval buildup and the United States’ shrinking Navy leave our…

A luxury cruise ship that ran aground this week in a remote part of Greenland with 206 people on board was pulled free by a fishing trawler on Thursday.The Ocean Explorer cruise vessel had been stuck since Monday in mud and silt in the Alpefjord national park, some 1,400 km (870 miles) northeast of Greenland's capital Nuuk."We have just successfully become free now. ...

The Philippines Coast Guard has awarded a contract to OXE Marine’s exclusive distributor in the Philippines, Dynamic Power Marine and Industrial Hardware in partnership with DM8 Composites, to procure 40 high-speed vessels equipped with twin OXE300 outboards. As a result of the awarded contract, Dynamic Power will supply 80 engines to equip the high-speed vessels to support operations all over the Philippines.The vessels will be built by DM8 Composites, a FRP boat builder in the Philippines.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced it has selected the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) to conduct a study that will help the agency create its new national maritime strategy.CNA is an independent, nonprofit Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) sponsored by the Department of the Navy with expertise in researching sealift needs for national security.MARAD is required under the National Defense Authorization Act of 2023 to select an FFRDC to identify the key elements and objectives it needs to develop a U.S.

Companies from across the U.K. maritime sector and numerous government departments are coming together to develop a vision for making the country a global center of excellence for cruise lines looking to repair and refit their vessels.Britain’s maritime engineering industry already feeds into the cruise industry but sees significant untapped economic opportunity within the £2.36 billion global market for cruise ship refit and repair, particularly as demand for cruises rebounds…

The US Coast Guard has issued an interim final rule on mandated requirements for DUKW amphibious passenger vessels and requested comments.The statutory mandate was enacted after the sinking of the Stretch Duck 7 on July 19, 2018, which resulted in the loss of 17 lives on Table Rock Lake, Missouri.More than seven hours prior to the accident, the National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the area, followed by a severe thunderstorm warning a minute before the vessel departed the passenger boarding facility.

Norway and Germany are setting a new standard for allied cooperation by becoming the first countries to build and operate identical submarines.Norway has opened what it claims is the world’s most modern production facility for conventional submarines, and production has started for a modern conventional submarine, the 212CD.Norway’s Minister of Defence Bjørn Arild Gram said the first of the new submarines will be delivered to Norway in 2029. The contracts cover the acquisition…

UK-based Submarine Manufacturing and Products (SMP) will provide its new submarine rescue system (SRS) to the Indonesian Navy.The SRS will be hosted on a mothership designed by independent design and engineering consultancy Houlder and delivered by its Indonesian strategic partner, BTI Defence.The three-year build contract will include the UK design and manufacture of the SRS, centered around SMP's new SRV-F Mk3 rescue submersible. The custom build of the mothership will take place in region…

The U.S Coast Guard has awarded Vigor Alaska, a Titan company, a $3.65 million contract to perform maintenance and repairs on U.S. Coast Guard Cutter John McCormick at the Ketchikan Shipyard.Work on the project begins this week and will cover comprehensive maintenance and repair of the vessel. After USCGC John McCormick is dry docked, the team at Ketchikan Shipyard will inspect the hull plating, conduct maintenance on the ship's propulsion system and renew hull coatings, as well as several other key maintenance and repair operations.

The German government is considering taking a minority stake in Thyssenkrupp's warship division Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said during a visit to Kiel on Tuesday.The consideration process would take until the end of the year, Pistorius said, according to a defense ministry spokesperson.Thyssenkrupp is looking for a standalone future for TKMS, which builds submarines and frigates, and has mentioned a listing, partial sale, merger or joint venture as possibilities to reach its goal.Last week, a leading worker representative told Reuters that Berli

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released its report into the collision between a general cargo vessel and a split hopper barge in the Bornholmsgat traffic separation scheme off Sweden that resulted in the loss of two lives.The UK registered general cargo vessel Scot Carrier and the Denmark registered split hopper barge Karin Høj collided, resulting in the capsize of the barge and the loss of its two crew on 13 December 2021.Safety issues identified in the…

The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) has been decommissioned after less than eight years of naval service.The U.S. Navy has been scrapping its fleet of littoral combat ships—including both its Freedom and Independence variants. The latest to get the axe, USS Milwaukee, was decommissioned in Mayport, Fla. on September 8.During the ceremony guest speaker, Vice Adm. Dirk Debbink (USN, Ret), former chairman of Milwaukee’s commissioning committee wished…

Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Uruguay have urged Argentina to stop applying tolls for ships and barges carrying grains and other exports, saying it restricts navigation on a key river channel.The four countries issued a joint statement late on Sunday blasting as "unilateral and arbitrary" Argentina's decision to seize a barge from Mercurio Group, a Paraguayan shipping company, to collect a toll, adding its actions could affect supply and prices.The barge was released on Monday after paying the toll, a company spokesperson told local radio.Argentine authorities say tolls on the Paraguay-Parana

Britain on Monday accused Russia of targeting a civilian cargo ship at port in the Black Sea on Aug. 24 in a previously unconfirmed missile attack it said was successfully thwarted by Ukrainian defences.Ukraine has been making efforts to allow vessels stranded in Odesa port since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict to sail into open waters after the collapse of the UN-backed Black Sea grains corridor.The remarks, made in Britain's parliament by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, are the first time an official has commented on a ship being targeted since those Ukrainian efforts began. Since Aug.

Over the past year North Korea has moved to boost its navy with new nuclear weapons, including an underwater drone, warships, and its first operational missile submarine, unveiled on Friday.North Korea's navy has historically been dwarfed by the country's land forces, and overshadowed by its rapidly advancing ballistic missile program.Now, leader Kim Jong Un has said the navy will play a key role in the country's nuclear deterrence, and analysts say it may also assure support among naval commanders and boost national pride."Until quite recently…

The Philippines condemned China's coast guard and "maritime militia" on Friday for what it described as "illegal, aggressive and destabilising" behaviour towards its boats during a routine rotation and resupply mission in the South China Sea.Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos said that despite the Chinese actions supplies were delivered on Friday to Philippine troops stationed on a warship that had been deliberately grounded on an uninhabited atoll more than two decades ago to support a sovereignty claim in the disputed Spratly Islands.The Philippines task force for the South China Sea…

The U.S. on Friday divulged it disrupted in April a multimillion-dollar shipment of crude oil by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, seizing more than 980,000 barrels of contraband crude oil that violated U.S. sanctions.In April, Reuters reported that the U.S. confiscated cargo onboard tanker Suez Rajan, which was carrying Iranian oil at sea. The U.S. statement on Friday confirmed and fleshed out details of the story which cited sources.The "illicit sale and transport of Iranian oil" violated sanctions targeting Iran, the U.S.

Four former U.S. Navy officers charged in a massive bribery scandal linked to the man known as Fat Leonard were cleared of felony charges on Wednesday by a judge citing prosecutor misconduct.U.S. District Judge Janis Sammartino said in a sentencing hearing that prosecutors' conduct "can only be described as outrageous," the San Diego Union-Tribune reported from the courthouse. After the felony charges were cleared, the four former officers each pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor with only a $100 fine as punishment…

Pilot groups and port authorities have worked together to grow East Coast ports in a safe and environmentally responsible way. This growth has happened under strict safety and environmental regulations, including seasonal vessel speed regulations imposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to protect North Atlantic right whales (NARW). Last year, however, without sufficient scientific or economic impact data, NOAA proposed radical changes to these regulations.

Shipbuilder Austal USA was awarded a $91,535,551 fixed-price incentive and firm-fixed-price type modification to definitize a previously awarded contract for the detail design and construction of three Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1700 class craft.The contract also includes options for nine additional craft and associated support efforts."Austal USA is honored to be able to build this important connector for the U.S. Navy,” commented Dave Growden, vice president of new construction projects.

The United Nations Convention on the International Effects of Judicial Sales of Ships (also known as the Beijing Convention) was signed by 15 nations and regions at a signing ceremony in Beijing on September 5, 2023.Signatories were: China, Burkino Faso, Comoros, El Salvador, Grenada, Honduras, Kiribati, Liberia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Switzerland and Syria. It will come into force when it is ratified by three state parties. The Convention…

The Royal Thai Navy has taken delivery of the new tug H.T.M.S. Ta Chai built by Asian Marine Services PCL. The vessel, having already undergone sea trials, was officially handed over on August 21.The newly completed RAmparts 3200-SD tug was designed by Canada's Robert Allan Ltd. to serve the navy’s surface ships and submarines.The design features a slightly wider hull form with improved features compared to two RAmparts 3200 tugs delivered to the Royal Thai Navy in 2017 and 2019…

Australia’s Victorian Government is backing a new feasibility study that could see Portland become home to one of Australia’s first green shipping fuel production hubs.Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing announced the new study for a renewable fuel manufacturing hub in the portside city, with A$500,000 invested through the Labor Government’s Portland Diversification Fund.The feasibility study will be led by Portland H2 – a subsidiary of HAMR Energy – towards establishing a plant converting plantation forestry residue to green methanol.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday that an independent inquiry has found no evidence that a Russian ship had collected weapons from the country late last year destined for Russia.In claims that sparked a diplomatic row, the U.S. ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, told local journalists in a May briefing that Russian cargo ship Lady R had uploaded weapons at a naval base near Cape Town in December.The U.S. accusations raised questions over South Africa's…

U.S. Army Mariners assigned to 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) aboard the LCU 2032 Palo Alto rescued an overboard fisherman 10 miles off the western coast of Obi Island, Indonesia Sept. 1, 2023.Sgt. Seth Leonard, a watercraft engineer, was on the bridge of the ship when he observed the typical calm waters in the path of the ship were more active than usual.“I noticed what looked like someone waving their arms, which is the signal for distress in water,” said Leonard.

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility employees and ship’s force worked together to repair the anchor windlass on USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in about a third of the time it took previously.The anchor windlass is comprised of motors, gears and other parts responsible for the controlled lowering and raising of the chain and anchor, which can weigh up to 200,000 pounds on a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. It's a difficult job that requires much planning and complicated execution.According to Shawn Carragher and Zac Malone…

Algeria's defense ministry said on Sunday its coastguard fired warning shots before firing directly at a man on a jet ski who entered Algerian waters, in an incident that a survivor said left two dead.The incident took place on Tuesday after five men strayed into Algerian waters on jet skis near the Moroccan coastal resort of Saidia on Algeria's border, according to Mohamed Kissi, who said he survived the shooting.Algeria's defense ministry released its version of events in a statement on Sunday. "After multiple attempts, shots were fired on a jet ski," the ministry said.

Major naval drills about to start in the Baltic Sea involving some 30 ships and more than 3,000 Western service members will for the first time practice how to respond to a Russian assault in the region, Germany's navy chief said on Friday."We are sending a clear message of vigilance to Russia: Not on our watch," Vice-Admiral Jan Christian Kaack told reporters in Berlin. "Credible deterrence must include the ability to attack."The two-week Northern Coasts exercise, set to start Sep 9…

Four years after the fire aboard the Conception dive boat claimed 34 lives, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) renewed its call for the U.S. Coast Guard to require safety management systems (SMS) for passenger vessels. The recommendation, which the NTSB reissued following its investigation of the September 2, 2019, fire aboard the Conception, remains open.NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy sent a letter to the Coast Guard Commandant today emphasizing the need to issue the…

The Canadian Coast Guard's newest search and rescue (SAR) lifeboat has officially entered service at the Lifeboat Station in Burgeo, Newfoundland and Labrador.Built by Hike Metal Products in Wheatley, Ontario under Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy, the high-endurance CCGS Gabarus Bay is designed, equipped and crewed to respond to mariners needing assistance at sea.In December 2022, CCGS Gabarus Bay was the 13th SAR lifeboat accepted by the Government of Canada and was delivered to Burgeo in April 2023.

During a seven-week Arctic transit aboard the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker USCGC Healy (WAGB 20), researchers from the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) will study the impact of the extreme environment on crew performance and potential mitigations, as well as advanced Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies in adverse sea conditions.The studies, which commenced with Healy’s departure from Kodiak, Alaska on Aug. 26, will be led by principal investigator Dr. Nita Shattuck, a professor in the NPS Operations Research (OR) department.

Damen Digital Solutions and the British Royal Navy's innovation programme NavyX have announced a collaboration on the development of new solutions to enhance maritime operations based on the Damen Triton data platform.Damen will provide NavyX with its industry-leading Triton remote monitoring system and perform associated data collection. Damen delivered a digital twin model of the Damen Fast Crew Supplier (FCS) 4008 XV Patrick Blackett that the shipbuilder delivered to NavyX in July 2022.

Birdon America announced it has selected  Coden, Ala. shipbuilder Master Boat Builders to build the superstructures for the U.S. Coast Guard's Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) program.In 2022, Birdon was awarded a contract worth up to $1.187 billion to design and build up to 27 new vessels under the WCC program, including 16 River Buoy Tenders (WLR) and 11 Inland Construction Tenders (WLIC). The vessels will be constructed within a 10-year period commencing with an 18-month design finalization period.Birdon had previously tapped Louisiana-based Bollinger Shipyards to build the hulls…

VIKING Norsafe Life-saving Equipment HELLAS has secured orders from Greece’s Ministry of Shipping & Island Policy to deliver 31 patrol boats and three high-speed boats to the Hellenic Coast Guard. The orders, covered in three separate contracts with the VIKING Life-saving Equipment subsidiary, are part of an EU-backed Hellenic Coast Guard procurement program which was initiated four years ago.Two of the contracts cover 31 boats based on VIKING Norsafe’s proven Munin S1200 hull form, with the design adapted to meet client requirements.

At least 30 commercial ships dropped anchor on Wednesday around Gabon's waters after military officers said they had seized power in the Central African country, according to data and maritime sources.Military officers in oil-producing Gabon said they had put President Ali Bongo under house arrest, after the country's election body announced that he had won a third term.

Lloyd’s Register has reminded the industry that the Member Authorities of the Paris and Tokyo Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on Port State Control (PSC) are launching a joint Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on fire safety from September 1 to November 30, 2023.The Member Authorities of the Black Sea Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control and the Member Authorities of the Acuerdo Vina Del Mar 1992 are concurrently also launching a CIC.The purpose of the campaign…

Bollinger Shipyards announced it has christened the USNS Navajo (T-ATS 6), the lead vessel of the U.S. Navy’s new Navajo-class of towing, salvage and rescue (T-ATS) ships.During a ceremony on Saturday, Arlando Teller, Assistant Secretary for Tribal Affairs, U.S. Department of Transportation, served as keynote speaker, joined ship sponsor Jocelyn Billy as she broke a ceremonial bottle of sparkling wine across the bow of the new vessel.“This isn’t just any ship; it's the first of its kind.

Tech company Leidos was recently awarded a new task order by Naval Sea Systems Command to manage, operate and maintain the U.S. Navy’s Overlord and medium unmanned surface vessels (USVs). The single-award task order has a one-year base period of performance and two one-year options. The task order has a maximum value of approximately $95 million if all options are exercised.“Leidos is leading a new era of naval operations,” said Gerry Fasano, Leidos Defense Group president. “The Leidos team has unmatched experience and expertise in autonomous vessel design and operations…

The 2023 Maritime Risk Symposium (MRS) will be held Nov. 14-16, 2023, as an in-person event, hosted by Maritime College, State University of New York (SUNY) at the Maritime Academic Center. The theme of the 14th annual event is “Managing Impacts of Supply Chain Disruptors, Renewable Energy, Emerging Technology on the Maritime Transportation System (MTS)” with a focus on offshore infrastructure risk and disruptors. Founded in 1874, Maritime College is the oldest maritime college in the United States, providing mariner training for 150 years.

China's "aggressive behaviour" in the South China Sea, including the use of water canon by its coast guard against a Philippine vessel, must be challenged and checked, the commander of the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet said on Sunday.Vice Admiral Karl Thomas assured the Philippines of U.S. backing in the face of "shared challenges" in the region, saying: "My forces are out here for a reason."The largest of the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed fleets, the Seventh Fleet, headquartered in Japan…

Papua New Guinea (PNG) has invited the USCGC Myrtle Hazard (WPC 1139) to join their lead in maritime operations to combat illegal fishing and safeguard maritime resources during August 2023.This marks the first time a joint patrol effort will be executed at sea since the signing and ratification of the recent bilateral defense agreement between PNG and the US, which allows the US to embark shipriders from PNG agencies aboard the ship to conduct at sea boardings on other vessels operating in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).The move emphasizes PNG’s commitment to maritime domain awareness…

The Turkish and Ukrainian foreign ministers said on Friday that other solutions to the export of Ukrainian grain than the Black Sea grain deal, which ended after Russia quit last month, were less optimal.The deal brokered by Turkey and the United Nations last year had allowed the safe Black Sea export of Ukrainian grain. Ankara has been trying to persuade Moscow to return to the agreement.Ukraine announced earlier this month a "humanitarian corridor" in the Black Sea to release cargo ships that have been trapped in its ports since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb.

Ukrainian officials on Thursday asked Lebanon to bar a Syrian state-owned cargo ship carrying allegedly stolen Ukrainian grain from docking in Lebanon's Tripoli port, according to the Ukrainian embassy and a diplomatic note seen by Reuters.The Ukrainian mission said in comments to Reuters that the Finikia was transporting 6,000 metric tons of corn, which it considered stolen, from the Black Sea port of Sevastopol.In the note to Lebanon's ministries of transport, finance and economy…

Wärtsilä announced it has been tapped to supply the main power generation and power conversion system for a new 103.16m Antarctic Support Vessel being built for the Brazilian Navy at Brazil’s Estaleiro Jurong Aracruz shipyard.The new Polar Vessel – Navio Polar Almirante Saldanha (NPo) – will be operated by the Brazilian Navy and is of strategic importance for maintaining the Brazilian presence in the Antarctic continent and ensuring the continuity of the scientific research that…

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance maritime cooperation at the ICG Headquarters in New Delhi, India, on August 22.PCG Commandant, CG Admiral Artemio M Abu, and ICG Director General, DG Rakesh Pal, presided over the signing ceremony. The aim of the MoU is to strengthen the professional bond between the two organizations by sharing best practices, conducting joint exercises, and enhancing training collaborations.

Waterjet propulsion systems manufacturer Marine Jet Power (MJP), along with its authorized representative in Taiwan UDC Marine, announced the continuation of a partnership with Lungteh Shipyard to produce more Tuo Chiang-class Corvette for Coastal Defense.The Tuo Chiang-class corvettes have a length of 60.4 meters, displacement of 685 tons, a range of 1,800 nautical miles, and a maximum speed of 43 knots. To date, four ships have been completed and the additional orders will begin production this fall.Featuring quad MJP 850 CSU waterjets…

Davits supplied by Vestdavit will be used for the launch and recovery of fast craft to support refuelling operations at sea for the US naval fleet after the company was awarded a major contract for six vessels being built by General Dynamics NASSCO in the US.The contract covers delivery of 12 high-specification PLRH-5000 davits to be installed on the John Lewis-class of T-AO oilers ordered by the US Navy at the shipbuilder’s San Diego shipyard, with two on each ship from T-AO…

A Russian warplane destroyed a Ukrainian reconnaissance vessel in an area in the Black Sea where Russian gas extraction facilities are located, the Russian Defence Ministry said early on Tuesday.The ministry said in a short statement that the Ukrainian vessel had been destroyed by an SU-30 aircraft from Russia's Black Sea Fleet.There was no immediate comment from Ukraine, which rarely comments publicly on its operations inside Russia or on Russian-controlled territory but which…

There is little question that world militaries see the value of unmanned systems to complement their manned counterparts. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan accelerated the development of unmanned aerial systems and unmanned ground systems to meet urgent operational needs. Now, there is increasing interest in unmanned surface systems, resulting in their placement on an accelerated development path.Like their air and ground counterparts, these unmanned surface systems are valued because of their ability to reduce the risk to human life in high threat areas…

National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) President Erik Milito has said that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issue of a Notice to Lessees (NTL) with recommended restrictions on ongoing industry activities within the expanded Rice's Whale habitat area imposes “unwarranted restrictions on U.S. energy production at a time of continued inflation with prices rising at the pump for consumers.”With likely fewer than 100 individuals remaining, Rice's whales are one of the most endangered whales in the world.

BAE Systems, Inc. has named Reggie Robinson senior vice president for government relations, effective August 21.In this role, Robinson will assume responsibility of all government relations activities for the company, overseeing BAE Systems, Inc.’s relationships with members of Congress, the White House, the Department of Defense and other executive branch organizations, as well as state government leaders.Robinson will report to BAE Systems, Inc. president and CEO Tom Arseneault, and serve as a member of the Inc. senior leadership team.

A U.S.-registered bulk carrier that spilled diesel fuel into Lake Michigan earlier this month is believed to have spilled approximately 1,500 gallons, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Monday.The 630-foot-long self-unloading bulk carrier Manitowoc was approximately 1.5 nautical miles offshore of Manistee, Mich. on August 2 when it reported it was leaking diesel fuel due to a hull breach on its starboard diesel tank. The investigation into the cause of the spill is ongoing.Prior to departing the Port of Manistee, the  vessel conducted and recorded initial tank soundings.

General Dynamics Electric Boat held a keel laying for the Virginia-class submarine Tang (SSN 805) at its facility in Quonset Point, North Kingstown, R.I.The submarine will be the third ship in the U.S. Navy to carry the name Tang. The first USS Tang was a Balao-class submarine, SS 306, credited as the most successful U.S. submarine of WWII, sinking the most tonnage of any U.S. submarine—33 enemy ships—on five war patrols over the course of just 14 months."This ship represents…

Ukraine is considering using its newly-tested wartime Black Sea export corridor for grain shipments after other cargo ships follow the first successful evacuation of a vessel on the route last week, a senior agricultural official said on Monday.Russia has blockaded Ukrainian ports since it invaded its neighbour in Feb. 2022 and threatened to treat all vessels as potential military targets after pulling out of a U.N.-backed safe passage deal last month.In response, Ukraine announced a "humanitarian corridor" hugging the sea's western coastline near Romania and Bulgaria.

A cargo of Iranian crude oil that was seized by the United States was unloading on Sunday after waiting two-and-a-half months off the coast of Texas to discharge, ship tracking data showed.Suez Rajan, a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, has been anchored off Galveston, about 50 miles (80 km) outside of Houston, since May 30, unable to unload because commercial agents fear any vessel that takes it will be shunned by customers.But on Sunday, the Liberia-flagged tanker MR Euphrates was lined up next to Suez Rajan to perform a ship-to-ship transfer and remove the crude oil…

The United States opened international aid offices in the Pacific Islands this week, bolstering support for the strategic region and pitting it more forcefully against China, which has been providing infrastructure loans to the area for years.The vast ocean region, pivotal in World War Two, is in the spotlight again amid tensions over Taiwan. Taiwanese officials this week said China, which claims the island as its territory, could launch military drills soon to intimidate voters ahead of an election next year.On Wednesday…

Boston Ship Repair has been awarded a contract for the regular  overhaul and dry docking of Military Sealift Command’s (MSC) expeditionary fast transport USNS Burlington (T-EPF 10).The $13,824,169 firm-fixed-price contract includes a base period and two unexercised options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $13,880,012. Boston Ship Repair's bid won among four offers received for the project.Work for the 98-calendar day shipyard availability will be performed in Boston…

Turkish authorities warned Russian counterparts after an incident involving a cargo ship in the Black sea which took place within international waters, Turkish presidency said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday."Following the incident with the ship counterparts from Russia are warned in an appropriate way to avoid these kinds of attempts that will escalate tensions in the Black Sea," the presidency said.On Sunday, Russia said in a statement its Vasily Bykov patrol ship had fired automatic weapons on the Palau-flagged Sukru Okan vessel after the ship's captain failed to resp

Kinder Morgan's shipping arm, American Petroleum Tankers, has been awarded a $28,548,000 charter contract option for one of its MR tankers, Empire State.The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) announced the deal earlier this week, stating the option is the third of the current contract, which includes a 12-month base period with three 12-month options and one 11-month option. If all options are exercised, work would run through July 23, 2025, and the cumulative value the deal would be $136,560,500. The 600-foot Empire State is being used in support of the U.S.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has published a Proposed Rule in the Federal Register outlining U.S. Great Lakes pilotage rates for the 2024 shipping season.The new rates seek to generate revenue for each of the three U.S. Great Lakes pilot associations by implementing hourly charges for pilotage services according to geographic area. Pilotage rates are paid by vessel operators serving Great Lakes ports.The Coast Guard proposes to increase the overall cost of U.S. Great Lakes pilotage in 2024 compared to 2023 by $1.9 million or 5%.

U.S. lawmakers from both political parties have urged President Joe Biden and members of his administration to resolve a months-long delay in the transfer of a cargo of oil from a seized Iranian tanker off Texas.The Suez Rajan has been stuck near Galveston about 50 miles (80 km) from Houston since May 30, as shipping companies fear any vessel unloading it would lead other oil buyers to shun their ships on future voyages. The U.S. seized the tanker in a sanctions enforcement operation.The delay in discharging the cargo is also partly out of fear of repercussions from Iran.

Two new routes have been designated under the U.S. Marine Highway Program (MHP), U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced this week during a visit to Alaska.The newly designated M-11 in Alaska will add over 6,500 miles to the marine highway system, and the M-79 route extends the reach of the Ohio River system by nearly 250 miles in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. These designations allow any eligible applicant on these routes to apply for future U.S. Marine Highway Program grants…

A 77-year-old fish factory vessel with a checkered history is reportedly leaking ammonia in Tacoma, Wash.The U.S. Coast Guard said on Wednesday it is responding to the incident on board the U.S.-registered Pacific Producer, a 169-foot-long seafood processing vessel with a long string of health, safety and labor violations.Coast Guard and Washington Department of Ecology crews in HAZMAT suits are currently working to locate leak. The vessel poses no immediate threat to the public…

Ukraine's air force on Wednesday said a large group of Russian army drones entered the mouth of the Danube River and headed toward the Izmail river port near the border with Romania.Social media groups reported hearing air defence systems firing in the area near two Danube ports - Izmail and Reni.The governor of southern Odesa region, Oleh Kiper, asked residents of Izmail district to take shelter at around 1:30 a.m. (2230 GMT) and cancelled the air raid alert one hour later.Ukraine's…

At about 5.15pm local Singapore time on August 13, the Marine Safety Control Centre operated by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) was notified that an Indonesian-flagged vessel was partially submerged and drifting south of Changi.Two MPA and two Police Coast guard vessels were immediately despatched to render assistance, and all 12 people on board were safely transferred and sent ashore. No Singaporeans were onboard the vessel.The partially-submerged vessel has now been towed to safety. No debris or oil spill were observed.

Russia is in the process of equipping its new nuclear submarines with hypersonic Zircon missiles, the head of Russia's largest shipbuilder told the RIA state news agency in an interview published on Monday."Multi-purpose nuclear submarines of the Yasen-M project will ...

HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division in Pascagoula, Miss. has launched the U.S. Navy’s third Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer Ted Stevens (DDG 128).“The translation and launch are always important milestones for our shipbuilders and the life of a ship,” Ingalls Shipbuilding DDG Program Manager Ben Barnett said. “Our team has put in a tremendous amount of work leading up to the launch, and I am proud to see them bring DDG 128 one step closer to completion.”Prior to launch, DDG 128 was translated from land to the dry dock using translation railcars to support the ship.

Russia on Tuesday released video footage showing an armed naval inspection unit boarding a cargo ship in the southwestern Black Sea on Sunday and questioning the captain about why the ship had not stopped when demanded to by a Russian warship.Russia said that it fired warning shots with automatic weapons at the Palau-flagged Sukru Okan vessel after it failed to respond to a demand for it to halt, though it was unclear why the ship was boarded so close to Turkey.In a video released by the Russian defense ministry…

Four Australian surfers have been found alive after their boat went missing in bad weather off the east coast of Indonesia's Aceh province on Sunday, however at least one of three Indonesian crew members is believed to still be missing.The seven were aboard a 10-metre (30 foot) wooden vessel travelling from Nias Island to Aceh province's Banyak Islands when they were separated from a second vessel during bad weather around 6 p.m. on Sunday, according to Indonesia's national rescue agency.All four surfers had been found safe…

Shanghai’s local government plans to provide oceanic coverage of 5G networks by 2024.China Daily reports that Shanghai will build an integrated network connecting all land, sea, air and space internet infrastructure platforms. The development of navigation, wind power and offshore engineering will be coordinated so that they are connected.5G technology will be used for marine supervision, science and technology, marine economy and intelligent shipping.Qualcomm describes 5G as…

Four divers that went missing off the U.S. East Coast on Sunday were rescued Monday 46 miles southeast of Cape Fear River, N.C.The U.S. Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector North Carolina initially received a notification Sunday from Coast Guard Sector Charleston stating four men were diving from the pleasure craft Big Bill’s, approximately 63 miles east of Myrtle Beach, S.C. near noon, and had not resurfaced. Sectors Charleston and North Carolina coordinated a multi-asset…

Merchant ships remained backed up in lanes around the Black Sea on Monday as ports struggled to clear backlogs amid growing unease among insurers and shipping companies a day after a Russian warship fired warning shots at a cargo vessel.Russia said its Vasily Bykov patrol ship on Sunday fired on the Palau-flagged Sukru Okan vessel after the ship's captain failed to respond to a request to halt for an inspection. After an inspection, the vessel continued its journey towards the Ukrainian port of Izmail along the Danube river…

At the time of publication, the first National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV), the Empire State VII, is steadily advancing towards its final delivery to the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and SUNY Maritime College. Let’s be clear—this is a huge win, not only for MARAD, its vessel construction manager TOTE Services, the shipbuilder Philly Shipyard, and SUNY Maritime, but for the future of government shipbuilding.To put this milestone in its appropriate context, it is worth reviewing how we got here.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) crew and embarked researchers ventured onto a floe of multi-year ice for the first of three multi-instrument ice stations in the Arctic Ocean Basin late July and early August.As the Healy carefully approached and maintained position alongside an ice floe above 77 degrees north, the crew and a team of scientists, working in cooperation with the Office of Naval Research, (ONR) offloaded a diverse collection of equipment on to the floe carefully…

Romania's navy said it deployed a ship and a helicopter on Monday to scout for stray mines on the country's Black Sea coast, after a pier in the seaside resort of Costinesti was damaged in an explosion.Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and mines have since then been laid in the Black Sea by the combatants. Romanian, Bulgarian and Turkish military diving teams have been defusing those that have drifted into their waters.The sea is crucial for shipments of grain, oil and oil products and is shared by Bulgaria…

Ukraine on Monday condemned what it called "provocative" Russian actions and called for decisive countermeasures by the international community, a day after Moscow said one of its warships fired warning shots at a cargo vessel in the Black Sea.Moscow said on Sunday that its Vasily Bykov patrol ship fired automatic weapons on the Palau-flagged Sukru Okan vessel after the ship's captain failed to respond to a request to halt for an inspection.Russia has said it would treat any ships…

A Russian warship on Sunday fired warning shots at a cargo ship in the southwestern Black Sea as it made its way northwards, the first time Russia has fired on merchant shipping beyond Ukraine since exiting a landmark UN-brokered grain deal last month.In July, Russia halted participation in the Black Sea grain deal that allowed Ukraine to export agricultural produce via the Black Sea. Moscow said that it deemed all ships heading to Ukrainian waters to be potentially carrying weapons.On Sunday…

Malaysia has paused the import of all live cattle and buffalo from Australia citing concern about lumpy skin disease (LSD).The move follows a decision last month by Indonesia to halt live cattle imports from four locations in Australia after 13 cattle were found to have the disease.Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer Mark Schipp has released a statement saying that Australia is urgently engaging with its Malaysian counterparts to advise that LSD is not present in Australia.“I have made representations to my Malaysian counterpart…

Bollinger Shipyards this week announced it has begun cutting steel at Bollinger Mississippi Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss. on the first of eight prototype modules that will become the foundation of the first U.S. Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter (PSC), USCGC Polar Sentinel (PSC-1)—the first heavy icebreaker to be built in the United States in 50 years. "Today marks a significant step for both Bollinger Shipyards and the United States,” said Ben Bordelon, President and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards. “After over 50 years, we're back to building heavy icebreakers.

Canada's Irving Shipbuilding on Tuesday cut steel for the seventh Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), the first of two for the Canadian Coast Guard’s fleet. Celebrated at the Halifax Shipyard, the steel cutting of AOPS 7 marks the official start of construction on the vessel.The Canadian Coast Guard’s AOPS will be tasked with a wide range of missions. Both ships will operate as the Canadian Coast Guard’s primary platform with increased capabilities to support fisheries enforcement on Canada’s east coast…

As alternative fuel engines start pushing into commercial sectors, the U.S. Department of Defense has taken notice, rationalizing that eventually, as alternative fuel grow in popularity, the diesel availability could drop while prices rise.To that end, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the development and integration of alternative fuel technologies aimed at reducing the marine engine’s reliance on fossil fuels.

China again asked the Philippines to tow away a grounded warship - a World War Two-era vessel now used as a military outpost - from a disputed shoal on Tuesday, after Manila rejected Beijing's earlier demand.Tensions have soared between the two neighbours over the South China Sea under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, with Manila pivoting back to the United States, which supports the Southeast Asian nation in its maritime disputes with China.China's embassy in Manila…

Russia's lack of ships and Western grain traders' shrinking appetite for business with Moscow are adding to rising costs of moving Russian wheat, at a time when the war in Ukraine has spilled perilously close to vital Black Sea supply routes.President Vladimir Putin promised to replace Ukrainian grain with Russian shipments to Africa after Moscow in July ended an arrangement that gave Ukraine's food cargo safe passage in the Black Sea, imposing a de-facto blockade on its neighbour and attacking storage facilities…

HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division authenticated the keel today for Virginia-class attack submarine Oklahoma (SSN 802).“We enjoy participating in Navy traditions like this one because they remind us of the important role we play in our nation’s defense,” NNS President Jennifer Boykin said. “The nuclear submarines we build help ensure our peace and freedoms, and we take great pride in being a nuclear shipyard.”The ship’s sponsor is Mary “Molly” Slavonic, an Oklahoma native. Slavonic has long supported both the state of Oklahoma and the Navy.