Government & Military News

Turkey's maritime authority said on Thursday it would continue to block the passage of oil tankers without appropriate insurance letters, adding that the insurance checks on ships in its waters was a "routine procedure."A Turkish measure in force since the start of the month has caused shipping delays. It requires vessels to provide proof of insurance covering the duration of their transit through the Bosphorus strait or when calling at Turkish ports.(Reuters - Reporting by Ece Toksabay and Can Sezer; Editing by Jonathan Spicer)

Three of New Zealand’s nine naval ships are sitting idle in port as higher civilian salaries lure personnel out of the military, the country’s Defence Force said on Wednesday, even as tensions in the Pacific rise between China and the U.S. and its allies.The HMNZS Wellington, an offshore patrol vessel, headed back to New Zealand early from what was meant to be a three-month deployment in the Pacific and was taken out of operation in November because of shortages, the New Zealand Defence Force said.The Wellington is the third ship to be put into “care and custody”…

The U.S. military said on Tuesday that an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy boat came within 150 yards of American warships in the Strait of Hormuz, but the situation was de-escalated with the help of audible warnings and non-lethal use of lasers.In a statement, the U.S. military said the incident took place on Dec.

Western officials are in talks with Turkish counterparts to resolve oil tanker queues off Turkey, a British Treasury official said, after the G7 and European Union rolled out new restrictions on Dec. 5 aimed at Russian oil exports."The UK, U.S. and EU are working closely with the Turkish government and the shipping and insurance industries to clarify the implementation of the Oil Price Cap and reach a resolution," the official told Reuters."There is no reason for ships to be denied access to the Bosporus Straits for environmental or health and safety concerns."The G7 group of countries…

Shipbuilder Austal USA on Wednesday announced production has commenced at its Mobile, Ala. shipyard in support of the company’s partnership with General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) to support the U.S. Navy’s recapitalization of the nation’s nuclear submarine fleet. As part of the partnership, Austal USA is constructing and outfitting Command and Control Systems Modules (CCSM) and Electronic Deck Modules (EDM) for the Virginia- and Columbia-class programs. GDEB commenced on-the…

The U.S. Coast Guard cited the pilot’s failure to maintain situational awareness and attention while navigating, as well as inadequate bridge resource management as factors that led to the grounding of the 1,095-foot containership Ever Forward in the Craighill Channel earlier this year.The Hong Kong flagged box ship grounded in the Chesapeake Bay on March 13 while transiting with 4,964 containers aboard, en route from the Port of Baltimore to Norfolk, Va. The incident set in motion…

On November 19, 2022, Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner Mario Pelletier and U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda L. Fagan signed the renewed Canada-United States Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan to provide a coordinated system for planning, preparedness and response to spills occurring in the waters between the two countries.The Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan provides a coordinated mechanism for planning, preparing for and responding to spills in transboundary waters and establishes procedures for the coordination of spill response efforts between Canada and the U.S.

The U.S. Coast Guard and Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are monitoring periodic discharges of oil from the Liberty Ship Thomas Heyward, a World War II era vessel sunk in 1977 to serve as an artificial reef approximately six miles southwest of Destin, Fla.Following Hurricane Sally in September 2020, the National Response Center (NRC) began receiving reports of pollution in the vicinity of the artificial reef. Coast Guard personnel conducted preliminary investigations…

The UK Royal Navy has awarded a £15.4 million (currently around $18,8 million) contract for a crewless submarine to the Plymouth-based company MSubs. The submarine is expected to be delivered to the Navy in two years. The Navy expects the submarine to further advance the UK’s ability to protect our critical national infrastructure and monitor sub-sea activity."Project Cetus – named after a mythological sea monster – enhances the Royal Navy’s experimentation with autonomous underwater systems.

An injured deckhand was medevaced from a ferry near Galveston, Texas, on Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston command center watchstanders received notification at 2:42 p.m. relayed by Vessel Traffic Services Houston/Galveston personnel that a crew member aboard the John W. Johnson ferry had been struck in the face by the vessel's anchor chain after the ferry lost propulsion at the entrance to the Galveston Channel.A Coast Guard Station Galveston 45-foot Response Boat–Medium crew launched to provide assistance.Once on scene with the ferry…

Vigor, a Titan company, has been awarded a $131 million U.S. Navy contract to complete a docking selected restricted availability (DSRA) on USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) at Harbor Island in Seattle. The ship arrived at Harbor Island on November 4, becoming the fourth U.S. Navy vessel currently undergoing maintenance at the Seattle shipyard.The DSRA will consist of underwater hull preservation, propulsion overhaul, structural work, valve overhaul, sonar work, deck preservation and significant modifications and alterations.

 Saudi Arabia's defense ministry signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Spanish state-owned Navantia company on Wednesday to build multi-mission combat ships for the Saudi Navy, the Saudi state news agency (SPA) reported early on Thursday."The MoU aims to raise the level of readiness of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces to enhance maritime security in the region, and protect the vital and strategic interests of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,"  it said.According to the agreement, the Spanish company "would localize up to 100% of naval shipbuilding, integration of combat systems, and ship main

An estimated 3,500 gallons of used lubricant oil that spilled near Calcasieu Point Landing, in Louisiana, has been contained, U.S. Coast Guard officials said in a statement on Tuesday.The discharge, reported on Monday, was discovered to have escaped from the secondary containment at Martin Energy Services, the Coast Guard told Reuters in an emailed statement."The source of the spill has been secured and the oil has been contained with boom along the banks of the Lake Charles Industrial…

Three migrants rescued in Spain's Canary Islands, after apparently enduring an 11-day journey from Nigeria crouched on the rudder of a fuel tanker, should now be returned home under stowaway laws, a police spokesman told Reuters on Tuesday. In a photograph distributed on Twitter by the Spanish coast guard on Monday, the three stowaways are shown crouching on the rudder under the hull, just above the waterline of the Alithini II.The 183-metre ship, sailing under a Maltese flag, arrived in Las Palmas in Gran Canaria after setting out from Lagos in Nigeria on Nov.

HII’s (NYSE: HII) Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division hosted a keel authentication ceremony for Virginia-class submarine Arkansas (SSN 800).The ship’s sponsors are the six women of the historic group known as the Little Rock Nine, the first African American students to attend all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas during desegregation. NNS honored all nine members, including the three men, during Saturday’s ceremony.The Little Rock Nine made history in 1957 with their response to the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v.

A passenger who fell overboard from a cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico was rescued Thursday after a day of treading water, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a call from the Carnival Valor at approximately 2:30 p.m. Thursday, reporting a passenger aboard the cruise ship was missing. The missing person, a 28-year-old male, had reportedly fallen overboard on Wednesday evening.Watchstanders coordinated the launch of several rescue crews to begin searching…

Autonomous technology is adding value to the offshore wind (OSW) industry, its supply chains and government policy with the potential to deliver benefits such as increased operational efficiency and safety, and reductions in human error and operational costs. With the unique needs for wind leases and their relative close proximity to shore, a wider group of systems and technologies can be deployed.A developing regulatory landscapeAutonomous technology is the result of rapid advancements in sensors and imaging, vessel connectivity, machine learning, and more.

Portland, Ore.-based Vigor Marine has been awarded a contract for a 90-calendar day shipyard availability for a mid-term availability of Military Sealift Command’s hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19).The $20,187,816 firm-fixed-price contract includes a base period and options, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $20,915,538. Work will be performed in Portland, Ore., beginning January 16, 2023, and is expected to be completed by April 15, 2023.

U.S. 5th Fleet began a three-week unmanned and artificial intelligence integration event in Bahrain, Nov. 23, that will involve employing new platforms in the region for the first time.The event, called Digital Horizon, will advance the command’s efforts to integrate new unmanned technologies while establishing the world’s first unmanned surface vessel fleet by end of next summer. U.S. 5th Fleet’s efforts are focused on improving what U.S. and regional navies are able to see above, on and below the water.“I am excited about the direction we are headed,” said Vice Adm.

The U.S. military on Tuesday said debris analysis has concluded that the same type of Iranian drone that Tehran has supplied to Russia for its invasion of Ukraine was used to attack a commercial tanker off the coast of Oman a week ago.The U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet published photos and details of its investigation into the attack on the Liberian-flagged Pacific Zircon tanker, including debris from the Shahed-136 drone itself.In a statement, the Navy said the drone ripped a 30-inch-wide (76 cm) hole into the back of the ship…

The U.S. Navy has taken delivery of the next generation landing craft, Ship to Shore Connector (SSC), Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 106 following the completion of Acceptance Trials with the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey to test the readiness and capability of the craft and to validate requirements.“We are excited to deliver this next generation craft to the Navy and Marine Corps team,” said Capt. Jason Grabelle, program manager, Amphibious Assault and Connectors Programs, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships.

President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday touted Russia's Arctic power at a flag-raising ceremony and dock launch for two nuclear-powered icebreakers that will ensure year-round navigation in the Western Arctic.Presiding via video link from the Kremlin at the launch ceremony in the former imperial capital of St Petersburg in northern Russia, Putin said such icebreakers were of strategic importance for the country."Both icebreakers were laid down as part of a large serial project and are part of our large-scale…

Greece launched a major rescue operation off the island of Crete on Tuesday after a boat believed to be carrying as many as 500 migrants issued a distress signal in bad weather, the coast guard said.Near gale force winds in the sea south of the island made the operation difficult, authorities said. Two cargo ships, one navy frigate and one tanker were assisting in the rescue.(Reuters - Reporting by Karolina Tagaris and Lefteris Papadimas / Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)

Aligned with its Campaign Plan 2030 strategic themes, “relevant, ready and responsive,” Marine Forces Reserve (MFR) is pursuing the rapid acquisition of small expeditionary watercraft to provide capacity and platforms in support of Service-level Force Design 2030 experimentation efforts.By partnering with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and leveraging their Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) solicitation process, which is an iterative and competitive phased approach that includes vendor presentations and extensive review of materials…

IMO announced that the Indian Ocean High Risk Area (HRA) will be removed on 01 Jan 2023. It was a rare but really reassuring example that international cooperation can be successful.Meanwhile at the time of this writing, the war in Ukraine carries on. Ukranian resistance has been bolstered by very significant western democracy support in the form of weapons supply that have done a great job of stopping Russia in its tracks. However, the Ukranian Crisis shows it is extremely difficult…

The U.S. Coast Guard on Sunday said it had recovered the body of one person after a vessel carrying Cuban migrants capsized off Florida's Little Torch Key, adding it rescued nine people and was searching for five others. Survivors told rescuers a total of 19 people were originally on the homemade vessel and that four people drowned immediately after it capsized, Coast Guard spokesperson Nicole Groll said. Rough seas and winds of 30 miles per hour made an already dangerous voyage more perilous, she said.

Britain has selected a Harland & Wolff-led consortium to build three Royal Navy support ships under a 1.6 billion pound ($1.9 billion) contract that will create 1,200 jobs in UK shipyards, including in Belfast where final assembly will take place.The consortium, which comprises ship designer BMT, Harland & Wolff and Navantia UK, was appointed preferred bidder to deliver the three support vessels that will provide munitions, stores and provisions to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's aircraft carriers, destroyers and frigates, the government said on Wednesday.The consortium's proposal included a 77 mi

In Mykolaiv's blast-cratered district of Korabel, close to Ukraine's southern front, Pavel Salohub, a teacher of history and boxing, has not heard a single explosion in four days - the first such respite from war since Russia invaded.Friday's recapture of the city of Kherson has shunted the frontline dozens of kilometres to the east, and with it Russian artillery, spurring hopes that almost nine months of regular shelling and strikes are ending, the 28-year-old said."Emotionally everyone is happier, you can feel it. It's the first thing everyone talks about. It's really lifted morale.

A tanker was hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman on Tuesday, causing minor damage to the hull with no injuries or spillage of the gas oil cargo, Eastern Pacific Shipping, which manages tanker Pacific Zircon, said on Wednesday. The Singapore-based firm, which is controlled by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer, said it was investigating the incident which took place approximately 150 miles off the coast of Oman. "All crew are safe and accounted for," it said. "Preliminary reports indicate the vessel...was hit by a projectile," Eastern Pacific Shipping said.

Multinational defense contractor and shipbuilder BAE Systems announced it has been awarded a £4.2 billion (approx. $5 billion) contract from the U.K. Ministry of Defense to build the next five City Class Type 26 frigates for the U.K. Royal Navy in Glasgow.Ships of the class will be advanced warships designed for anti-submarine warfare and high-intensity air defense, but can adapt its role quickly to transport high volumes of humanitarian aid and house medical facilities, according…

A U.K. Royal Navy warship assisted in the rescue of four people from a yacht that was taking on water and at risk of sinking in the English Channel near the Isle of Wight.Last week, the Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond answered a Mayday call from a civilian yacht that was taking on a significant amount of water while sailing from Beaulieu River in the New Forest toward Honfleur in France.Diamond was in the area after leaving its home port and coordinated and conducted the rescue operation…

Louisiana is set to launch a new ferry service with the help of a low-interest loan from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).The DOT said on Monday its Build America Bureau will provide nearly $41 million in loans to the Louisiana State Bond Commission for the benefit of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) that will go toward the ferry project as well as a bridge improvement program.The Bureau, which was established during the Obama Administration…

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Maritime Administration announced the appointment of Rear Admiral Joanna M. Nunan (U.S. Coast Guard, Ret.) as the next superintendent of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA). Nunan, who spent more than three decades in the U.S. Coast Guard, has commanded units at every level both afloat and ashore. She will begin work at the Academy in a few weeks.Rear Admiral Nunan retired earlier this year as the Coast Guard’s Deputy for Personnel Readiness.

An ailing worker was medevaced from a Gulf of Mexico oil rig, about 14 miles south of Dauphin Island, Ala., the U.S. Coast Guard said.The Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector Mobile received a call at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday from an oil rig requesting a medevac for a 58-year-old male who was suffering from chest pain.The watchstanders coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Station Dauphin Island 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boatcrew to assist.The boatcrew crew arrived on…

Yemen's Houthi group is piling on pressure to extract economic gains in U.N.-led talks for an extended truce deal with attacks on oil ports in government-held areas, which officials say have disrupted crude exports, choking state revenues.Yemen's foreign ministry said in a statement that the Houthis launched a drone attack on the southern Qena port in Shabwa on Wednesday. The group's military spokesman said on Twitter that the operation "foiled an attempt to loot" Yemen's oil by preventing a vessel from docking.A joint statement by the U.S.…

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter William Chadwick (WPC-1150) was commissioned Thursday at Coast Guard Base Boston, as the first of six Fast Response Cutters to be stationed in the city.Admiral Steven Poulin, Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard, and Rear Adm. John Mauger, commander, 1st Coast Guard District, oversaw the ceremony, as Lt. Cmdr. Tyler Kelley assumed command of the 154-foot cutter and its crew. Under Kelly’s command, the 24-person crew will now conduct missions offshore of the Northeast United States.Built by Bollinger Shipyards…

North Charleston, S.C. ship repair yard Detyens Shipyards has been awarded a $21,007,304 contract for a 91-calendar day shipyard availability for the regular overhaul/dry-docking availability of Military Sealift Command's (MSC) fleet replenishment oiler USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196).The firm-fixed-price contract includes a base period and four options which, if exercised would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $22,090,004. The contract was a small business set-aside with proposals solicited via the Government Point of Entry website and three offers received.Work will begin May 18…

U.S. federal Maritime Commission Chairman Daniel B. Maffei announced Phillip C. “Chris” Hughey has been hired as the General Counsel of the Federal Maritime Commission and appointed to be a member of the Senior Executive Service.In his capacity as General Counsel to the Commission, Hughey will provide legal advice and recommendations to the Chairman and Commissioners on regulatory and policy matters. He will serve as a member of the agency’s senior management team and will also…

The U.S. government has allowed some transactions to take place with a sanctioned oil supertanker in efforts to free the vessel stranded in Indonesian waters, the U.S. embassy in Singapore said on Wednesday. The Indonesian navy has been trying to free the Djibouti-registered ship, Young Yong, which ran aground off Indonesia's Riau Islands on Oct. 26 near a gas pipeline. The U.S. last week issued sanctions against an international oil smuggling network it said supports Hezbollah and Iran's elite Quds Force…

The White House announced President Biden's appointment of former Milwaukee port director, Adam Tindall-Schlicht, as the next Administrator of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS). Tindall-Schlicht resigned his position at Port Milwaukee on October 19.An agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the GLS is responsible for operation of U.S. portions of the St. Lawrence Seaway. It works in partnership with it's Canadian counterpart to maintain a safe…

Ukraine wants the Black Sea grain export deal expanded to include more ports and goods, and hopes a decision to extend the agreement for at least a year will be taken next week, Ukraine's deputy infrastructure minister said on Tuesday.The deal, which eased a global food crisis by unblocking three major Ukrainian ports during Russia's invasion, expires on Nov. 19 and briefly appeared imperilled last month when Moscow suspended its participation in the deal before rejoining again."(We) are already very late (giving) clear information to the market about the extension (of the agreement)…

Massachusetts utility regulators denied offshore wind power company Commonwealth Wind's motion to suspend its power purchase agreement with state electric utilities, raising questions about the future of Commonwealth's proposed offshore wind project.The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) said in an order on Friday that Commonwealth "is a sophisticated market participant well capable of factoring economic contingencies into its contract prices ... and exercising its options under the existing (power purchase agreements)."Commonwealth is a unit of U.S.

The commanding officer of a U.S. Coast Guard cutter has been permanently relieved of duties following a grounding incident in August.On August 26, Capt. Marc Brandt had been temporarily relieved as commanding officer of USCGC James (WMSL 754) pending the results of an investigation into an onboard mishap. The investigation found that on August 8, James ran aground while underway causing damage to the cutter. No personnel were injured.The Coast Guard announced Monday that Vice Adm.

The U.S. Coast Guard must do more to improve safety in the extremely dangerous commercial fishing industry, according to a new report from watchdog agency the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).Commercial fishing has one of the highest industry death rates in the U.S., according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since fiscal year 2011, multiple commercial fishing vessel safety requirements have been enacted. As the principal federal agency for ensuring marine safety, the U.S.

As the temperatures start their annual decline on the Great Lakes, an icy chill is in the air. Shipping companies across the lakes are rushing to get final loads of critical raw materials from the northern lakes to the manufacturing facilities on the lower lakes. The gales of November began blowing in October this year, tightening the constraint on the remaining days before the large navigational lock in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. will close for the season and shipping virtually halts.While high winds and seas can only be avoided, ice can be effectively managed by the U.S.

Britain won't proceed with building a new national flagship to promote business and trade interests around the world, defense minister Ben Wallace said on Monday, ending one of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's pet projects.The ship was announced in May 2021 to host trade shows and negotiations, but tendering of contracts had not been completed.Wallace said that the project had been scrapped as he was prioritizing building ships to detect threats to cables on the seabed in…

Australian shipbuilding group Austal announced it has delivered the third of eight Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats (ECCPB) to the Royal Australian Navy.The 58-meter aluminum monohull vessel, ADV Cape Naturaliste, was built by Austal Australia and is the third of eight to be delivered to the Royal Australian Navy since the contract was signed in May 2020. The first two Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats, ADV Cape Otway and ADV Cape Peron were delivered in March and August 2022, respectively.Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer…

The Swedish-built Combat Boat 90 (CB 90) has established itself with military forces around the world as both a warrior and a workhorse. The 52-foot boats first entered service in 1991 as troop carriers with the Swedish Marines, which is still procuring them. There are more than 250 operating worldwide today.These rugged boats are optimized for high-speed / shallow-draft operations in and around Sweden’s many coastal islands, but they have also proven to be ideal for a variety of other applications and operating environments.The CB 90 is 52 feet long, with a draft of just 2 feet 7 inches.

OPV P71, a new 246 ft. (75m), 50-million Euro flagship of the Armed Forces of Malta -- the largest patrol vessel ever built by Cantiere Navale Vittoria -- today entered the port of La Valletta to start its missions of surveillance, coastal and offshore surveillance and SAR operations in the Central Mediterranean.Measuring 74.8 x 13m with a draft of 3.8m and a full load displacement of over 2,000 tons, OPV P71 can accommodate a crew of nearly 50 and an additional 20 staff. The platform is characterized by an elevated bridge with 360-degree vision capabilities…

Lockport, La. based Bollinger Shipyards announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Pascagoula, Miss. shipbuilder VT Halter Marine, Inc. and neighboring repair yard ST Engineering Halter Marine Offshore (STEHMO) from parent company ST Engineering North America, the U.S. subsidiary of Singaporean multinational technology, defense and engineering group ST Engineering.The transaction, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022, is said to be worth $15 million, according to ST Engineering.

Helicopter services firm Bristow Group said Friday it was embarking on a new 10-year relationship with the Dutch Coastguard, delivering helicopter SAR operations for people and communities across the country through its affiliate, Bristow Netherlands B.V."At 1 p.m. Central European Time on November 4, 2022, two new custom-designed SAR bases officially went on-line at Den Helder and Midden Zeeland Airports, where specialist Bristow teams with SAR-configured helicopters now stand ready to respond to emergency events and critical government taskings in all weather…

The Swiss-based operator of Russia-led Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline said on Wednesday it had completed initial data gathering at the location of the pipeline damage on line 1 in the Swedish exclusive economic zone and found "technogenic craters". "According to preliminary results of the damage site inspection, technogenic craters with a depth of 3 to 5 meters were found on the seabed at a distance of about 248 meters from each other," it said. Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, laid on the bed of the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany…

RightShip is pressing ahead with its zero-harm vision for the maritime industry by evolving its GHG Rating to incorporate new regulations being introduced by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 2023.In Q1 of 2023, the GHG Rating methodology will be updated to incorporate Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) values. RightShip’s proprietary GHG Rating algorithm already uses data and outputs from either the Existing Vessel Design Index (EVDI), or the Energy Efficiency…

The German navy is helping Norway to protect critical maritime infrastructure such as oil rigs, undersea cables, and pipelines, and is ready to do the same off the Danish and Swedish coasts, its head said on Thursday. Bordering Russia in the north, Norway is Europe's biggest producer of natural gas and oil and has an extremely long coast that is hard to protect. It operates an extensive network of pipelines that connect the country with Britain and Europe. NATO has pledged to…

Regardless of whether the Republicans seize or the Democrats maintain control of the House and Senate, there is a guarantee that changes in leadership will occur in some of the key Congressional leadership positions that will impact the maritime industry. Two of the most significant Congressional committees of jurisdiction are the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (House T&I) and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate Commerce). Both committees have jurisdiction over the U.S.

Australian shipbuilding group Austal Limited announced that the Australian Government has ordered an additional Guardian-class Patrol Boat from Austal Australia for A$15.2 million.The 39.5-meter steel hull patrol boat, to be constructed in Western Australia and delivered in September 2024, is in addition to the 21 Guardian-class Patrol Boats ordered by the Australian Government under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project (SEA3036-1) in 2016.Fifteen of the 21 vessels have been delivered to 11 Pacific Island nations under the Australian Government’s Pacific Maritime Security Program…

Heddle Shipyards said it has been awarded a $135.5 million dollar contract for the Vessel Life Extension (VLE) of the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Terry Fox.The nearly three-year project will involve an extensive engineering, planning and procurement phase, with shipyard work scheduled to begin in December 2023. This multi-year project will create and sustain over 200 hundred jobs at the Port Weller Dry Docks through the summer of 2025 when the CCGS Terry Fox is scheduled for redelivery.

The United States Coast Guard issued the following Marine Safety Alert rergarding Dynamic Positioning Systems.Dynamic positioning (DP) systems1 meeting equipment class 2 (DP2) and equipment class 3 (DP3) have control features and redundancies that are often regarded by the crews of vessels using these systems as infallible. A recently investigated DP incident revealed that a DP system may still have weaknesses, even when the design and testing of the system aims to remove or mitigate those weaknesses through engineering controls.

Greece rescued nine migrants and was searching for dozens of others believed to be missing after their boat sank off the island of Evia early on Tuesday, the coast guard said. Nine people have been rescued from the boat, which sank off the southern tip of Evia, Greek coast guard spokesman Nikos Kokkalas told state broadcaster ERT. According to the migrants accounts, about 68 people were on the boat, Kokkalas said. A coast guard vessel, a helicopter and two boats sailing nearby are taking part in the rescue operation under gale-force winds, the coast guard said in a statement.

Capt. Tony Russell (CG Ret.) has been named as the Executive Director for the Center for Arctic Study and Policy (CASP) at the Coast Guard Academy.CASP serves as a Coast Guard-focused academic think tank to promote research, broaden partnerships, and educate future leaders about the complexities of the Arctic region. Through interdisciplinary efforts across the Academy, and in collaboration with U.S. Coast Guard sponsors and external partners, the Center promotes effective solutions…

Russia suspended participation in the U.N.-brokered Black Sea grain deal after what it said was a Ukrainian drone attack on vessels in the Bay of Sevastopol in the early hours of Saturday. What do we know so far? WHAT HAPPENED? Russia said 16 air and maritime drones attacked civilian and Black Sea Fleet vessels in the Bay of Sevastopol in Crimea at 0420 Kyiv time on Saturday. Russia said all nine of the air drones were destroyed. Four of the seven maritime drones were destroyed on the outer perimeter of the bay, but three more made it inside before they were destroyed, Russia said.

The United Nations, Turkey, and Ukraine are pressing ahead to implement a Black Sea grain deal with a transit plan in place for 16 ships on Monday, despite Russia suspending its participation in the pact that has allowed the export of Ukrainian agricultural products to world markets.Russia, which invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, halted its role in the Black Sea deal on Saturday for an "indefinite term" because it said it could not "guarantee safety of civilian ships" travelling under the pact after an attack on its Black Sea fleet.The United Nations and Turkey…

HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding has been awarded a $2.4 billion U.S. Navy fixed-price-incentive contract for the detail design and construction of amphibious assault ship LHA 9. The award includes options, that if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to $3.2 billion. Ingalls was awarded the original long-lead-time material contract for the fourth ship in the America (LHA 6) class on April 30, 2020.Construction on LHA 9 is scheduled to begin in December 2022.The America-class is a multi-functional and versatile ship that is capable of operating in a high density…

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday stressed the need for Europe to diversify its relations to ensure it is not dependent on any one nation, a day after he pushed through a decision to let a Chinese firm invest in a terminal at the country's largest port.Businesses must ensure that they have multiple supply chains to obtain their goods and that their investments are not concentrated on just one country, added Scholz in a joint news conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens."Those who had not considered this carefully enough for a long time are doing it now in lig

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced more than $703 million to fund 41 projects in 22 states and one territory that designed to help improve port facilities through the Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program. Following is the full list of FY 2022 Port Infrastructure Development Grant Awards:ALASKANorth Extension Stabilization Step 1 Project ($68,700,000), Anchorage, AlaskaThe Project will reconfigure and realign the shoreline within the “North Extension” (the area north of the existing general cargo terminals) at the Port of Alaska in Anchorage, Alaska.

A lawmaker in the Philippines has reintroduced legislation to prevent maritime and airspace encroachment by Chinese vessels, by restricting them to designated sea lanes and air routes and prescribing jail time for captains or vessel owners.The Philippines has complained repeatedly about Chinese activities in its 200 mile (322 km) exclusive economic zone (EEZ), including the sustained presence of hundreds of fishing boats it believes contain militia. It has argued those are not engaged in "innocent passage"…

Germany may allow China's Cosco to take a smaller stake than originally planned in a Hamburg port terminal, in what an economy ministry source on Tuesday described as an "emergency solution" to approve the deal but mitigate the impact.Shipping giant Cosco made a bid last year to take a 35% stake in one of logistics firm HHLA's three terminals in Germany's largest port, but the German coalition has been divided over whether to let the deal go ahead.The compromise would see Berlin approving a sale of 24.9% of the terminal to Cosco, several government sources said.

North and South Korea exchanged warning shots off the west coast on Monday, accusing each other of breaching their maritime borders amid heightened military tension.The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it broadcast warnings and fired warning shots to see off a North Korean merchant vessel that crossed the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the de facto sea boundary, at around 3:40 a.m. (1840 GMT Sunday).The North's military said it fired 10 rocket artillery rounds after a South…

A South Korean court on Saturday issued arrest warrants for a former defense minister and a former coast guard chief over their alleged mishandling of the death of a state fishery ministry employee at the hands of North Korean troops two years ago.The decision by the Seoul Central District Court, which cited risks of them fleeing or destroying evidence, came days after the prosecutors on Tuesday filed for arrest warrants and follows an investigation by the government that showed…

The European Commission warned the German government last spring not to approve an investment by China's Cosco into Hamburg's port, German daily Handelsblatt reported on Friday, citing sources.Shipping giant Cosco last year made a bid to take a 35% stake in one of three terminals in Germany's largest port in the northern city of Hamburg.Germany's ruling coalition is divided over whether to approve the investment, government sources say, even as Beijing urges Berlin not to politicize the bid and the port authority warns this could hurt the economy.According to Handelsblatt…

Talks on extending a July deal that resumed Ukraine Black Sea grain and fertilizer exports are not making much progress because Russian concerns are not being taken into proper account, Russia’s U.N. ambassador in Geneva said on Thursday.Senior United Nations officials are negotiating with Russia to extend and expand the July 22 deal that could expire next month if an agreement is not reached.“I wouldn’t say that much has been achieved as a result of the latest consultations.

Venezuela's top court has ruled to give the U.S. government 60 days to request the extradition of fugitive Malaysian businessman Leonard Glenn Francis, also known by his alias "Fat Leonard," who is implicated in a U.S. Navy bribery case.The supreme court ruling was issued last week but only made public on Wednesday by a reporter with official media.Francis was arrested on Sept. 21 at Caracas' main airport as he prepared to leave for Russia. The U.S. government had previously issued…

Israel Shipyards (ISL) unveiled a new corvette- SAAR S-80. The S80 vessel is based on ISL's S-72 platform, from which several designs have been evolved, including the Israeli Navy Light Patrol Corvette– the RESHEF Class an advanced multi-roll vessel.The new generation of the S-80 class features greater versatility and higher payload capacity, with increased weapon suite capacity and wider spread of Electronic Warfare (EW) systems as part of the platform offensive advantages.The S80 length is 80m…

Maritime structural health monitoring specialist Light Structures is a member of two winning consortia in the first call of the European Defense Fund (EDF). Both consortia consist of the leading naval yards in Europe, organized through The Shipyards’ & Maritime Equipment Association of Europe (Sea Europe), national delegates, and the Norwegian partners SINTEF, Kongsberg, Jotne and Light Structures.The EDF was established to support high-end defense capability projects such as the next generation of aircraft fighters…

Germany has ordered police to guard LNG terminals under construction and increased aerial supervision of its rail network as it prepares a law to bolster the protection of critical infrastructure, its interior minister told Reuters.Suspected sabotage on the German rail network and on the Baltic Sea gas pipelines linking Germany and Russia in recent weeks have raised concerns about the country's exposure to attacks.Minister Nancy Faeser said in an interview it was not possible to comprehensively protect all of the more than 33…

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) commenced construction of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Rush (WMSM-918), the fourth hull of the Heritage Class Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) program. The occasion was observed by leaders of the U.S. Coast Guard Project Resident Office at ESG’s Allanton Shipyard where the first steel plates were cut by ESG personnel in the builder’s 103,000-square-foot steel and aluminum processing facility.“The first four offshore patrol cutters are fully under production for the U.S.

Damage to the Nord Stream gas pipeline from Russia to Europe was caused by powerful explosions, Danish police said on Tuesday, echoing earlier findings into leaks that erupted in the network under the Baltic Sea and that have been blamed on sabotage.In what a Swedish newspaper described as the first publicly released footage of damage to the system, film from a private drone appeared to show a gaping rupture in one pipe. Expressen reported a 50-meter section missing from one area of pipeline.Dwindling flows of gas from Russia…

The Lebanese army said on Sunday that Israeli gunboats violated Lebanese territorial waters several times on Saturday in an area opposite Ras Naqura near the border between the two countries, an accusation Israel denied.The statement said there were four violations where gunboats entered several hundred meters inside Lebanese waters and that authorities were discussing the violations with a United Nations Interim Force.An Israeli military statement said there "was no crossing…

The United States and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) on Thursday signed a remote shiprider agreement enabling the U.S. to act on behalf of the country to combat illicit maritime activity when an FSM law enforcement officer is not present.FSM is a nation with over six hundred islands in the Pacific, and the agreement provides a coordinating mechanism and process for U.S. law enforcement personnel to work with the FSM National Police through command centers to receive approval from the FSM to act.

On September 14, 2022, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee (T&I Committee), Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, held a hearing which indicated a potential revitalization, and new enforcement regime, of U.S.-flag requirements under the Cargo Preference Act of 1954 (the CPA). The hearing occurred on the heels of a Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) report regarding the Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) lack of COA enforcement, with significant recommendations to revamp oversight by the agency to ensure a growing…

U.S. shipbuilder Vigor launched the first in a series of modernized landing craft for the U.S. Army at its  fabrication facility in Vancouver, Wash.The Maneuver Support Vessel (Light), or MSV(L), will replace the Landing Craft Mechanized-8, (LCM-8,) a Vietnam-era watercraft that is unable to transport some of today's equipment due to the weight of modern combat vehicles. Designed with increased payload capability, increased speed and maneuverability, and improved draft, the MSV(L) will improve the speed and effectiveness of the Army’s dynamic force repositioning in inter-coastal areas…

Italian shipbuilding group Fincantieri announced on Wednesday that it has signed a number of memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a selection of potential new suppliers for the construction of four naval corvettes and the provision of Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) and In Service Support (ISS).The purpose of these MoUs, signed at the Italian Embassy in Athens, is to set the basis for defining possible business relationships for specific supplies, Fincantieri said.The shipbuilding…

Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management (Arcline), has been awarded a purchase order by Huntington Ingalls Industries to build and deliver four main propulsion diesel engines featuring common rail technology to power the U.S. Navy’s newest Landing Platform/Dock (LPD) ship, LPD 32.According to FMD, its common rail system technology maximizes performance through enhanced fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions.“For many decades, the…

A spokesperson for Russian energy giant Gazprom said on Monday that a mine destroyer discovered at the Nord Stream 1 offshore gas pipeline in 2015 belonged to NATO. Nord Stream reported on that date in 2015 that a "munitions object" had been cleared by the Swedish armed forces, without giving more detail on the object. Gazprom spokesperson Sergei Kupriyanov told Russian state television on Monday that a NATO device, called a SeaFox, was retrieved from a depth of around 40 metres (125 feet) and made safe.

Norway's Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract award with Polish shipbuilder Remontowa Shipbuilding SA (RSB) to supply three shipsets of Kongsberg Hugin Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) systems and related HiPAP positioning and communication systems for three newbuild warships for the Polish Navy.The total contract value exceeds €10 million, with the Kongsberg equipment planned for the next three ships in the Kormoran II Mine-Countermeasures (MCM) vessel program (#4, #5, and #6).These three ships will be delivered between 2026 and 2027.

The U.K. Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales has left Portsmouth en route to Rosyth where the £3 billion aircraft carrier will receive repairs after breaking down off the Isle of Wight in August.The 65,000-tonne warship will enter Babcock's dry dock in Rosyth where it will undergo repairs to its starboard propeller shaft which suffered a mechanical defect as the ship left for New York. Inspections by divers revealed the shaft coupling had failed. Since the aircraft carrier returned to Portsmouth Naval Base in early September…

The United States on Friday imposed new sanctions following North Korea's latest missile launches this week, targeting a fuel procurement network that Washington said supports Pyongyang's weapons programs and its military.Friday's action targeted two Singapore-registered companies and a Marshall Islands-registered firm, the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement, as Washington seeks to hold North Korea accountable for ship-to-ship transfers that circumvent United Nations sanctions on the country."By designating these entities and individuals…

Damien Oliver has been appointed as the interim Chief Executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). Damien will begin his new role on Monday 17 October, which follows the current MCA Chief Executive Brian Johnson’s retirement.Chairman and board member Christopher Rodrigues said, “Damien has had a number of high-profile roles within the MCA since joining in 2001 and he will bring a wealth of maritime experience and knowledge. Damien has been responsible for major projects and programs…

HII announced that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division completed acceptance trials for Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123).“Completing a successful sea trial is always a significant accomplishment for our combined Ingalls and Navy team, and DDG 123 performed well,” Ingalls Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said. “We are committed to this partnership and look forward to our next opportunity to demonstrate it during our next trial events for our first Flight III destroyer.”DDG 123 is the second destroyer to be named in honor of Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee…

Norway has deployed a specialist vessel to inspect a subsea gas pipeline to Germany because of safety concerns after suspected sabotage last month on two Nord Stream pipelines between Russia and Germany, according to sources and data.Norway, Europe's largest gas supplier, last week put its energy sector on high alert, deploying its navy and air force to patrol offshore facilities and placing soldiers at onshore gas processing plants after the Sept. 26 Nord Stream blasts.The Havila Subsea, an oil service vessel equipped with remotely operated subsea vehicles, was deployed on Oct.

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA has been cleared to begin the second stage of the U.S. Coast Guard's (USCG) Heritage-class offshore patrol cutter (OPC) build program following the withdrawal of an award protest filed by an unsuccessful bidder, the USCG said on Thursday.In June, Austal USA was awarded a $208.26 million contract for detail design and long lead-time material for one OPC, with options for production of up to 10 additional vessels. The deal could be worth up to $3.33 billion if all options are exercised.

Norway said on Thursday it would impose limits on Russian fishing vessels using its ports, in a further tightening of security following last week's suspected sabotage on the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the nearby Baltic Sea.Russian trawlers will now only be allowed to visit three of several dozen ports along the Norwegian coast and must undergo security checks when they do, foreign minister Anniken Huitfeldt told a news conference.She stopped short of imposing a total ban on Russian vessels demanded by some security experts and opposition politicians…

The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) announced a pair of initiatives aimed at reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, including the start of a biodiesel testing project and the launch of the next phase in the construction of the Government of Canada’s first hybrid electric vessel.Earlier this month, following the award of a contract to procure biodiesel from Windsor, Ontario based Sterling Fuels, CCG became Canada's first government agency to trial a 20% biodiesel blend in one of its vessels, the navigation aids tender CCGS Caribou Isle.

The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded Denver-based Birdon America, Inc. a contract for the detail design and construction of its new river buoy and inland construction tenders.The deal is part of the Coast Guard's Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Program to replace its aging fleet of 35 inland tenders that support the service’s aids to navigation (ATON) mission in federal inland waterways. The WCC fleet is approaching obsolescence, with an average vessel age of over 57 years and with ships still in service at 78 years old.

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) reached the North Pole Friday after traversing the frozen Arctic Ocean, marking only the second time a U.S. ship has reached the location unaccompanied, the first being Healy in 2015.Healy, a medium icebreaker, and crew departed Dutch Harbor, Alaska, Sept. 4, beginning their journey to reach latitude 90 degrees north. The cutter and crew supported oceanographic research in collaboration with National Science Foundation-funded scientists…

French President Emmanuel Macron's chief of staff has been indicted by the national financial crimes prosecutor over a conflict of interest relating to his alleged links with Swiss-Italian shipping company MSC, the prosecutor's office said.Alexis Kohler, Macron's closest and most influential adviser, sits at the top of the Elysee Palace's administrative pyramid, and news of his indictment - a legal step that puts him under formal investigation in France - is a blow.The prosecutor's office "confirms Alexis Kohler…

Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. (BHGI) won an Indefinite Delivery Contract (IDC) for naval architecture and marine engineering services for the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Philadelphia District, Marine Design Center. This contract continues BHGI’s partnership with the Marine Design Center (MDC). Some of the projects BHGI has worked on for the USACE include, but are not limited to, retrofits, finite element analyses, electric load analyses, vibration analyses, computational fluid dynamics analyses, as well as barge, towboat and dredge design.In partnership since 2010, BHGI and the MDC team have worked on a wide variety of projects both for the USACE and other federal agencies, including the United States Coast Guard, NASA, and the National Park Service.

Sweden sent a diving vessel on Monday to the site of Russian gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea that ruptured last week following blasts in the area, to probe an incident that has added new tension to Europe's energy crisis.Europe is investigating what caused three pipelines in the Nord Stream network to burst in an act of suspected sabotage near Swedish and Danish waters that Moscow quickly sought to pin on the West, suggesting the United States stood to gain."The coast guard is responsible for the mission…

A U.S. Navy sailor was found not guilty on Friday of starting a fire that destroyed the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard in San Diego in 2020.Seaman Recruit Ryan Mays was acquitted of charges of arson and the willful hazarding of a ship, Commander Sean Robertson, a spokesman for the U.S. 3rd Fleet, said in a statement.The decision followed a two-week court-martial in which Navy prosecutors argued that Mays, who was 19 at the time of the blaze, started the fire due to disgruntlement with his work.

Britain will acquire two specialist ships to protect underwater infrastructure such as cables and pipelines, defence minister Ben Wallace said on Sunday, following leaks in the Nord Stream gas pipelines from Russia to Europe.European countries say the Nord Stream pipelines were damaged by "sabotage" but have stopped short of blaming Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has blamed Western countries.Speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, central England…

For the first time, a portable laser shock peening system has been developed for and demonstrated in a shipyard environment and on board a U.S. Navy warship to combat aluminum cracking.On June 24, 2022, through a 2020 National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) Research Announcement Project, Hepburn and Sons LLC, teamed with LSP Technologies, Vigor Industries and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) was able to demonstrate for the first time ever the use of a portable Procudo LSP system both in a shipyard facility and onboard USS Cape St. George (CG-71).

EUNAVFOR Atalanta and both the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Center (RMIFC/Madagascar) and the Regional Coordination Operations Center (RCOC/Seychelles) conducted their first joint operation from September 21 to 24. This first Operation, named MARLIN, was aimed at strengthening maritime security in the Western Indian Ocean through sustainable collaboration between the States of the region and international partners. It contributed to the implementation of the cooperation agreement signed between EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA and the two regional centers in December 2021…

Taiwan's navy took delivery on Friday of a new, domestically made amphibious warfare ship that can be used to land troops and bolster supply lines to vulnerable islands, part of President Tsai Ing-wen's defense self-sufficiency push. The 10,600-tonne Yu Shan, named after Taiwan's tallest mountain, is the latest development in Tsai's ambitious program to modernize the armed forces amid increased pressure from China, which claims the island as its own.Speaking at the delivery ceremony in the southern port city of Kaohsiung…