Government & Military News

Vice Adm. Linda L. Fagan has been nominated by the White House to be the next Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. She would become the first Coast Guard female four-star admiral and the third woman to serve as Vice Commandant.Pending confirmation, Fagan is expected to relieve current Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard Adm. Charles W. Ray on June 18.“Vice Adm. Fagan is an outstanding leader with 36 years of Coast Guard operations, policy-making, joint service, and interagency experience,” said Adm. Karl L. Schultz, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Divers recovered two unresponsive crewmembers from the overturned lift boat Seacor Power on Friday, bringing the death count to four with nine still missing after the vessel capsized in extreme weather conditions in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday.U.S. Coast Guard and other local responders have been scouring the area by sea and air since the 129-foot Seacor Power overturned in rough seas and hurricane force winds approximately 8 miles south of Port Fourchon, La. Six crew members were rescued, four have been pronounced dead and nine are still missing.

Two Russian warships transited the Bosphorus en route to the Black Sea on Saturday and 15 smaller vessels completed a transfer to the sea as Moscow beefs up its naval presence at a time of tense relations with the West and Ukraine.The reinforcement coincides with a huge build-up of Russian troops near Ukraine, something Moscow calls a temporary defensive exercise, and follows an escalation in fighting in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian government forces.Russia's relations with Washington…

A second unresponsive person has been recovered from the water near a lift boat that capsized in the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Friday.A Coast Guard helicopter crew spotted the person in the water at 7:10 p.m. on Thursday while searching the area about 8 miles south of Port Fourchon, La. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Benjamin Daily, also in the area searching, recovered the unresponsive person and transported him to Coast Guard Station Grand Isle where a…

The U.S. Coast Guard said Thursday it is still searching for 12 people missing from a lift boat that capsized in extreme weather conditions Tuesday in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.Coast Guard vessel and air crews have worked with other local agencies to scour the area overnight Wednesday and through the day Thursday in search of the dozen missing from the Seacor Power, which overturned in rough seas and hurricane force winds approximately 8 miles south of Port Fourchon, La. The search has covered approximately 6…

The U.S. Coast Guard is studying and seeking public comment on the Columbia River entrance in the Pacific Northwest as it seeks to validate the adequacy of the existing aids to navigation system, as well as to get a better understanding of the uses of the waterway and general safety issues.The Coast Guard's Waterways Analysis and Management System study will look at the Columbia River entrance up to Statute Mile 15/Buoy 39, including Baker Bay, Chinook Channel, Skipanon Channel and Youngs Bay.WAMS focuses on the waterway’s present ATON system…

The White House on Wednesday nominated attorney Tommy Beaudreau, who oversaw energy development programs at the Interior department during the Obama administration, as the agency’s second in command.Beaudreau will return as deputy to Secretary Deb Haaland after serving nearly seven years there under former President Barack Obama, becoming the first person to lead the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which oversees offshore oil and gas activity.He later served as chief of staff…

One person has died, a dozen are missing and six others have been rescued after a commercial lift boat used to service oil rigs capsized in hurricane force winds south of Louisiana’s Port Fourchon, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Wednesday.Rescuers in Coast Guard cutters, aircraft and volunteer civilian boats were hunting for the dozen missing people in the Gulf of Mexico after the 129-foot (39-meter) commercial vessel, Seacor Power, capsized in rough seas eight miles off Port Fouchon about 4:30 p.m.

The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, Calif. and the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) in New London, Conn. agreed to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on April 14 extending for five more years their previous three-year direct collaboration on joint research projects and exchanges. The extension is a result of the Tri-Service Maritime Strategy (TSMS) released in December, which underscored the need for joint cooperation in today’s security environment.

Taiwan unveiled a new amphibious warfare ship on Tuesday that can be used to land troops and will bolster supply lines to vulnerable islands offshore China and in the South China Sea.The 10,600-tonne Yu Shan, named after Taiwan’s tallest mountain, is the latest part of President Tsai Ing-wen’s ambitious program to modernize the armed forces amid pressure from China, which claims the island as its own.Built by state-backed CSBC Corporation Taiwan, the ship will enter service next year…

The United States will send two warships to the Black Sea next week, Turkey said on Friday as Russia, which has beefed up its military forces near Ukraine, accused non-coastal NATO powers of increasing naval activity in the region.Washington says Russia has amassed more troops on Ukraine’s eastern border than at any time since 2014, when it annexed Crimea from Ukraine and backed pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Donbass region of Ukraine.Violence has flared between Ukrainian troops and the separatists, spurring fears of a major escalation.

Iran released on Friday a South Korean ship and its captain detained since January after South Korea promised to try to secure the release of Iranian funds frozen in South Korean banks under U.S. sanctions, a South Korean official said.The Iranian foreign ministry said the chemical tanker, Hankuk Chemi, was released after an investigation into environmental pollution, and at the request of the South Korean government and its owner, state news agency IRNA reported.The seizure of…

Hensoldt UK announcde the supply of Kelvin Hughes Mk11 X Band SharpEye navigation radars to two Polish Navy Kormoran II-class minehunters. ORP Albatros and ORP Mewa were built by Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. shipyard in Gdańsk, Poland.Installed in conjunction with an OSI Maritime Systems integrated navigation bridge system, the radar will be tasked with navigation and surface surveillance functionality, providing the Polish Navy with solid state radar sensors to ensure safety of navigation whilst providing advanced small target search capability.

The National Transportation Safety Board found that the erratic steering of a supply vessel led to a 2019 collision resulting in more than 6,000 gallons of diesel oil being dumped into the Sabine Pass, a busy waterway between Texas and Louisiana.On Thursday, April 8, 2021, NTSB released Marine Accident Brief 21/08 detailing its investigation of the collision between offshore supply vessel Cheramie Bo Truc No 22 and the Mariya Moran/Texas on Nov. 14, 2019, in the Sabine Pass Jetty Channel…

Leidos announced Wednesday that it has completed delivery of a cutting-edge autonomous vessel to the U.S. Navy, known as Seahawk. The Office of Naval Research awarded Leidos the cost-plus-fixed fee contract to build the vessel, with an approximate value of $35.5 million, in December 2017. Work was principally performed on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.“As technology continues to accelerate and adversaries become more sophisticated, our customers must constantly evolve,” said retired Rear Adm. Nevin Carr, Leidos Vice President and Navy strategic account executive.

A Dutch cargo ship that was abandoned at sea during a storm off the coast of Norway this week has been attached to two large tugboats and is no longer at risk of running aground, local officials said late on Wednesday.The Eemslift Hendrika, badly listing after parts of its cargo shifted in the rough weather, had been adrift since Monday, leading to fears it would spill some or all of the 350 tonnes of heavy oil and 50 tonnes of diesel in its tanks.The Norwegian Coastal Administration…

The Finnish Border Guard is testing bio liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel for a coastguard patrol vessel in an effort to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, thereby lessening the impact on global warming.The 96 meter long vessel Turva is fitted with Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines and has been supported with a Wärtsilä maintenance agreement since its launch in 2014. The Bio LNG fuel is supplied by Gasum, a Finnish state-owned biogas refiner. Bio LNG is a 100%  renewable fuel that can reduce CO2 emissions over its lifecycle by up to 90% compared to conventional fuel.

Incidents of piracy and attacks on merchant vessels in waters of the Gulf of Guinea are endemic. There are multiple factors at play, including but not limited to: poverty, limited government presence in coastal communities, minimal maritime law enforcement capability among coastal states, and corruption. Some foreign nations, primarily European, conduct patrols outside the 12 nautical mile territorial seas, but far too few to make a significant dent in the problem, and with no authority to operate closer to shore…

The guided missile destroyer USS John S. McCain conducted a “routine” transit of the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, the U.S. Navy said, as China sent more fighter jets into Taiwan’s air defense zone and a Chinese carrier group drilled near Taiwan.“The ship’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. The United States military will continue to fly, sail, and operate anywhere international law allows,” the U.S. Navy said in a statement.Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Andrew Heavens

USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, docked at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY & IMF) for the ship’s docking selected restricted availability (DSRA).Vigor, a Titan Company, and Hawaii Regional Maintenance Center (HRMC), responsible for surface ship maintenance at PHNSY & IMF, will partner to complete the DSRA. The work is expected to continue into early January 2022.William P. Lawrence’s availability will include routine maintenance…

A Chinese carrier group is exercising near Taiwan and such drills will become regular, China’s navy said late on Monday in a further escalation of tensions near the island that Beijing claims as its sovereign territory.Taiwan has complained of an increase in Chinese military activity near it in recent months, as China steps up efforts to assert its sovereignty over the democratically run island.China’s navy said the carrier group, lead by the Liaoning, the country’s first aircraft carrier put into active service…

A privately funded mission has found, surveyed and filmed the USS Johnston, the world’s deepest known shipwreck, offshore Samar Island in the Philippines Sea.The expedition was backed by Victor Vescovo, is an entrepreneur, explorer and retired U.S. Navy Commander who personally piloted his submersible DSV Limiting Factor down to the wreck during two separate, eight-hour dives 21,180 feet (6,456 meters) below the ocean's surface. These constituted the deepest wreck dives, manned or unmanned…

European countries are providing help for Taiwan’s indigenous submarine project, the island’s defense ministry said, in a rare admission that the sensitive program is not getting assistance solely from the United States.Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has worked for years to revamp its submarine force, some of which dates back to World War Two. It is no match for China’s fleet, which includes vessels capable of launching nuclear weapons.The U.S. government in 2018 gave the green light for U.S.

Germany will next week present a multi-billion-dollar proposal to Lebanese authorities to rebuild the Port of Beirut as part of efforts to entice the country’s politicians to form a government capable of warding off financial collapse, two sources said.A chemical explosion at the port last August killed 200 people, injured thousands and destroyed entire neighborhoods in Lebanon’s capital, plunging the country deeper into its worst political and economic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.According to two diplomatic sources with knowledge of the plans…

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA launched the future USS Canberra (LCS 30) into the Mobile River on March 30.USS Canberra is one of 19 Independence-variant littoral combat ships (LCS) that the U.S. Navy has contracted Austal to build. Twelve have been delivered to date.The 418-foot vessel is the first Navy ship that Austal has launched in 2021, and it is the first to launch from Austal's recently acquired dry dock.USS Canberra will next undergo sea trials prior to delivery.LCS 30 is the second U.S.

Who do you call when you need a job done on short notice, in total darkness, under 100-percent ice cover, thousands of meters at the bottom of the sea? In the case of the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR), you call your friends in Norway.That is exactly what the Chief of Naval Research Rear Admiral Lorin C. Selby did when he enlisted the help of the Norwegian Coast Guard icebreaker and offshore patrol vessel, the CGV Svalbard, to retrieve oceanographic moorings containing irreplaceable data.

Commissioner Daniel B. Maffei has been named Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission, as appointed by President Joe Biden on March 29, 2021. Maffei is a sitting member of the FMC and replaces Michael A. Khouri in the role of Chairman.A native of New York, Maffei was a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives for two terms. His previous professional experience includes serving in the Department of Commerce during the Obama Administration, and earlier in his career, working as a Capitol Hill aide and as a broadcast reporter.

ABB has won a National Individual Standing Offer (NISO) to provide full-scope services for equipment installed on board Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) vessels, reducing maintenance costs and increasing uptime.The NISO covers the full range of remote diagnostics and global technical support, cyber security, condition monitoring, spare parts, operational reviews, preventive maintenance and drydocking services.Full visibility on through-life service is expected to reduce overall maintenance costs…

The British Royal Navy has taken delivery of a new autonomous vessel as the service examines the use of cutting-edge unmanned craft across a range of military operations including surveillance and force protection. The new vessel, named Madfox (short for maritime demonstrator for operational experimentation), was officially handed over to the Navy's experimentation innovator NavyX, who is working toward preparing the uncrewed surface vessel (USV) for a demanding year of testing at sea."With Madfox now directly in the hands of NavyX…

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration is encouraging states and port authorities to apply for $230 million in discretionary grant funding for port and intermodal infrastructure-related projects through the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP).“Our nation’s ports are a key part of our critical infrastructure. They create jobs and make our economy more resilient and sustainable,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. “This funding…

Canadian shipbuilder Seaspan Shipyards announced on Monday it has cut steel and started full-rate construction of the newest oceanographic science research vessel for the Canadian Coast Guard and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.The 88-meter Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel (OOSV) is being built under Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) at Seaspan’s multi-program Vancouver Shipyard concurrently with the first Joint Support Ship (JSS) for the Royal Canadian Navy.The OOSV will support oceanographic…

Austal USA broke ground on its steel manufacturing line Friday, March 26, 2021, positioning the company to start steel production in April 2022.“This world-class steel manufacturing line is a treasure for the Gulf Coast, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard that will provide a much needed boost to the defense industrial base and our Nation’s defense,” said Jerry Carl, Congressman for Alabama’s first district.“As demand for the greater and larger Navy and Coast Guard fleets grows, Austal USA is investing to meet those changing requirements,” Rusty Murdaugh, interim president said.

The UK Royal Navy is developing a "Multi Role Ocean Surveillance ship (MROSS)" aimed at protecting critical subsea infrastructure from threat.In a statement on Wednesday, the UK Ministry of Defence said the ship would come into service by 2024."[MROSS] will be a surface vessel, with a crew of around 15 people who will conduct research to help the Royal Navy and Ministry of Defence protect our undersea critical national infrastructure and keep our lives and livelihoods secure from threat," the ministry said."Undersea cables are vital to the global economy and communications between governments.

CCGS Terry Fox, one the largest icebreakers in the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) fleet, has returned to service with new Thordon propeller shaft bearings after concluding that fitting laminate phenolic bearings would extend drydock time and costs.The 88-meter-long vessel, built in the 1980s, had been operating Thordon’s water lubricated elastomeric polymer bearings on both shafts for 24 years. Then in 2018 the port shaft was retrofitted with a European made laminate phenolic-type bearing as part of a shaft alignment contract with the manufacturer.In December 2020…

The U.S. Navy last week retrieved one of its crashed helicopters from 19,075 feet below the surface of the North Pacific, setting a record for the deepest aircraft recovery at sea.The helicopter, a twin engine Sikorsky Seahawk, crashed off the coast of Okinawa, Japan last year while operating from the amphibious command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19). The air crew was able to escape the MH-60S before it sank and no lives were lost in the accident.Responding to a U.S. Pacific Command Fleet request…

Norway has agreed to order four submarines from Germany's Thyssenkrupp for 45 billion crowns ($5.3 billion), with Germany agreeing to order another two, the Norwegian defense ministry said on Tuesday.Norway and Germany, both NATO members, are jointly procuring identical submarines from Thyssenkrupp's shipbuilding division.The Norwegian defense ministry said Germany had agreed to order two submarines from Thyssenkrupp, pending approval from the German parliament.The signing of the contract is due this summer…

Maritime training and assessment software solutions provider Marine Learning Systems (MLS) said it has been awarded a contract by the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) to implement a simulation assessment metrics solution.MLS will configure its enterprise application, SkillGrader, to gather, store and report training metrics from student assessments on the RCN’s Navigation and Bridge Simulator. The project will support the RCN’s efforts to enhance the quality of professional development…

A burn victim was medevaced from a Liberian-flagged chemical tanker approximately 179 miles east of Charleston, S.C., on Sunday.The U.S. Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector Charleston were notified on Saturday around 7:46 p.m. that a crew member aboard the Southern Shark obtained chemical burns during a tank cleaning. A Coast Guard Air Station Savannah MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew was launched to medecac the ailing 45-year-old mariner, who was airlifted and transferred to Augusta Burn Center Hospital by 3:03 p.m.

U.S. offshore vessel operator Harvey Gulf Subsea Solutions said Monday it had won a contract with the U.S. Navy for its Harvey Deep Sea vessel. The contract is valued at four million dollars.Under the agreement, Harvey Gulf Subsea Solutions will provide the Harvey Deep Sea for ROV Support, personnel and work in conjunction withUS Navy personnel in support of a special operations project in the U.S. Gulf Of Mexico.Harvey Gulf Subsea Solutions is a subsidiary of Harvey Gulf International Marine…

U.S. offshore vessel operator Hornbeck Offshore, normally providing services to the offshore oil and gas industry, has now won a contract with the U.S. Navy.The company last week won a $7,510,000 firm-fixed-price contract with reimbursable elements for the long-term charter of the U.S. flagged offshore support vessel HOS Red Rock, which will provide support for Navy operations-at-sea. This contract includes a one-year base period with three one-year extension option periods, as well as one 11-month option period which…

The U.S. Coast Guard on Friday commissioned its newest national security cutter, USCGC Stone (WMSL 758), during a ceremony at Coast Guard Base Charleston, in South Carolina. Adm. Karl Schultz, the commandant U.S. Coast Guard, presided over the ceremony.Built by Huntington Ingalls Industries' Ingalls Shipbuilding division in Pascagoula, Miss., Stone is the ninth legend-class national security cutter in the Coast Guard's fleet.Legend-class national security cutters are 418 feet in length, 54 feet in beam and 4,600 long tons in displacement.

For the first time in decades U.K.

When leadership at the White House changes parties, you can expect a shift in priorities and policies. In one case, however, continuity is welcome, as President Biden has voiced his support for Buy American and the Jones Act, which are especially beneficial to the maritime and dredging industries.Read the March 2021 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News, an edition dominated by dredging.While the benefits of these pro-American policies extend beyond maritime and dredging, they’re also a recognition of our essential, if underappreciated subtle role in the economy.

It is widely expected that cuts in defense and security budgets are coming as governments across the world grapple with the fiscal fallout from the COVID-19 crisis. To ensure that these cuts do not undermine global security, policymakers should approach their defense budgets with a scalpel, not a sledgehammer.In navigating the tough choices that lay ahead, government decision-makers should pursue spending reforms that enable states to operate both leaner and smarter, without sacrificing their vital security interests.The maritime security domain offers an exemplary case study.

Jennifer Carpenter joined The American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association representing the inland and coastal tugboat, towboat and barge industry, in August 1990 and became its president and CEO in January 2020. She weighs in on the unprecedented challenges encountered over the past year and addresses top priorities along the uncertain path ahead.The world has changed drastically in the year since you took the helm at AWO. How have priorities shifted, both…

A gravel barge allided with private docks and homes near Gig Harbor, Wash., after the master of the towing vessel fell asleep at the helm.The U.S. Coast Guard said Monday that its watchstanders at Sector Puget Sound received notification from Pierce County dispatch that an unmanned gravel barge, under tow by the towing vessel Island Chief, had smashed into several privately-owned docks and residences. No injuries or pollution have been reported. Initial findings indicate that the master of the towing vessel fell asleep while navigating the vessel…

The U.K. Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has arrived in Glen Mallan, Scotland, as part of final preparations before her first operational deployment set to commence later this year.Sailing in along the Firth of Clyde, the 65,000-tonne warship has spent the last two weeks at sea testing and trialing her latest equipment, before berthing at the new Northern Ammunition Jetty for a routine onload of operational stores.HMS Queen Elizabeth is the first of the Royal Navy’s fleet to visit the new £64 million facility, built by the Defense Infrastructure Organization (DIO).

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) said Friday that its Technical Solutions division was one of 11 companies selected to provide development, technical, management and engineering services for Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) department. The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity task order contract includes a three-year base term with a two-year extension option. HII will compete for task orders under the contract. The combined value of all potential task orders across the base and option years is $250 million.“This award reaffirms HII’s commitment to the Navy and NIWC’s ISR mission and the need for innovative and cost-effective solutions…

The Italian Navy has taken delivery of the newly built logistics support ship LSS Vulcano from Fincantieri's Naval Integrated shipyard in Muggiano, Italy.The 193-meter LSS Vulcano is part of the FLOTLOG (Flotte Logistique) program, which includes the construction of four LSS destined to the French Navy, by the temporary consortium between Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Naval Group under the Italian-French LSS Program led by OCCAR (Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation). The construction of the forward sections of these ships has been commissioned to Fincantieri…

U.S. shipbuilder SAFE Boats International will reopen its Tacoma, Wash. facility following the award of a $20 million lead contract for the U.S. Navy to start construction of the Mark VI patrol boats headed for the government of Ukraine.The U.S. Navy announced in January it had awarded SAFE Boats a portion of the contract to purchase long-lead material and associated pre-production and planning support with the remaining $80 million award anticipated in June.SAFE Boats’ Tacoma…

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dorado (WPB-87306) was decommissioned Wednesday after 23 years of service. The vessel was the Coast Guard's sixth 87-foot Marine Protector-class patrol boat to serve as the Coast Guard’s primary nearshore patrol asset.“I would like to thank my crew and all previous sailors for bolstering her highly successful service life,” said Lt. Rebecca Cotton, the Dorado’s commanding officer, during a decommissioning ceremony in Crescent City, Calif. “They made the Dorado an unforgettable cutter in which to serve the West Coast for the past 23 years.

The Indian Navy has commissioned its third Kalvari-class submarine, INS Karanj, built entirely in India to Naval Group's Scorpene design.The Scorpene is a 2,000-ton conventional-propulsion submarine designed and developed by Naval Group for all types of mission, such as surface vessel warfare, anti-submarine warfare, long-range strikes, special operations or intelligence gathering. Extremely stealthy and fast, it has a level of operating automation that allows a limited number of crew, which reduces its operating costs significantly.

An ailing crew member was medevaced from a tanker at anchor in Brodick Bay off Scotland, on Sunday,At 4.53 p.m., Troon lifeboat was tasked by Belfast Coastguard along with Arran lifeboat to assist with the medical evacuation of a crew member from the tanker Kongo Star at anchor in Brodick Bay.Also tasked was the Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopter from Prestwick, Rescue 199 and Arran Coastguard Rescue Team.Troon RNLI all-weather lifeboat RNLB Jim Moffat was launched and headed…

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) said Tuesday its Newport News Shipbuilding division has achieved a milestone in the construction of the submarine New Jersey (SSN 796).The company reached pressure hull complete on February 10, meaning that all of its hull sections were joined to form a single, watertight unit. This is the latest major milestone before the submarine is christened and floated off.“Achieving this milestone is especially significant as it continues to prove our teams can safely perform at a high level in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic…

Norway has suspended the sale of a Norwegian engine maker owned by Rolls-Royce Holdings to a Russian-controlled company while it assesses the security implications for the country’s navy and the civilian sector, the government said on Tuesday.Norway’s NSM security agency is assessing the 150 million-euro ($178 million) sale announced on Feb. 4 of Bergen Engines to a company controlled by Russia’s TMH Group, NSM and the justice ministry said.Britain’s Rolls-Royce said it was selling…

For operators venturing into the offshore wind space, 2021 started off with a gust of changes and reports. From Jones Act clarifications and new enforcement authorities, to millions in port infrastructure funding, the new Congress and presidential administration will have plenty of tools available to shape the future of the industry’s development.NDAA brings Jones Act changesOne of the most persistent questions that has hung over the development of the U.S. offshore wind industry has been whether the Jones Act will apply during both the construction and operational phases.

NATO Maritime Air (MARAIR) Operations team carried out a communications test flight with the NATO Alliance Ground System (AGS) during its flight on February 25, 2021.As the AGS was flying over the Central Mediterranean, MARAIR based out of NATO Maritime Command headquarters in Northwood, U.K. was able to establish a communications link to the AGS operators in the Sigonella Airbase, NATO Air Command and Combined Air Operations Center Torrejon.MARAIR was able to cross-reference the AGS sensor data with their automatic identification system (AIS) picture…

Marine engineering firm BMT has been awarded a prime contract to conduct industry studies for the U.S. Navy’s T-ARC(X) cable ship replacement program.The Navy’s only operational cable ship, the nearly 40-year-old USNS Zeus (T-ARC 7), is approaching the end of its service life, and the Navy is interested in recapitalizing its undersea cable installation and repair capabilities, as well as adding the new mission sets of acoustic, hydrographic, and bathymetric survey; and deploying and recovering unmanned underwater vessels.

America's largest military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced Friday that its board of directors has elected Kari Wilkinson to serve as executive vice president of HII and president of HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division, effective April 1. She will succeed Brian Cuccias, who announced that he will retire April 1.Kari Wilkinson, who will report to  HII executive vice president and COO Chris Kastner, currently serves as Ingalls’ vice president, program management.“Kari…

Thirty-one fisherman have been rescued from a fishing vessel that caught fire and began to sink off the coast of Eastern Canada.At 7:05 p.m., Tuesday, the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Halifax notified watchstanders at the U.S. Coast Guard First District Command Center that the 143-foot Atlantic Destiny was disabled with a fire on board, and was taking on water in 26-foot seas and 35-mile-per-hour winds.A U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod HC-144 Ocean Sentry fixed-wing crew…

Lawmakers in the U.S. are reintroducing legislation aiming codify the U.S. Coast Guard’s icebreaking mission on the Great Lakes and increase the icebreaking capacity of the Great Lakes fleet.“Inadequate icebreaking capacity in the Great Lakes is costing us thousands of American jobs and millions in business revenue. We must boost our icebreaking capacity in the Great Lakes to keep our maritime commerce moving,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), who introduced the bipartisan Great…

The United States on Wednesday hailed plans by NATO ally Germany to sail a warship across the contested South China Sea, calling it welcome support for a “rules-based international order” in the region, something Washington says is threatened by China.German government officials said on Tuesday a German frigate would set sail for Asia in August and, on its return journey, become the first German warship to cross the South China Sea since 2002.“The United States has a national interest in the maintenance of peace and stability…

The 6th Biennial Marine Transportation System Innovative Science and Technology Conference, hosted by the CMTS and the Transportation Research Board, will be held virtually from March 15-17, 2021. The theme of the upcoming conference is “Advancing the Marine Transportation System through Automation and Autonomous Technologies: Trends, Applications and Challenges," and it will showcase current and emerging innovative science and technologies related to maritime transportation. This conference will be held virtually.Join your colleagues from government, industry, and academia to examine the rapidly evolving applications of autonomous and automated technologies.

An ailing mariner was medevaced from a U.S.-flagged tug approximately 18 miles southwest of Atchafalaya Bay, off Louisiana, on Wednesday.The U.S. Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector New Orleans received a call via VHF-FM radio channel 16 from the 78-foot tug boat Lady Loren stating a 35-year-old crewmember was reportedly suffering chest pains and shallow breathing.Watchstanders directed the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew to assist…

The U.S. Justice Department declined to investigate or prosecute then-Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao after the inspector general’s office referred allegations of potential misuse of office for review, a report made public on Wednesday said.The report included allegations that Chao directed staff to research or purchase personal items for her online using her personal credit card or performed other personal errands for her or her father.The report focused largely on Chao’s actions related to her family’s shipping business…

Thai navy sailors braved choppy waters to launch a dramatic rescue this week after discovering four cats had been abandoned on a sinking ship that caught fire off a paradise island.After the crew had been taken to safety on Tuesday, the navy was sent to the site of the capsized vessel to check for an oil spill, but discovered a few crew members had been forgotten.“I used my camera to zoom in to the boat, and I saw one or two cats popping their heads out,” said First-Class Petty Officer Wichit Pukdeelon of the navy’s air and coastal defense division.A sailor in a life vest swam out to the capsi

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) said on Wednesday that the Virginia-class submarine Montana (SSN 794) was launched into the James River at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division in Virginia.The 7,800-ton submarine, which had been in a floating dry dock since being transferred from a construction facility in October, was submerged and moved by tugboats to the shipyard’s submarine pier, for final outfitting, testing and crew certification.“For our shipbuilders, launching Montana signifies five years of hard work…

A U.S. naval destroyer docked on Sudan’s Red Sea coast on Monday in the latest sign of thawing relations with the United States, a day after a visit by a Russian frigate.The visits are a sign of international competition for influence in Sudan, which sits in a volatile region bridging the Horn of Africa, the Gulf, and North Africa, following the 2019 overthrow of long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir.Some 300 marines standing at attention aboard the USS Winston S. Churchill were greeted by a Sudanese military band in Port Sudan…

The U.S. Navy awarded Austal USA a $235 million undefinitized contract action modification on Feb. 26, 2021, for the detailed design and construction of Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) 15.The EPF program, currently operating on schedule and under budget, has delivered 12 ships to the fleet. The versatility of the EPF design has enabled each ship to provide a significant operational capability tailored to the needs of each geographic command. EPF 15 will include enhanced medical capability to increase its operational capability.“At its core…

The longest Offshore Patrol Vessel ever built by Vittoria Shipyard was delivered this morning to the Maltese government by Luigi Duò, president of Vittoria Shipyard, during a ceremony that took place in the facilities of the Venetian company. Representing Malta was brigadier Jeffrey Curmi, commander of the armed forces. The OPV P71 is a 75-m-long vessel designed and constructed by the Venetian shipyard that specializes in building ships up to 100 meters in overall length for military, paramilitary, commercial, transportation and work-related use.

A U.S. Navy warship operating in the Middle East has a dozen cases of the novel coronavirus, while another warship in the region is investigating whether some of its members are also infected.The USS San Diego which has the confirmed cases is at port in Bahrain. It sails with about 600 sailors and Marines aboard.The guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea, which carries some 380 sailors, is expected to pull into port for further testing. The port was not disclosed.“Once we became aware of possible COVID-19 aboard USS San Diego (LPD 22) and USS Philippine Sea (CG 58)…

Italy's Fincantieri will sign as prime contractor a contract worth 1.35 billion euros ($1.64 billion) for the construction of two new-generation submarines for the Italian Navy, the shipbuilder said on Friday.The contract, signed together with OCCAR (the international organization for joint armament cooperation) includes an option for the construction of two additional units, a statement said.The project is part of the new U212NFS (Near Future Submarine) acquisition program of the Italian Navy…

An injured mariner was medevaced from a tug 60-miles off Grays Harbor, Wash., last week.At approximately 2 p.m. on February 18, watchstanders at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River were notified over VHF-FM channel 16 that a crew member aboard the Crowley pusher tug Commitment had sustained a laceration to the face and eye while working in the vessel's engine room and required medical attention.At 2:45 p.m., an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter rescue crew departed from Sector Columbia River in Warrenton, Ore., to respond.The injured man was safely hoisted from the vessel at approximately 3:30 p.m.

The U.S. Navy has begun the process to remove the island from the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) as part of an ongoing inactivation availability for the warship that was destroyed by a major fire in 2020.Salvage contractor Smit Americas started the removal process Tuesday, the Navy said. Workers will reduce the island's height down to just above the flight deck to improve the ship’s structural integrity and readiness for tow.The Navy announced at the end of 2020 it would scrap the…

An ailing crewmember was medevaced from a tanker offshore Port Aransas, Texas, Tuesday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi command center received a medevac request at 9:40 a.m. via cell phone from the crew of the Fortunato, a 375-foot liquefied petroleum gas carrier, stating a 41-year-old crewmember was suffering from facial swelling.A Station Port Aransas 45-foot Response Boat – Medium boat crew launched to conduct the medevac.The RB–M boat crew arrived on scene with the Panama-flagged tanker vessel…

Craig Perciavalle resigned as president of Austal USA on Monday amid investigations into the shipbuilder's littoral combat ship (LCS) program for the U.S. Navy.Chief financial officer Rusty Murdaugh has been named interim president of the Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder, a subsidiary of Australia-based Austal.According to Austal, the separate ongoing investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Securities Exchange Commission, and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission are focused on "historical matters" before July 2016.

Your browser does not support HTML5 video.The Italian Coast Guard said on Saturday it had rescued 45 migrants after their ship capsized 15 miles south of the Italian island of Lampedusa."At the moment, a total of 45 migrants, all men, have been rescued and arrived this morning in Lampedusa," the Italian Coast Guard said in a statement sent in the late afternoon, after indicating earlier a number of 47 people rescued.It did not give any indications of the nationality of the rescued people.The Coast Guard said it was continuing to search for any missing people…

An injured crew member was medevaced from a U.K.-flagged containership more than 46 miles west of San Luis Obispo, Calif., on Friday.The captain of the 1,060-foot Hyundai Jupiter contacted 11th U.S. Coast Guard District command center watchstanders requesting assistance for the ailing mariner who reportedly suffered injuries from a 16-foot fall.Watchstanders launched a Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento C-27J Spartan aircraft and a Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco Forward Operating Base Mugu MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew to assist.Once on the scene…

France is launching a program for the construction of third-generation nuclear-powered, ballistic missile-carrying submarines - SSBN (SNLE 3G). The program aims to provide a new generation of four nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines that will serve the French Navy's operational needs between the 2030s and the 2090s. The construction of the new submarines will be led by the French company Naval Group.The new submarines will gradually replace the second-generation SSBN…

Royal Marines from the UK Navy's HMS Montrose Frigate have seized  £11 million (USD 15,3 million) worth of illegal drugs in two raids of suspect vessels in the Arabian Sea, the UK Ministry of Defence and the Navy said in statements on Wednesday.The Royal Marines seized 2.4 tonnes worth of illegal drugs from a suspect boat in the Northern Arabian Sea, on a counter-narcotics patrol. This was the second drug bust by the HMS Montrose crew in two days.According to the statement by the UK government…

Hamworthy Pumps was tapped to supply the pump solutions for five Type 31 military vessels for delivery through 2028.“The Hamworthy business was founded in 1914 on Poole Quay in Dorset, and we are proud to once again have the opportunity to contribute to an important frigate program in the United Kingdom," said Jim McGookin, key account manager at Hamworthy Pumps. "We are currently expanding our Poole capabilities, and this order shows that we have the right setup to handle large…

The U.S. Navy seized thousands of weapons from two stateless dhows during a maritime security operation off the coast of Somalia last week.A boarding team from guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill’s (DDG 81) discovered the illicit cargo during a flag verification boarding in international waters, and the confiscation took place February 11 and 12.The cache of weapons consisted of thousands of AK-47 assault rifles, light machine guns, heavy sniper rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers…

The Pakistan navy’s seventh biennial multinational “Aman” (peace) exercise in Pakistani waters aimed at fostering international cooperation to fight piracy, terrorism and other crimes threatening maritime security concluded on Tuesday.Around 45 navies, including those of the United States, Britain and China, took part in the Arabian Sea exercise with ships and observers.“The purpose of this exercise to bring regional and extra-regional navies on one platform and conduct exercises to enhance intra-operability in addition to counter terrorist threat and the crime which are happening in maritime

Iran and Russia on Tuesday embarked on joint naval exercises in the Indian Ocean which will include thwarting a mock pirate attack on a merchant ship, Iranian state media reported.Iran has recently conducted several military exercises as it tries to push the United States to return to the 2015 nuclear agreement.Admiral Gholamreza Tahani told state television that night and day time firing was practiced.The drills also included “a variety of defensive formations towards the key part of the exercises which will be to free a merchant vessel attacked by pirates…

The U.S. Navy uses unmanned and robotic underwater vehicles for a multitude of functions, including environmental sensing, mine hunting, and salvage. The Navy plans to evolve an unmanned systems operating concept that is platform agnostic and capable of operating in highly complex contested environments with minimal operator interaction.The most recent edition of the Navy’s Unmanned Systems (UxS) Roadmap was issued in 2018, and a new version is expected in the near future. The 2018 document states that UxS will operate in every domain…

On January 1, 2021, in an unusual New Year’s Day session, the Senate (following similar action by the House) overrode President Trump’s veto and enacted into law the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (H.R. 6395). In addition to the provisions relating to the Department of Defense, the bill contains numerous maritime sections, including Authorization Acts for the Coast Guard (USCG), the Maritime Administration (MARAD), and the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).Coast GuardThe Coast Guard Authorization Act allows for acquisition of an additional National Security Cutter…

The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) is seeking the public's help in determining the future of the world's first nuclear-powered merchant ship.The NS Savannah was built by New York Shipbuilding Corp. and launched in 1959 as part of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace Program to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The ship was removed from service in 1971 and the reactor was defueled. Registered as a National Historic Landmark since 1991, the ship is currently part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) in retention status.

Bollinger Shipyards delivered the USCGC Frederick Hatch, the 166th vessel the Louisiana shipbuilder has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 43rd Fast Response Cutter (FRC) delivered under the current program.The USCGC Frederick Hatch is the final of three FRCs to be home-ported in Apra Harbor, Guam, increasing the presence for the U.S. Coast Guard in the Indo-Pacific Theater. Additionally, in 2020, Bollinger delivered two of six FRCs that will be home-ported in Manama…

Britain is working to overcome post-Brexit difficulties complicating seafood exports and other shipments to the European Union, senior minister Michael Gove said on Thursday.“There are still some bureaucratic obstacles that we need to negotiate and navigate.

A suspect has been taken into custody following a bomb scare aboard a passenger car ferry in Juneau, Alaska, Wednesday morning.At 6:49 a.m., U.S. Coast Guard watchstanders received a call from the captain of the LeConte, reporting a bomb threat aboard the ferry scheduled to depart Juneau. Coast Guard law enforcement personnel conducted a security sweep of the vessel and found no credible threats.The suspect, who reportedly drove a vehicle onto the ferry and made the threats, has been apprehended by Juneau Police Department (JPD) and the vehicle was impounded without incident.The Coast Guard…

The United States has sold more than a million barrels of Iranian fuel seized under its sanctions program last year, a Department of Justice official said, as another ship with intercepted Iranian crude oil sails to a U.S. port.The seizures are part of Washington's tough economic sanctions on Tehran imposed over its nuclear program and the U.S. designation of a number of Iranian groups as terrorists, continuing decades of rancor between the two nations. Iran rejects U.S. accusations of wrongdoing.In a new approach last year, the administration of former U.S.

An ailing mariner was medevaced from an oil tanker 9 miles off Corpus Christi, Texas, Tuesday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi command center watchstanders received a medevac request at 2:14 p.m. via cell phone from the crew of the 899-foot, Bahamas-flagged Karvounis stating a crewmember on board was displaying symptoms of a possible stroke.A Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and a Station Port Aransas 45-foot Response Boat – Medium (RB-M) boat crew launched to assist.

U.S. shipbuilder Fincantieri Marinette Marine is gearing up to build the U.S. Navy's new guided missile frigates, welcoming key leaders to Marinette, Wis. Tuesday to break ground on the largest building in the shipyard's history.The multimillion dollar building is part of the company’s most recent $200 million shipyard capital expansion underway to support construction of the U.S. Navy's newest class of ships.Fincantieri Marinette Marine was awarded the contract in April 2020 to design and build the first Constellation-class guided missile frigate, with options for up to nine additional ships.

How will Biden read Iranian hostilities? Forceful diplomacy or reckless militancy?Anticipating the Biden Administration’s Iran strategy is crucial for understanding future risks for maritime operators in the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and wider Indian Ocean.Though the new U.S. Administration and the Iranian regime have stated their willingness to rejoin the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), otherwise known as the Iran Nuclear Deal, they are unlikely to do so.

Philly Shipyard said it has been awarded a contract for the repair of the Watson-class vehicle cargo ship USNS Charlton (T-AKR-314). The repairs will be completed in the third quarter of 2021.The USNS Charlton is one of Military Sealift Command’s (MSC) large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off ships. With a displacement of 69,000 tons and a length of 950 feet, the vessel carries prepositioned U.S. Army tanks, armored personnel carriers, tractor-trailers, and other equipment and supplies to potential areas of conflict around the world.

Russia plans to hold joint naval drills with Iran and China in the Indian Ocean later this month, the RIA news agency cited Moscow’s ambassador to Tehran as saying on Monday.The three countries held similar naval drills in the Indian Ocean in December 2019.“The next multilateral naval exercises will take place in the northern part of the Indian Ocean in mid-February 2021,” Levan Dzhagaryan, the ambassador, told RIA in an interview.The drills would rehearse search and rescue operations and ensuring the safety of shipping, he said.(Reporting by Moscow newsroom; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editi

A Japanese submarine and a commercial vessel were involved in a crash off the Pacific coast on Monday and three of the submarine’s crew suffered minor injuries and it was slightly damaged but still able to sail, government officials said.The submarine, operated by the Maritime Self-Defense Force, as Japan’s navy is known, and the ship crashed off Kochi prefecture in southern Japan, chief cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a regular news conference.Kato, quoting the Coast Guard, said that there was no damage to the private ship.Authorities were looking into details, such as the type of the s

The future USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118) completed acceptance trials February 4 after spending a day underway off the coast of Maine.INSURV inspected the ship during a series of demonstrations while pier side and underway. Many of the ship’s onboard systems, including navigation, damage control, mechanical and electrical systems, combat systems, communications, and propulsion applications, were tested to validate performance and met or exceeded Navy specifications.“Following an outstanding Combined Alpha and Bravo trials this past December…

Nigeria’s navy plans to strengthen its measures to root out and punish personnel who collude with kidnappers and criminals, its new naval chief said.Kidnappings in the Gulf of Guinea, which covers 2.3 million square kilometers and borders some 20 countries, hit a record last year, according to the International Maritime Bureau.Well-armed, violent pirates operate there out of Nigeria’s hard-to-police Delta swamps, and experts say their increasingly bold tactics show that better enforcement is badly needed.Rear Admiral A.Z.

A man reportedly suffering from hallucinations was medevaced from a U.S. Navy supply vessel off the West Florida coast on Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Watchstanders with Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a report around 3 a.m. Friday from the Navy offshore supply ship NAWC-38 stating a 33-year-old male on board was reportedly having hallucinations and needed further medical care, approximately 200 miles west of Tampa Bay, Fla.The Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless crew was diverted to assist…

Taiwanese coast guard commander Lin Chie-ming is on the frontline of a new type of warfare that China is waging against Taiwan. China’s weapon? Sand.On a chilly morning in late January, Lin, clad in an orange uniform, stood on the rolling deck of his boat as it patrolled in choppy waters off the Taiwan-run Matsu Islands. A few kilometers away, the Chinese coast was faintly visible from Lin’s boat. He was on the lookout for Chinese sand-dredging ships encroaching on waters controlled by Taiwan.The Chinese goal…

An ailing tugboat captain was medevaced in Brownsville, Texas, Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi command center received a medevac request at 7:16 a.m. via VHF Channel 16 from the crew of the El Zorro Grande, a tugboat transiting outbound on the Brownsville ship channel, stating the captain had passed out, officials said.A Coast Guard Station South Padre Island 33-foot Special Purpose Craft – Law Enforcement boat crew launched to assist with a duty corpsman aboard.The SPC-LE crew arrived on scene…

An injured mariner was medevaced from a containership off the coast of Hawaii on Wednesday.At 4 a.m., Saturday, the captain of the 984-foot Adonis notified Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) Honolulu watchstanders that a 43-year-old crew member on board suffered a hand injury. A U.S. Coast Guard duty flight surgeon was consulted and recommended a medevac based on the concern that the mariner’s injury could worsen if left untreated.Due to the vessel’s size and safety concerns for a small-boat transfer…