Government & Military News

San Diego shipyard General Dynamics NASSCO on Wednesday started construction on the future USS Robert E. Simanek (ESB 7), the fifth ship of the Navy’s reclassified Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) program.Long-time NASSCO employee Dennis DuBard served as the Start of Construction honoree, initiating the first cut of steel that will be used to construct the vessel.“Today, we start construction of the ship that honors the life and service of the ship’s namesake, Marine Corps Private First Class Robert E. Simanek,” said Dave Carver, president of General Dynamics NASSCO.

Fincantieri Marine Systems North America (FMSNA) announced that it will expand its marine repair operations on the U.S. East Coast, a move that is expected to bring hundreds of jobs to Jacksonville, Fla., as they will provide extra marine repair capacity for both commercial and government vessels.FMSNA will make Commodores Point the focus of this effort, bringing business and investment to the downtown Jacksonville waterfront.“We are investing millions of dollars in waterfront improvements…

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA announced it has entered into contract with local Alabama steel provider SSAB to provide steel for the new Towing, Salvage, and Rescue ships (T-ATS) it is building for the U.S. Navy.Austal said it will source various strength and sized steel plating from SSAB capable of being cut, shaped, welded, and fitted resulting in the construction of support ships and potential combat ships for our U.S. military.“SSAB not only provides us with quality steel…

Further shipping talks are scheduled for next year after delegates at a U.N. agency meeting that sought to speed up decarbonization of the sector failed to make progress, officials said on Friday.The sector, which transports about 90% of world trade and accounts for nearly 3% of the world's CO2 emissions, is under pressure to deliver concrete action including a carbon levy.Earlier this month countries including the United States at the COP 26 climate summit pushed for U.N. shipping agency the International Maritime Organization to adopt a zero emissions target by 2050.So far…

Knut Arild Hareide has been appointed by the King in the Council of State as Director General of Navigation and Shipping for the Norwegian Maritime Authority for a period of six years. Hareide will take up the role on January 1, 2022."We are delighted to congratulate Knut Arild Hareide on his appointment and look forward to working with him in the years to come," says Acting Director General of Navigation and Shipping, Lars Alvestad.The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries…

Following the incident in the Gulf of Guinea on 24 November involving the Danish frigate Esben Snare and a suspected pirate vessel, BIMCO calls on all naval forces in the area to further increase the pressure on piracy groups and hopes a continued naval presence will act as a deterrent.According to the Danish Armed Forces, Danish frigate Esben Snare has been involved in an incident involving suspected pirates on 24 November in the waters south of Nigeria. The Danish navy further announced that the frigate was close enough to send a team to the suspected pirates with the aim to board…

A Danish frigate has killed four pirates in waters south of Nigeria in an operation to protect shipping in the Gulf of Guinea, the Danish military said on Thursday.The Esbern Snare, deployed last month to the Gulf of Guinea amid heightened security risks from pirates, on Wednesday spotted a fast-moving vessel carrying eight suspected pirates near a number of commercial ships, the Danish military said.The incident took place in international waters,25 to 30 nautical miles south of Nigeria's territorial boundary, a spokesman said.The motorboat, spotted by a helicopter deployed by the frigate, wa

Austal USA has won a US$72.5 million contract with the US Navy to perform maintenance on Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) deployed to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and the countries and ports in the region.The contract value could increase to US$215.9 million if options for further periods contained in the contract are exercised by the US Navy.Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Patrick Gregg said building Austal’s support business has been "a key plank" of the company’s growth strategy…

Another eight current and former merchant mariners have been indicted in a a test score-fixing scheme at a U.S. Coast Guard exam center in Louisiana.The defendants are charged with obtaining, and intending to use, officer-level licenses that were procured through falsified exam scores. The fraudulent scores were for examinations designed to test the mariners’ knowledge and training to safely operate under the authority of those licenses.The allegations stem from an investigation…

America’s largest military shipbuilding company Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) said its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has received a contract modification from the U.S. Navy for $113.6 million to enable long-lead-time material and advance procurement activities for amphibious assault ship LHA 9. This modification brings the total advance funding for LHA 9 to $651 million.Ingalls is the sole builder of large-deck amphibious ships for the Navy. The Pascagoula, Miss. shipyard delivered its first amphibious assault ship, the Iwo Jima-class USS Tripoli (LPH 10), in 1966.

A ship carrying two refitted former U.S. Coast Guard patrol boats designed to beef up the Ukrainian Navy transited the Dardanelles strait on Saturday days after Ukraine said it feared Russia might be preparing an attack on it.The ship carrying the two Island-class patrol boats departed Baltimore for the Ukrainian port of Odessa on November 8. Ukrainian sailors have already undergone extensive training on the vessels in the United States. Ukraine got two similar vessels in 2019.The two new boats are part of a security package to Ukraine worth over $2.5 billion since 2014…

A worker was medevaced from a platform approximately 18 miles southeast of Grand Isle, La., the U.S. Coast Guard said on Friday.Coast Guard Sector New Orleans watchstanders received a call at approximately 2:40 a.m. stating a worker offshore was experiencing seizure like symptoms.Watchstanders coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew. The helicopter crew arrived on scene, hoisted the worker, and transferred him to West Jefferson Medical Center in Marrero, La.According to the Coast Guard, the man was last reported in stable condition.

The White House on Wednesday lauded improvements in clogged U.S. supply chains, with more goods moving than ever before, but said more work was needed to ensure fair competition in a global shipping sector dominated by three alliances of ocean carriers.In a new blog, the White House National Economic Council said the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), an independent agency, was already investigating excessive shipping fees, but should consider using other tools, including challenging…

Emirati and Israeli state-owned weapons makers on Thursday signed a strategic agreement in Dubai to jointly design unmanned vessels capable of carrying out anti-submarine warfare.United Arab Emirates defense conglomerate EDGE and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced the partnership on the final day of the biennial Dubai Airshow.In a joint statement, the firms said they would design the "170 M" advanced modular unmanned service vessels that would be able to be used for both…

Heddle Shipyards said it has been awarded the vessel life extension of the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker CCGS Amundsen.This week, the CCGS Amundsen will arrive at the Port Weller Dry Docks in Canada, the St. Catharines, Ontario, where it will stay through June 2022. The eight-month refit valued at approximately $12,000,000 CAD will sustain over 100 direct jobs and support subcontractors and suppliers across the Niagara Region, Ontario, and Canada.Heddle Shipyards noted it has also secured the dry docking of a seaway max laker at its Port Weller facility…

The U.S. Senate confirmed on Tuesday evening President Biden’s nomination of NOAA Rear Admiral Nancy Hann to lead the NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) and NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps (NOAA Corps), one of the nation’s eight uniformed services.“From flying into hurricanes to crewing remote explorations to the deepest depths of the ocean, the NOAA Corps drives NOAA’s science forward,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “Rear Admiral Hann’s leadership…

HMS Cutlass, the first of two new vessels being built for the Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron, has undergone initial trials.Over recent weeks, the new HPB-1900 has been subjected to rigorous trials to test all systems and performance against a demanding set of requirements specified by the Royal Navy.Marine Specialised Technology Group (MST Group) and designed in partnership with BMT, the vessel is powered by three Volvo D13 engines, each producing 1000 HP and driving triple MJP 350X Waterjets.

NOAA released two Atlases compiling the best available science to inform the identification of Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs) in the Gulf of Mexico and Southern California. NOAA previously identified these regions for their potential to host sustainable commercial aquaculture development in the United States. Areas in the Atlases will have characteristics expected to support multiple types of aquaculture industries including finfish, shellfish, seaweed, or some combination."The aquaculture Atlases apply the latest ocean data and information to advance sustainable business development…

Paramount Maritime launched the company’s latest 35m Sentinel ballistic patrol vessel in Elliot Basin, located in Cape Town.Christened MV Meedoi, the next-generation vessel is slated to be used for contemporary security and patrol operations within the Gulf of Guinea. The platform was manufactured by Paramount Maritime company, Nautic Africa.The 35m Sentinel is an aluminium-hulled vessel with an optimal V-bottom hull shape. Measuring 35 x 7.5m with a draft of two meters, the vessel comfortably hosts up to 6 cabins for both crew and security personnel.

President Joe Biden signed into law a $1 trillion infrastructure bill at a White House ceremony on Monday that drew Democrats and Republicans who pushed the legislation through a deeply divided U.S. Congress.The measure is designed to create jobs across the country by dispersing billions of dollars to state and local governments to fix crumbling bridges and roads, and expanding broadband internet access to millions of Americans.The bill-signing ceremony, held in chilly weather on the White House South Lawn to accommodate a big crowd…

The Italian Coast Guard on Monday signed a contract for the design and construction of a new multi-role offshore unit (UAM) for missions ranging from sea rescue to maritime safety, from marine conservation to fish resources protection, as well as civil protection.The signing took place in Rome at the headquarters of the General Command of the Harbor Authorities - Coast Guard between the Commanding General, Adm. Inspector Nicola Carlone, and the CEO of Fincantieri, Giuseppe Bono…

President Joe Biden named former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu to oversee implementation of the $1 trillion infrastructure plan, the White House said on Sunday.Landrieu, also a Democratic former Louisiana lieutenant governor, led New Orleans from 2010 to 2018. He played a key role in helping the city rebound from the devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005.Biden, who will sign the infrastructure bill into law on Monday, named Landrieu senior adviser responsible for coordinating implementation of the bill that includes big jumps in spending on roads…

The U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command (MSC) has awarded GE Power Conversion an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract to maintain the electric and hybrid electric power and propulsion systems aboard its vessels. The five-year contract potentially could be worth $125 million.The contract covers maintenance, modernization and upgrades, training, repairs, parts, remote technical support, and program management on 35 vessels, with more ships to be added as they are built and turned over to MSC after commissioning.

Ukraine said on Saturday it would speed up the construction of a naval base at the port of Berdyansk to prevent what Kyiv calls a gradual attempt by Moscow to take control of the Sea of Azov that flows past Russian-annexed Crimea.Ukraine's newly-appointed defense minister announced the plans after a trip to Berdyansk that followed Western warnings this week about Russian troop movements near Ukraine's borders and a possible attack.Russia has dismissed as inflammatory suggestions…

Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE: HII) christened pre-commissioning unit New Jersey (SSN 796) at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division.“The christening is a Navy and shipbuilder tradition that celebrates the hard work and dedication of the women and men who are building this magnificent submarine, readying her for the next phase of construction, which includes launch, testing, sea trials and delivery to the Navy,” said Jennifer Boykin, president of Newport News Shipbuilding.

The $1 trillion infrastructure package headed to President Joe Biden to sign into law will provide a welcome funding injection for America’s inland waterway infrastructure.The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was approved by Congress on November 6 and is expected to be signed by President Biden next week. The plan has money for everything from roads, bridges, ports and rail transit, to safe water, the power grid, broadband internet and more, including $2.5 billion…

Forces from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Israel and the United States Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) began a multilateral maritime security operations exercise in the Red Sea on Wednesday, NAVCENT said on Thursday.This is the first publicly acknowledged naval exercise between the United States, Israel and the two Gulf countries.An Israeli naval officer, briefing reporters in Israel on the drill, said the start of such military cooperation under U.S. auspices could…

Serbia has finally recalled to service as a floating museum a warship that fired the first shots that began World War One, following years of lobbying from navy ship enthusiasts who wanted it restored.The SMS Bodrog was one of two Austro-Hungarian heavy gunboats that sailed into the confluence of the rivers Sava and Danube around midnight on July 28, 1914. Its two canons hurled shells at Serbian positions in Belgrade, marking the start of the four-year war in which around 20 million people died.Renamed Sava…

COVID has presented numerous challenges, particularly to the members of the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard Foundation has stood strong throughout to assist, as Susan Ludwig discussed with Maritime Reporter TV.Susan, when COVID effectively shut down the world in 2020, everyone had to make adjustments. How did the Coast Guard Foundation respond?We did what everybody else did; we planned for the worst on a weekly basis. We took look at not being able to host our in-person events for the year, and anticipated a lower amount of donor giving.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is preparing for major repairs at six of its Mississippi River locks this winter to ensure they continue working as designed.Maintenance is scheduled at Lock and Dam 4, Alma, Wisconsin; Lock and Dam 5A, near Fountain City, Wisconsin; Lock and Dam 6, Trempealeau, Wisconsin; Lock and Dam 7, near La Crescent, Minnesota; Lock and Dam 8, near Genoa, Wisconsin; and Lock and Dam 10, Guttenberg, Iowa.The locks will be closed from Nov.

A bulk carrier came to the rescue of seven people after their 85-foot commercial fishing boat caught fire Wednesday morning, approximately 350 miles west of Monterey, Calif.The U.S. Coast Guard said it coordinated the rescue after its Eleventh District command center received multiple emergency position-indicating radio beacon and personal location beacon alerts belonging to the fishing boat Blue Dragon around 12:20 a.m.The Coast Guard coordinated the launch of a Coast Guard Air…

Introducing a new class of warship can be fraught with pain, and the first ship is always the hardest – almost always behind schedule and over budget. And trying something new and transformational is even harder.The U.S. Navy knows this from experience. That’s one reason why the Navy is opting for a lower risk design for its next class of guided missile frigates (FFGs).Just about every new class has experienced a rough start. Although the USS Arleigh Burke-class of guided missile destroyers (DDGs) today represent the largest and most successful class of warships…

President Joe Biden on Wednesday made a stop at the Port of Baltimore where he addressed ongoing supply chain issues set in motion by the COVID-19 pandemic.Baltimore's port is one of the nation's busiest, and it is set to benefit from billions of dollars that the $1 trillion infrastructure bill has set aside for ports alone. Baltimore imports and exports more autos, farm machinery and construction equipment than any other U.S. port. It employs more than 15,300 people.The infrastructure package includes $17 billion in investments to help ports…

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission will vote next week on whether it will study if supply chain disruptions have affected competition, the agency said in a statement describing the agenda as tentative.The meeting will be held on November 18, the statement said.Faced with long delays in getting goods into U.S.

A coalition of 19 countries including Britain and the United States on Wednesday agreed to create zero emissions shipping trade routes between ports to speed up the decarbonization of the global maritime industry, officials involved said.Shipping, which transports about 90% of world trade, accounts for nearly 3% of the world's CO2 emissions.U.N. shipping agency the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has said it aims to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions from ships by 50% from 2008 levels by 2050.

A section of the Ohio River was closed to vessel traffic on Tuesday due to towboat fire near Belleview, Ky.The U.S. Coast Guard said it issued a waterway restriction between mile marker 499 and mile marker 501 on the Ohio River after a fire reportedly broke out in the engine room aboard the towing vessel Capt. Kirby Dupuis.The vessel's crew was able to extinguish the fire with its fire suppression system, but a re-flash occurred, the Coast Guard said.Authorities said the fire has been extinguished, and its cause is being investigated.

The White House plans to move quickly on a $17 billion revamp of U.S. ports approved by Congress as part of President Joe Biden's $1 trillion infrastructure bill.Biden is due to visit the Port of Baltimore on Wednesday to tout funding for revamping U.S. ports facing huge backlogs.The $17 billion will "improve infrastructure at coastal ports, inland ports and waterways, and land ports of entry along the border," the White House said.Many U.S. ports have bridge or depth limitations that restrict their ability to receive larger vessels…

A group of U.S. Senators has introduced new legislation aiming to strengthen sexual assault/sexual harassment (SASH) prevention, response, investigation and accountability in the maritime industry and provide additional safeguards for the Midshipmen at the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA).The Improving Protections for Midshipmen Act is being put forward by Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) after the United States’ federal…

U.S. President Joe Biden will visit the Port of Baltimore on Wednesday to discuss how the $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed by the U.S. Congress helps the American people by upgrading ports and strengthening supply chains, the White House said on Sunday.Biden on Saturday called the bill a once-in-a-generation investment.

San Diego shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO christened and launched the future USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206), the second ship for the U.S. Navy’s John Lewis-class fleet oiler program.In 2016, General Dynamics NASSCO was awarded the contract by the U.S. Navy for the detailed design and construction of the next generation of fleet oilers, the John Lewis-class (T-AO 205). The contract calls for the design and construction of six 742-foot-long oilers with a full load displacement of 49,850 tons. Designed to transfer fuel to U.S.

China's military has built mockups in the shape of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier and other U.S. warships, possibly as training targets, in the desert of Xinjiang, satellite images by Maxar showed on Sunday.These mockups reflect China's efforts to build up anti-carrier capabilities, specifically against the U.S. Navy, as tensions remain high with Washington over Taiwan and the South China Sea.The satellite images showed a full-scale outline of a U.S. carrier and at least two Arleigh…

An ailing crew member was medevaced from a tanker vessel near Galveston, Texas, on Sunday morning, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston command center watchstanders received a medevac request via VHF-FM channel 16 at 4:05 a.m. from the Marshall Islands-flagged Silver Ginny for an unresponsive 28-year-old crewmember who had fainted in his cabin but had stable vitals. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac.A Coast Guard Station Galveston 45-foot Response Boat–Medium crew launched to conduct the medevac…

British defense company BAE Systems stuck to guidance for earnings to grow by 3% to 5% this year over 2020's result and said that demand for its products and services remained high.BAE, whose main customers are the United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia, also said that so far it had been able to overcome supply chain pressures affecting many other manufacturers globally, helped by the long-lead items it uses in programs.Defense has been largely unaffected by the pandemic, with governments sticking to military and security commitments…

The leadership of an American nuclear-powered submarine that hit a seamount in the South China Sea last month will be relieved of command, U.S. officials told Reuters on Thursday.The U.S. Navy fast-attack submarine Connecticut hit the submerged object last month but there were no serious injuries and the vessel is currently in Guam. Fifteen people suffered minor injuries such as bruises and lacerations.The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the leadership…

A U.S. naval command ship entered the Black Sea on Thursday as part of NATO maneuvers that drew a warm welcome from Ukraine but close scrutiny from the Russian navy. The U.S. navy said the Mount Whitney was in the region to conduct routine maritime operations with NATO allies and partners. The Black Sea - in particular the area near the Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 - is a sensitive security zone for Moscow. "The forces and means of the Black Sea Fleet have started monitoring the actions of the Mount Whitney command ship…

Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) announced today that its Department of the Navy contract with Fluor Marine Propulsion, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fluor, was extended through fiscal year 2022. The contract is part of a joint program, Naval Reactors, that is overseen by the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration and the Department of the Navy. The contract includes Naval Nuclear Propulsion work at the Navy Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) sites in New York, Pennsylvania and Idaho.

Russia's Black Sea naval forces practiced destroying enemy targets on Tuesday as Moscow bristled at the presence of two U.S. warships in the area.President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that Russian forces could observe the USS Mount Whitney navy command ship "through binoculars or in the crosshairs of its ... defense systems" and complained about NATO activity near Russia's borders.On Tuesday, the Black Sea fleet said its ships had rehearsed destroying enemy targets and that their air defense systems had been put on alert at its bases in Novorossiysk and on annexed Crimea…

The head of a U.S. commission that oversees ocean transportation said in an interview on Tuesday he suspects some ocean carriers have improperly charged importers, one of many factors driving supply chain woes.A broad range of companies importing goods have been frustrated not only by the pile-up of ships outside harbors but also by higher shipping costs and fees for lapses many say are for problems outside their control.U.S. Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Dan Maffei said the current mess is largely driven by a demand surge as the U.S.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards thwarted an attempt by the United States to detain a tanker carrying the Islamic Republic's oil in the Sea of Oman, Iranian state TV reported on Wednesday, saying the incident took place recently.Reached for comment, the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet said it had seen reports of the incident but at present had no information to provide.Iran's state TV said U.S. forces used helicopters and warships to try to block a tanker carrying Iranian oil in the Sea of Oman.

America’s largest military shipbuilding company Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced on Tuesday that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division recently completed the first round of sea trials for San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28).“Shipbuilding is about teamwork. Our shipbuilders work as a team with our Navy partners to make these ships ready to join the fleet,” said Steve Sloan, Ingalls’ LPD program manager. “The success we achieved this week will propel us into a strong finish as we prepare for acceptance trials later this year.

The first MV7000 drives for the LSS FLOTLOG program has successfully passed their Factory Acceptance Tests at GE Power Conversion Nancy Factory, reaching a first milestone for the new fleet of logistic support ships (LSS) of the French Navy.It follows the contract signed in 2020 between GE Power Conversion and Chantiers de l’Atlantique to provide systems for the four LSS to be built by the Shipyard for the French Navy, under the contract management of the Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR)…

Denmark, the United States and 12 other countries on Monday backed a goal to reduce emissions by the global maritime sector to zero by 2050, a target to be fleshed out in negotiations at the United Nations shipping agency.The initiative, led by Denmark and announced on the sidelines of the U.N. COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, aims to build support among countries for the goal at the International Maritime Organization, which is considering new emissions-cutting measures…

The Department of Defense’s (DoD) Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) is seeking to fund environmental research and development in the Munitions Response program area. SERDP invests across the broad spectrum of basic and applied research, as well as advanced technology development. The development and application of innovative environmental technologies will reduce the costs, environmental risks, and time required to resolve environmental problems while…

The Biden Administration’s struggles to alleviate supply chain capacity issues appear to be continuing with no end in sight. Part of the issue arises from the Administration’s limited focus on ports and another part arises from Congressional stalemates. Could the much-needed beltway leadership on these issues come in the form of the newly-tapped Maritime Administrator?Biden focuses on ports to address larger issuesThroughout October the President and his Supply Chain Disruptions…

A Turkish-flagged cargo ship carrying 382 mostly Afghan migrants docked safely at a Greek island's port early on Sunday, two days after losing power in the Aegean Sea and sending out a distress signal.Six people among what was the country's biggest single influx of migrants in years were detained after the vessel, the Murat 729, was towed into Kos port by a Greek coast guard ship, the migration ministry said.The other arrivals were taken to a reception centre on the island. Their stay at the center…

The Iranian navy thwarted a pirate attack against an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden on Monday, Iranian state TV said. "Before crossing the Bab al-Mandeb straight, the tanker was approached by four boats carrying armed men who were prevented in their attack after the Iranian escort fired warning shots," state TV reported.Iran’s navy has extended its reach in recent years, sending vessels to the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden to protect Iranian ships from Somali pirates. (Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Nick Macfie)

Greece mounted a rescue operation on Friday for a cargo ship carrying about 400 migrants after it sent out a distress signal off the island of Crete, the coast guard said.The Greek coast guard quoted passengers as saying the Turkish-flagged vessel had sailed from Turkey, calling it “one of the largest search and rescue operations carried out in the eastern Mediterranean.”Authorities said the ship was being taken to land but gave no further details. The nationalities of the passengers…

Trade association Dredging Contractors of America (DCA) honored U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) with its Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his leadership in support of critical maritime infrastructure investments.The award particularly notes his advocacy of the Mobile Harbor expansion, as it is formed from a cutting tooth used on the dredging vessel Ellis Island during the project.“DCA and its member companies greatly appreciate Senator Shelby for his decades of leadership in Congress on behalf of the maritime and dredging industry and the Americans whose jobs it supports…

More than 100 containers have been lost from a fire-stricken containership off British Columbia, well above original estimates, the Canadian Coast Guard said.Initial reports indicated that the Malta-flagged Zim Kingston lost roughly 40 boxes near the Strait of Juan de Fuca, on October 22, after heavy weather caused the vessel to list 35 degrees while traveling from Busan, South Korea to Vancouver, Canada.A fire that broke out on board on October 23 led to the loss of additional containers, and by Wednesday the Canadian Coast Guard said the number of lost boxes has risen to 109.

A U.S. trade group representing companies selling luggage, backpacks and other travel products has written President Joe Biden asking that regulations on shipping and other fees be strictly enforced to help bring down the cost of shipping.The Travel Goods Association, whose companies do some $1 billion in U.S. sales annually, asked for "immediate action – aggressive enforcement, leadership to bring the full gamut (of) stakeholders to the table, provide immediate relief, and more."They…

The largest shipwreck removal project in American history is drawing to a close.On Monday, salvage personnel removed the final section of the overturned car carrier Golden Ray, which capsized in the St. Simons Sound near Georgia's Port of Brunswick in September 2019.The ensuing salvage project—considered to be the largest and most complex in U.S. waters—required more than 3 million collective manhours as crews cut the 656-foot ship into eight sections for lifting and barge transport to a local facility for partial dismantling.

A Russian Navy destroyer has fended off a pirate attack on a container ship near the western coast of Africa, Russia's Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.Destroyer Vice Admiral Kulakov received a distress signal from Panama-registered container ship Lucia en route from Togo to Cameroon on Monday, the ministry said in a statement, and dispatched a unit of marines on a helicopter to it.The pirates immediately fled, allowing Russian soldiers to free the ship's crew.The Russian destroyer was part of a group patrolling the Gulf of Guinea to ensure the security of civilian navigation.

Bad weather off Canada's Pacific Coast on Monday prevented a salvage crew from boarding a cargo ship where several containers of chemicals burned over the weekend, the coast guard said.Sixteen crew members were evacuated from the MV Zim Kingston on Saturday. Five remained onboard to fight the fire, which was largely under control by late Sunday.The company has appointed a salvage crew "but due to the current weather, (they) have been unable to board the container ship", the coast…

Russian and Chinese warships held their first joint patrols in the western Pacific Ocean over the past week, Russia's defense ministry said on Saturday, a move Japan said it was monitoring.Moscow and Beijing, which staged naval cooperation drills in the Sea of Japan earlier in October, have cultivated closer military and diplomatic ties in recent years at a time when their relations with the West have soured.The naval maneuvers, which Russia said ran from Sunday through Saturday…

A container fire that broke out on Saturday on a cargo ship carrying mining chemicals off British Columbia is smoldering and appears to be under control, Canadian Coast Guard officials said on Sunday.Sixteen crew members were evacuated from the MV Zim Kingston on Saturday, while five remained onboard to fight the fire.The ship is anchored several kilometers off the southern coast of Vancouver Island. Residents of the island are not in danger, officials said, and transit of commercial…

Bollinger Shipyards has delivered the newest Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter (FRC), the USCGC John Scheuerman, to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Fla. nearly one week ahead of schedule despite a three week shutdown due to the significant damage sustained to Bollinger’s facilities during Hurricane Ida. The storm made landfall in late August near Port Fourchon, La. as a Category 4 storm. Bollinger’s facilities in Port Fourchon, Lockport, Houma and Larose suffered significant damage as a result of Hurricane Ida…

On Monday, October 18, Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG), Northrop Grumman, L3Harris, and industry partners commissioned the new Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) Production Facility (PF) in support of the U.S. Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) program at ESG’s Allanton Shipyard. The ceremony was attended by leaders of the United States Coast Guard Project Resident Office.The C5ISR PF is a new…

A U.S. Navy investigation released on Wednesday found that a fire aboard a warship last year, which was caused by arson, was preventable and that a series of failures after it started led to the destruction of the ship.More than 60 people, including about 40 sailors, were treated for minor injuries during several days of fighting flames on the 844-foot-long (257-meter) amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard, which was docked for maintenance at its home port at U.S. Naval Base San Diego.A U.S.

EU shipping power Greece has told the European Commission that adding the industry to the bloc's carbon emissions trading scheme should be proportionate and tightly enforced to secure a level playing field for the European fleet in global markets.In a letter sent to Commission head Ursula von der Leyen, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that countries should also get back the revenue raised by the costs their ships would pay and that money should be spent on decarbonizing maritime transport.Greek-owned vessels represent 58% of the EU's fleet…

A group of 10 naval vessels from China and Russia sailed through a strait separating Japan's main island and its northern island of Hokkaido on Monday, the Japanese government said, adding that it is closely watching such activities.It was the first time Japan has confirmed the passage of Chinese and Russian naval vessels sailing together through the Tsugaru Strait, which separates the Sea of Japan from the Pacific.While the strait is regarded as international waters, Japan's ties with China have long been plagued by conflicting claims over a group of tiny East China Sea islets.

Austal Australia launched the first of six Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats, to be constructed for the Royal Australian Navy at the company’s shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia.Austal was awarded a $324 million contract by the Australian Department of Defense in May 2020 for the six 58 meter Evolved Cape-class Patrol Boats, which include a number of enhancements that improve operational capability and crew capacity, compared to the vessels already in service with the Navy…

Detyens Shipyards Inc. has been awarded an $8,991,045 firm-fixed-price contract for the overhaul of U.S. Navy cable layer USNS Zeus (T-ARC 7), the Pentagon announced Friday.Work to be performed under the 90-calendar day shipyard availability includes services for the regular overhaul and dry-docking availability of the 513.5-foot vessel. The contract also contains 11 unexercised options, which if exercised, would increase cumulative contract value to $9,975,203.Work at the North Charleston, S.C.

Bollinger Shipyards joined U.S. Coast Guard officials at USCG Sector Delaware Bay in Philadelphia, Pa., for the commissioning of one of the newest Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters (“FRC”), USCGC Emlen Tunnell.Named in honor of Coast Guard hero and NFL great Emlen Tunnell, the cutter is the fourth of six FRCs to be home-ported in Manama, Bahrain, which will replace the aging 110-ft. Island Class Patrol Boats, built by Bollinger Shipyards 30 years ago, supporting the Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA), the U.S. Coast Guard’s largest overseas presence outside the United States.The U.S.

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA, part of Australia's Austal Group, hosted a christening ceremony for the future USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship at the company’s Gulf Coast shipyard today. Ship sponsor Lolita Zinke performed the ceremonial bottle break over the bow of the Santa Barbara, the 16th LCS designed and constructed by Austal USA and the third U.S. Navy ship to be named after the California coast city.Zinke, wife of former U.S. Congressman and former U.S.

The Chinese military on Sunday condemned the United States and Canada for each sending a warship through the Taiwan Strait last week, saying they were threatening peace and stability in the region.China claims democratically-ruled Taiwan as its own territory, and has mounted repeated air force missions into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) over the past year, provoking anger in Taipei.China sent around 150 aircraft into the zone over a four-day period beginning on Oct.

Iranian naval forces intervened on Saturday to repel pirates who attacked an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, Iran's state media reported.Pirates in five speedboats attacked the unidentified tanker, but they fled after facing heavy fire from Iran's navy, the state broadcaster IRIB said on its website.Iran’s navy has extended its reach in recent years, dispatching vessels to the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden to protect Iranian ships from Somali pirate attacks.(Reporting by Dubai newsroom Editing by Mark Potter)

President Joe Biden intends to nominate Ann Phillips to serve as Administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) at the Department of Transportation (DOT), the White House announced Thursday. The position has been vacant since Mark Buzby resigned from the role in the wake of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in January.If confirmed, Phillips, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral and currently the first Special Assistant to the Governor of Virginia for Coastal Adaptation and Protection…

Russia said one of its military vessels chased away a U.S. naval destroyer that attempted to violate Russian territorial waters during Russian-Chinese naval drills in the Sea of Japan on Friday.There was no immediate comment from the U.S. side.The Russian defense ministry said the crew of a Russian anti-submarine vessel, the Admiral Tributs, had radioed a warning to the USS Chafee that it was "in an area closed to navigation due to exercises with artillery fire".The U.S. destroyer failed to change course and instead raised flags indicating it was preparing to launch a helicopter from its deck…

The decades long mystery of a missing U.S. Coast Guard Ship has finally been solved. U.S. Revenue Cutter (USRC) Bear, lost at sea in 1963, has been found on the seafloor about 90 miles south of Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, NOAA Rear Adm. Nancy Hann announced Thursday.Widely considered one of the most historically significant ships in American history, Bear was purchased by the U.S. government and first put into service by the U.S. Navy as part of the rescue fleet for the Greely Expedition to the Arctic in 1884, attaining legendary status for the rescue of the expedition's few survivors.

President Joe Biden will host a meeting on Wednesday to hail progress in addressing supply chain problems weighing on the economy and threatening the holiday season, while he asks business and union leaders to do more to ease shipping backlogs.The Port of Los Angeles is going to 24/7 operations to ease the shipping snarl there and at the Port of Long Beach, a senior administration official told reporters ahead of the meeting.In addition, three large carriers of goods - Walmart…

Britain's new aircraft carrier the HMS Queen Elizabeth made a stop in Singapore on Monday, part of a move to reassert itself globally and boost its military presence in Asia amid rising competition among major powers.The Queen Elizabeth led a British carrier strike group in exercises with Singapore's military at the weekend, including naval maneuvers and simulated combat training with F-35B stealth fighters and F-16 jets.Britain plans to permanently deploy two warships in Asian waters…

A U.S. Navy nuclear engineer and his wife have been charged with selling secret information about nuclear submarines to an undercover FBI agent who posed as an operative for a foreign country, the Justice Department said on Sunday.Jonathan Toebbe and his wife, Diana, were arrested on Saturday in West Virginia and charged with violating the Atomic Energy Act, the Justice Department said in a statement. They are scheduled to appear in a West Virginia federal court on Tuesday.Toebbe…

U.S. Navy submarine USS Connecticut (SSN 22) hit an "object" while submerged in the Asia-Pacific region, but the incident did not result in any life-threatening injuries, the United States military said on Thursday.The incident took place on Saturday and the submarine's nuclear propulsion plant and spaces were not impacted and remain operational, the Navy said in a statement."The submarine remains in a safe and stable condition," the Navy added.U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity…

Aluminum workboat builder Silver Ships, Inc. said it was awarded an $8.2 million delivery order as a result of being awarded a firm-fixed-price indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) single award contract by the Naval Sea Systems Command for the construction and delivery of up to 110 Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Surface Support Craft (SSC) and U.S. Coast Guard Special Purpose Craft, Law Enforcement (SPC-LE) vessels, in addition to other accessories, parts and training.

OSI Maritime Systems (OSI) announced it has been selected by Damen Naval to provide a navigation suite to the Federal German Navy’s F126 program. The contract includes Integrated Bridge Management Systems (IBMS) for the frigates and land-based test and training sites (Landanlage), all powered by ECPINS.ECPINS forms the heart of OSI’s IMO type-approved Integrated Navigation System - MSC 252(83), and is a leading WECDIS among NATO and Allied navies. Already 80% compliant to STANAG 4564 Edition 3…

The U.S. Navy awarded Austal USA a $144 million two-ship Towing, Salvage, and Rescue Ship (T-ATS) detailed design and construction contract October 5.T-ATS will provide oceangoing tug, salvage and rescue capabilities to support U.S. fleet operations and will be a multi mission common hull platform capable of towing heavy ships. These ships will be able to support current missions, including oil spill response, humanitarian assistance, and wide area search and surveillance. The…

Serco Canada Marine (Serco) has received Approval in Principle from Lloyd's Register (LR) for its Atlas 120 Frigate design.The Atlas 120 Light Frigate is a modern general-purpose surface combatant that spans 120 meters in length. The ship can accommodate almost all standard NATO missile munitions and the Hangar and Flight Deck have been sized to accommodate all NATO medium lift naval helicopters. The ship has a broad range of passive and active self-defense systems to protect the ship from all directions.

The Saudi-Led coalition destroyed three explosives-laden boats in the Yemeni province of Hodeidah that had been readied for imminent attacks, the Saudi state-news agency said on Wednesday.The coalition added that its efforts helped to protect the shipping lanes and international trade in the Bab al-Mandab strait and the southern Red Sea, the agency quoted a statement as saying.The coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015, backing forces of the ousted government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi against the Iran-aligned Houthis.The conflict has dragged on, killing tens of thousands, including in

The Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS) has been selected by the U.S. Navy to provide mission critical firefighting and damage control training to Navy and Coast Guard sailors stationed in the Seattle, Washington area. Training standards require that all sailors must be prepared to combat fires or flooding at any time, whether at sea or in port. The Pacific Northwest is the only part of the world where the Navy contracts this type of training to a civilian fire school.The MITAGS trainer…

Singapore-based oil trader Winson Group denied on Tuesday a U.N. Security Council report alleging that it supplied fuel to North Korea in breach of international sanctions."Winson denies, in the strongest possible terms, any and all allegations and/or insinuations that it knowingly facilitated the illicit supply of oil to North Korea in breach of any United Nations Security Council resolutions, and/or that it is a 'key node' in North Korea's procurement of oil or refined petroleum products…

Malaysia summoned the Chinese ambassador to Kuala Lumpur on Monday to express its protest against the “encroachment” into its waters by Beijing’s vessels, the foreign ministry said.The protest was over the “presence and activities” of Chinese vessels, including a survey vessel, in Malaysia’s Exclusive Economic Zone off the coasts of the eastern states of Sabah and Sarawak, the ministry said in a statement on Monday.It did not say when the vessels were detected in Malaysian waters.“Malaysia’s consistent position and actions are based on international law…

Eastern Shipbuilding Group is one of America’s leading shipbuilders. Perhaps best known for its history building tugs, towboats and offshore supply vessels, the company is today finding success in other markets, with notable build projects underway for the U.S. Coast Guard, Staten Island Ferry and dredging contractor Weeks Marine. Eastern’s president Joey D’Isernia weighs in on the yard’s current workload, market drivers and the challenges overcome and on the horizon.Where do you see the best opportunities for Eastern Shipbuilding Group today?We see a lot of opportunity in the defense sector…

Top U.S. trade negotiator Katherine Tai on Monday pledged to exclude some Chinese imports from tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump while pressing Beijing in "frank" talks over its failure to keep promises made in Trump's trade deal and end harmful industrial policies.Tai said the United States would keep all options open as it continues to push China to stop pouring billions of dollars of state subsidies into its semiconductor, steel and other industries that Washington says harm U.S.

Turkey sent a Greek Cypriot research vessel away from what it says is its continental shelf in the Mediterranean on Sunday after it entered the area without permission, Turkey's Defence Ministry said, in a sign of renewed tensions.For decades, Turkey has been at odds with Greece and Cyprus over competing territorial claims in the east Mediterranean, air space, energy, the status of some islands in the Aegean, and the breakaway Turkish state on the divided island of Cyprus.After months of tension last year that sparked fears of direct confrontation between NATO members Turkey and Greece…

Great Lakes Shipyard, a division of The Great Lakes Towing Company, has recently been awarded government contracts amounting to more than $1.9 million.The contracts, which could be valued at nearly $2.5 million if all options are exercised, include haul out, maintenance, and repair work of the following vessels: U.S. Coast Guard: Cutter KATMAI BAY; and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Detroit District Floating Plant (Tug DEMOLEN and Crane Barge VELER); and Buffalo District Barge BC6214.Great Lakes Shipyard is a regular provider of maintenance and repair services to the federal government…

The University of Houston’s College of Technology will host the 12th Annual Maritime Risk Symposium, a virtual event, in collaboration with the National Academy of Sciences from November 1-5, 2021.The Maritime Risk Symposium is an annual conference in which government and maritime industry leaders, port representatives, researchers, and solution providers convene to examine current and emerging threats to maritime security.RegistrationRegistration for this year’s virtual Maritime Risk Symposium has been reduced to $50 per person. Registrants will receive a personalized code to participate in conference sessions. Following the Symposium…

Eastern Shipbuilding Group on Monday commenced construction of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Ingham (WMSM-917), the third 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 103,000-square-foot steel and aluminum processing facility and transferred to the Nelson Street Shipyard for assembly and construction.This milestone is yet another signal of growing momentum in the OPC program.

Britain said on Sunday it had collected evidence of multiple ships from various nationalities apparently breaching United Nations sanctions against North Korea which ban the sale of fuel to the country.British frigate HMS Richmond has been taking part in UN sanctions enforcement operations in the region."HMS Richmond’s deployment in the East China Sea identified ships acting in suspected breach of UN sanctions and tracked vessels which had previously not been flagged to the Enforcement Coordination Cell…

China strongly condemned Britain on Monday for sailing a warship through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, saying it was behavior that “harbored evil intentions” and that the Chinese military followed the vessel and warned it away.A post on the ship’s Twitter account said HMS Richmond passed through the strait en route to Vietnam. It had been deployed in the East China Sea while taking part in United Nations sanctions enforcement operations against North Korea.China claims Taiwan as…

First steel was cut Thursday for the first of the UK Royal Navy’s five new Type 31 frigates, HMS Venturer.The historic ceremony took place at Babcock's factory in Rosyth, Scotland, where the Type 31 Inspiration class ships are being constructed."The frigates will be at the heart of the Royal Navy’s surface fleet, deterring aggression and maintaining the security of the UK’s interests as well as providing humanitarian relief when needed. The frigates will work alongside the UK’s Allies to deliver a warship presence across the globe and enable a forward naval presence…

Russia's navy practiced firing at targets in the Black Sea off the coast of annexed Crimea using its Bastion coastal missile defense system, Russia's Defense Ministry said on Thursday as Ukraine held joint military drills with the United States.The exercises in Ukraine involving U.S. and other NATO troops are set to run until Oct. 1. They follow huge war games staged by neighboring Russia and Belarus earlier this month that alarmed the West.Kyiv's relations with Moscow plummeted…

France should not have been surprised that Australia cancelled a submarine contract, as major concerns about delays, cost overruns and suitability had been aired officially and publicly for years, Australian politicians said.Paris has recalled its ambassadors from Canberra and Washington, saying it was blindsided by Canberra's decision to build nuclear-powered submarines with the United States and Britain rather than stick with its contract for French diesel submarines.Yet as early as September 2018, an independent oversight board led by a former U.S.

An ailing crew member was medevaced  from a crude oil tanker 22 miles south of Sabine, Texas, Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Coast Guard Sector Houston command center watchstanders received a call at 10:36 p.m. from the anchored Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Pacific Ruby stating that a 35-year-old mariner on board was exhibiting abnormal lethargic behavior and was in need of medical assistance. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac.A Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew launched to assist.