Government & Military News

The United States on Friday announced the deployment of 1,500 troops to the Middle East, describing it as an effort to bolster defenses against Iran as it accused the country's Revolutionary Guards of direct responsibility for this month's tanker attacks.President Donald Trump's administration also invoked the threat from Iran to declare a national security-related emergency that would clear the sale of billions of dollars' worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries without required congressional approval.The actions were the latest by the Trump administration as it highlights what it sees as a threat of potential attack by Iran…

The U.S. Coast Guard is soliciting for members of the public to participate in a Ports and Waterways Safety Assessment (PAWSA) workshop for the Straits of Mackinac that will take place in St. Ignace, Michigan, July 24 and 25.A longstanding and proven Coast Guard process for formal public study, a PAWSA is a joint effort involving waterway users, stakeholders, and agencies to focus on identifying major waterway safety hazards, estimating risk levels, and evaluating risk mitigation measures.

Bollinger Shipyards has delivered the USCGC William Hart, the 34th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) to the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard took delivery on May 23, 2019 in Key West, Florida. The 154-foot Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter has a flank speed over 28 knots, state of the art command, control, communications and computer technology, and a stern launch system for the vessel’s 26-foot cutter boat. The FRC has been described as an operational “game changer,” by senior Coast Guard officials.

The launching of the new corvette “Ins Magen” in Kiel marks an important step in the ongoing program of Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems as general contractor to build four next-generation SA’AR-6 class missile vessels for the Israeli Navy.The ship was named by Mrs. Eti Sharvit, wife of Vice Admiral Eli Sharvit, Chief of the Israeli Navy, in presence of high-level representatives from the Israeli Government and Navy as well as high-ranking German Navy officials.Dr. Rolf Wirtz, CEO of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems: "We are very proud to be contributing to Israel's security.

A plasma-burning machine cut the first steel plate that will be used to build Columbia (SSBN 826), the lead ballistic missile submarine. As Newport News continues its digital transformation, the event also marked the first class of submarines that will be built using fully digital blueprints.“Today is a historic day,” said Jason Ward, Newport News’ vice president for Columbia-class construction. “It has been a half century since Newport News Shipbuilding has constructed a ballistic submarine.

Iran and Iraq have agreed to solve the issue of dredging of Arvand River (Shatt al-Arab) in Iranian southwestern city of Khorramshahr in Khouzestan.Based on the agreement reached, it was decided to establish a temporary technical committee with the aim of providing the preconditions for joint dredging of Arvand River, said Fars News Agency."It is expected that more technical meetings with Iran and Iraq experts will be held for dredging operations at Arvand river in the upcoming ten days…

Brazil Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ernesto Henrique Fraga Araujo met with the global port operator DP World Group's Chairman and CEO, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem in the Brazilian capital, Brasilia this week.They discussed social reform, a stable and efficient regulatory framework to attract investors alongside public private partnerships to encourage foreign direct investment (FDI). The meeting preceded Mr. Bin Sulayem’s discussions with President Jair Bolsonaro during the visit.DP World Santos…

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday said Canada would spend an estimated C$15.7 billion ($11.7 billion) to renew its coast guard fleet and that it would partner with a new shipyard to complete the project.Two Arctic icebreakers will be among a total of 18 new ships ordered, Trudeau told reporters in Vancouver. They will be built by Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax on the east coast, while 16 multi-purpose vessels will be built by Vancouver Shipyards on the west coast."Our…

The Belgium Naval & Robotics consortium, composed of Naval Group and ECA Group, won the contract to supply 12 minehunting vessels to the Belgian and Dutch navies. Equipped with around 100 drones, constituting approximately 10 drone systems (toolboxes), six ships are destined for the Belgian Navy, while the other six will be delivered to the Dutch Navy.The 10-year contract is worth nearly $2.3B. After a three-year design phase, Belgium Naval & Robotics will launch the production…

Inadequate training and improper shoreside crane operations were found to be the cause of a fatal accident earlier this year in the US Coast Guard buoy yard in Homer, Alaska.A shoreside crane mishap on January 31 lead to the death of Chief Warrant Officer Michael Kozloski, who was working in the buoy yard at the time of the accident. Local emergency medical services personnel performed CPR and transported him to South Peninsula Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.According to the U.S. Coast Guard investigation released on Tuesday, the improper operation of the crane was the result  leadership deficiencies aboard the Cutter Hickory…

The U.S. military said one of its warships sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal claimed by China in the South China Sea on Sunday, angering Beijing at a time of tense ties between the world's two biggest economies.The busy waterway is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the U.S.-China relationship, which include a trade war, U.S. sanctions and Taiwan.China struck a more aggressive tone in its trade war with the United States on Friday. The tough talk capped a week that saw China unveil new retaliatory tariffs in response to a U.S.

A.P.M Moeller-Maersk (Maersk) has informed the search for the missing seafarer who fell overboard from the Maersk Patras on May 19, 2019, has been suspended.“It is with regret we have received the news that the search and rescue operation was unsuccessful and we must conclude that we have lost our colleague. It is a tragic situation for the family and we have offered them our full support. My deepest condolences and thoughts go to them,” says Søren Toft, COO of A.P. Moller - Maersk…

London's marine insurance market has extended the list of waters deemed high risk to include Oman, the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf after ship attacks off Fujairah, officials said on Friday, in a move that could push up premiums.The London insurance market's Joint War Committee said in a statement that the additions cover areas of perceived enhanced risk for marine insurers and reflected enhanced regional risk."The situation will be kept under close review," said the Joint War Committee…

Wight Shipyard Co. (WSC) debuts a hybrid patrol vessel designed  to reduce both fuel costs and engine maintenance.“This ground-breaking project aims to set new standards in high speed, fuel economy and light weight vessels in the sector. Building greener vessels has been an integral focus for some time now so moving into hybrid options is the obvious next step forward,” said Peter Morton, CEO, WSC.The WSC vessel has been designed by naval architect Chartwell Marine, and is the first in the new Chasewell range of pilot and patrol boats…

Today, the Panama Canal completed a trial transit of Evergreen’s Triton, the largest vessel in dimension and container cargo capacity to pass through the Expanded Canal since it opened in June 2016.The Neopanamax containership Triton, which has a Total TEU Allowance (TTA) of 15,313, a 20-row beam of 51.2 meters and a length of 369 meters, transited northbound from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean.Similar to the milestone Q-Flex transit completed on May 12, today’s achievement was made possible by an increase to the maximum allowable beam for vessels transiting the Neopanamax Locks.

HydroHoist Boat Lifts,a manufacturer of marine dock equipment, has announced the receipt of orders from the U.S. Navy to provide HarborHoist boat lifts to protect Navy security and patrol boats.The contracts for installations include ports in Virginia, New Jersey, Connecticut and New Hampshire, to be completed in April.HydroHoist was selected through a strong vetting process based on the Navy’s confidence in HydroHoist’s history and the HarborHoist’s saltwater friendly design.

Dennis Wilmsmeyer was appointed Executive Director at America’s Central Port on July 1, 2010, prior to which he served 11 years with the Port District, six as General Manager.With over 30 years of experience, Dennis brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table in the areas of transportation, planning, and economic development. His responsibilities include developing the Port’s 1,200-acre industrial park and business campus, redeveloping a former military logistics center…

The marine industry's January 2020 shift to using very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) to power ships worldwide will launch a one- to five-year disruption in oil and refined products markets, according to a study released Thursday by Boston Consulting Group.The International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s mandated switch will require fuels to have a sulfur content below 0.5%, compared with 3.5% now. It aims to improve human health by reducing air pollution from sea-going vessels.The changeover may increase profits for refiners, especially on the U.S.

The Houston Ship Channel reopened on Wednesday to two-way traffic after salvage crews removed two gasoline barges damaged in a weekend collision with a deep-draft vessel, officials said.About 11,280 barrels of gasoline spilled into the channel near Bayport, Texas, after a 755-foot (230-metre) tanker collided over the weekend with a Kirby Inland Marine tugboat towing two barges containing the fuel.The removal of the Kirby Corp-operated barges was completed by midday on Wednesday and two-way traffic resumed, according to Bayport Channel Collision Response, a group overseeing cleanup and salvage operations.Officials decided on Wednesday to tow away a capsized barge instead of draining its tanks of fuel, speeding up the reopening by at least two days.A U.S.

An industrial accident on Wednesday, May 15 at a Port of Los Angeles container terminal tragically took the life of an International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) worker and seriously injured a second worker. The incident occurred at approximately 7:25 a.m. at Fenix Marine Services at Pier 300. According to initial reports, an equipment accident involving a top loader container handler caused the death of one worker and injured the other. The injured worker was transported to Harbor UCLA Medical Center. The names of those involved in the accident are not yet available.

Are paradigms shifting on the increased role of inland waterways with respect to short sea shipping and the Nation’s marine transportation system? Investigation and implementation of new commerce shipping avenues are becoming more common along the Eastern seaboard of the United States with each new announcement of a Port Authority supporting the development of shipping routes for container on barge services.In the past few weeks, the South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) furthered their quest to develop a marine highway to support the Port of Charleston in South Carolina.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said trade talks with China had not collapsed, characterizing the trade war between the world's two largest economies as "a little squabble."He made the remarks to reporters at the White House as Beijing and Washington ratchet up tensions with tit-for-tat tariffs on billions of dollars of imports.Trump indicated negotiators from the two countries were still talking, saying they were having a good dialogue.

The Houston Ship Channel could remain under one-way travel restrictions all week following a collision between a deep-draft ship and a barge that spilled petrochemicals into the waterway, according to an official.About 9,000 barrels of gasoline spilled into the channel near Bayport, Texas, when a 755-foot (230-m) tanker collided with a Kirby Inland Marine tugboat towing two barges containing the fuel. One barge ruptured and the other capsized.The U.S. Coast Guard limited travel to one-way traffic because barges blocked part of the channel.

North Korea said on Tuesday the seizure of one of its cargo ships by the United States was an illegal act that violated the spirit of a summit between the two countries' leaders, and demanded the return of the vessel without delay.The North's foreign ministry said in a statement that it rejected U.N. Security Council resolutions against it which the United States cited in impounding the vessel, as a violation of its sovereignty."The United States committed an unlawful and outrageous act of dispossessing our cargo ship…

Since summer 2017, four vessels equipped with analog sonars have been upgraded using RTsys AS3i technology (Analog Surface Ship Sonar Improvement), which digitalized and improved the processing of signals rendered by sensors.Brittany-based company RTSYS does not only deals with AUV, subsea recorders and buoys, but can also display a full range of sonar systems such as handheld devices for divers or sonar retrofit. The latter of which led the French SME to lately offer in summer…

China's decision to hike import duties on U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a move that means very little for the market in the short term, but it has the potential to deliver outsized consequences the longer the levies remain in place.As part of its latest round of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports, Beijing increased the duty on LNG shipments from 10 percent to 25 percent.This will make it even more uneconomic for Chinese buyers to purchase LNG cargoes from the United States. The 10 percent tariff put in place last year has already devastated the trade, with China's imports of the fuel dropping sharply.China imported 25 U.S. LNG cargoes in the first half of 2018…

The U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia said Washington should take what he called "reasonable responses short of war" after it had determined who was behind attacks on oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.Iran was a prime suspect in the sabotage on Sunday although Washington had no conclusive proof, a U.S. official familiar with American intelligence said on Monday. Iran has denied involvement."We need to do a thorough investigation to understand what happened, why it happened, and then come up with reasonable responses short of war," Ambassador John Abizaid told reporters in the Saudi capital Riyadh in remarks published on Tuesday."It's not in (Iran's) interest…

Now Capture 39 Percent of the Upper Mississippi River Barge Traffic; new data highlights concentration of river terminals, resulting in greater efficiencies and lower costs.The latest data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) reveals the St. Louis Regional Ports held onto the top ranking as the most efficient inland port district* in the nation in terms of tons moved per river mile during 2017, the most recent year for which final numbers are available. The St. Louis region’s barge industry handled 472,400 tons per mile.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has launched a joint project with Norway to help the shipping industry cut emissions by at least 50 percent from 2008 levels by 2050, the UN's shipping agency said on Monday.The Norwegian government is providing 10 million NOK ($1.1 million) for the first two years of the GreenVoyage-2050 project, and additional funding subject to government approval for 2020 and subsequent years.The scheme aims to bolster government and port efforts to achieve emissions cuts through legal and policy reforms, national action plans, private sector partnerships and n

Shipping along the Houston Ship Channel was limited to one-way traffic on Monday after a barge collided with a deep-draft ship that spilled petrochemicals into the waterway over the weekend, officials said.About 9,000 barrels of gasoline spilled into the channel near Bayport, Texas, when a 755-foot (230-m) tanker collided with a Kirby Inland Marine tugboat towing two barges containing the fuel. One barge ruptured and the other capsized. The one-way traffic limitation is due to the barges blocking part of the channel.

Croatia's ailing shipyard in the northern Adriatic city of Pula was placed into bankruptcy by a commercial court on Monday after an almost year-long effort to keep it afloat.The shipyard belongs to Uljanik, Croatia's largest shipbuilding group, which also owns another troubled dock in the northern Adriatic city of Rijeka. A decision on the shipyard in Rijeka is scheduled for June 5.The Pula shipyard has an outstanding debt of 164.8 million kuna ($25 million). Local media reported that it has 1…

A Saudi ship, prevented by rights groups from loading an arms cargo at the French port of Le Havre on Friday, arrived at the Spanish port of Santander early on Monday and was due to leave later in the day, according to the Santander port.It was not clear what the Saudi ship was doing in Santander but the port's website said the vessel, the Bahri-Yanbu, was scheduled to set sail at 1:30 p.m. (1130 GMT). It did not say where the vessel was heading.Spain's Interior Ministry said they had no information regarding the ship.

Saudi Arabia said on Monday that two of its oil tankers were among those attacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and said it was an attempt to undermine the security of crude supplies amid tensions between the United States and Iran.The UAE said on Sunday that four commercial vessels were sabotaged near Fujairah emirate, one of the world's largest bunkering hubs lying just outside the Strait of Hormuz, but did not describe the nature of the attack or say who was behind it.The UAE had not given the nationalities or other details about the ownership of the four vessels.

Anchorage off Fujairah-Reported Vessel Attack or Sabotage.A maritime incident has been reported in the vicinity of the anchorages off Fujairah, UAE in the vicinity of 25-18N 56-28E on May 12, 2019. The incident has not been confirmed. The nature of the event is reported to be attacks or sabotage on one or more vessels.  The precise means of attack or sabotage is unknown. Exercise caution when transiting this area.  Further updates will be provided when available.  This alert will automatically expire on May 19, 2019. Any questions regarding this alert should be directed to GMCC@uscg.mil

Appended are highlights of the piracy and sea robbery situation in Asia in April 2019.

The United States has imposed sanctions on two shipping companies and two tankers involved in trade with Venezuela, the U.S. Treasury Department said on Friday.The two companies are based in Marshall Islands and Liberia, and both tankers have Panama flags, the Treasury said in a statement on its website.Reporting by Makini Brice

U.S. commercial ships including oil tankers sailing through key Middle East waterways could be targeted by Iran in one of the threats to U.S. interests posed by Tehran, the U.S. Maritime Administration said in an advisory.The U.S. military said this week that a number of B-52 bombers would be part of additional forces being sent to the Middle East to counter what the Trump administration calls "clear indications" of threats from Iran to U.S. forces there. The Islamic Republic has dismissed the U.S. contention of a threat as "fake intelligence".In the advisory posted on Thursday, the U.S.

Dozens of migrants trying to reach Europe drowned in the Mediterranean on Friday and 100 more were sent back to Libya, the United Nations said, while Italian authorities signalling opposition to more migration from Africa seized a rescue ship.The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR said 65 people drowned when their boat capsized off Tunisia, and 101 others who had been picked up at sea were returned to Libya, despite repeated warnings that it is not a safe country to send people back to.It was one the deadliest shipwrecks involving migrants trying to reach Europe via north Africa this year.Tripoli, a hub for migrants and refugees hoping to sail to Europe after a perilous trek through the Sahara…

Norway is growing its arsenal of military grade drones for missions that’ll take them into the exhaust streams of ship’s funnels. With the IMO now supporting the 0.1 percent sulfur cap on marine fuel from Jan. 2020, and with southern Norway below the 62nd parallel officially a European Emissions Control Area, or ECA, the Norwegian Maritime Authority, the NMA, is cracking down on illegal sulfur emissions.Oslo’s NMA and its domestic enforcement allies — the Norwegian Coast Guard (Kystvakten)…

The Automatic Identification System (AIS) was developed with the sole goal of improving maritime safety by allowing ships in proximity to one another to automatically exchange information regarding their name, course, speed, type, cargo, etc. The exchange of this information would allow conning officers on each ship to make better decisions regarding the possibility of close encounters and the need to change course and/or speed. It would also make it easier for one ship to contact the other by radio-telephone to hopefully remove any doubt.

On Thursday, May 9, 2019, Total Lubmarine brought its "Total Global Sulfur Cap Forum" to New York City, a meeting including of Total Lubmarine business and technical executives and shipowners.The event, held aboard the historic Aircraft Carrier Intrepid Museum, gathered a full-house of local shipowners, and New York was the sixth stop on an 11 city world 'road show' of the forum to deliver insight on the soon-to-be-implemented fuel rules from the International Maritime Organization (IMO)…

The Towing Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC) held its spring public meeting in Miami, Florida, March 13, 2019. Attendees represented the Coast Guard, the towing and barge industry, engineers, pilots/masters, port authorities, terminal operators, offshore operators, and the public.After welcoming remarks from Rear Adm. John Nadeau, assistant commandant for prevention policy, the committee deliberated on current tasks, discussed new business, and received public comments.Highlights from the meeting included:Capt.

U.S. refiners had a plan for 2020: use their complex operations to maximize profits by making products that would comply with new international laws capping sulfur content in shipping fuels.But after a series of unexpected market moves, heavy, sour crude oil processed by U.S. refiners has become more expensive, eating up hoped-for profit windfalls before they even materialized, forcing refiners to rethink plans to invest more in heavy crude processing units.New regulations by…

Fincantieri has had positive discussions with the European authorities before formally submitting its deal to buy France's Chantiers de l'Atlantique to antitrust scrutiny, the Italian shipbuilder's managing director said on Friday.Alberto Maestrini said Fincantieri was close to concluding the prenotification phase, which prepares the ground before formally informing the European Union's antitrust authorities.Lawyers say the prenotification period can last about a month, although…

A Saudi vessel that had been due to load arms in France left the country's Le Havre port without its cargo of weapons and is now sailing towards Santander in Spain, according to ship tracking data, a local official and a lawyer.Two French human rights groups on Thursday sought to block the loading of weapons onto the ship through a legal filing, arguing the cargo contravened an international arms treaty.A French judge threw out their complaint but the Bahri-Yanbu moved off the coast of Le Havre shortly after.

The naval architecture and marine engineering company, Vard Marine announced that it has been awarded an engineering services contract for concept exploration with the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG).The contract will focus on the Coast Guard’s future fleet renewal program, said a press release from the provider of ship design, marine engineering, and solutions for offshore and specialized vessels such as offshore support, subsea construction and naval vessels as well as ferries and passenger vessels.The work scope is aligned with Vard Marine’s core competencies in tailored…

The United States has for the first time seized a North Korean cargo ship it accused of illicit coal shipments in violation of U.S. and United Nations sanctions, the U.S. Justice Department announced on Thursday.The ship, known as the "Wise Honest," was first detained by Indonesia in April 2018. Under an unusual U.S. civil forfeiture action, the vessel is now in the possession of the United States and is currently approaching U.S. territorial waters heading toward American Samoa, U.S. Justice Department officials said.The announcement comes after North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles on Thursday, its second such test in less than a week and an apparent protest by leader Kim Jong Un after U.S.

When enough to meet the need is not enough to get the help.From my office window in downtown St. Louis, I can see a dramatic illustration of the inefficiency in how our country moves freight. My office faces east, and I look down on a stretch of Interstate 70, that major east-west highway that runs from Baltimore to Interstate 15 in Utah. It is not unusual to see the traffic on this highway heavily congested, even at a standstill at times. This congested traffic usually includes many tractor-trailer trucks.

A Finnish company said on Thursday it planned to develop a railway connection between north Finland and Norway's Kirkenes port to link with potential Arctic shipping routes at an estimated cost of between 3-5 billion euros ($3.4-5.6 billion).Global warming has reduced ice coverage in the Arctic, opening up the possibility of new and shorter shipping lanes between north Europe and Asia, though control of routes is disputed.Finland's Finest Bay Area Development said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Norway's Sør-Varanger Utvikling to investigate how to build a railway and its impact on the environment, society and the economy."An Arctic railway would connect Finland to the Northeast Passage," Kustaa Valtonen, a director at Finest Bay Area Development, said in a statement.

As tensions with Venezuela mount, the United States is planning to announce on Tuesday the deployment of a military hospital ship to the region, U.S. officials say, in the latest sign of the Pentagon's limited, and targeted, involvement in the crisis.The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not specify where in the region the ship would travel to. Last year, a hospital ship -- the USNS Comfort -- cared for Venezuelan refugees and others as it stopped in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Honduras.The U.S. military's Southern Command, which oversees U.S.

Indian Navy's fourth stealth Scorpene class Submarine Vela was launched yesterday (May 06, 2019)for trials at the Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in Mumbai.The launch of the submarine is a major boost for the underwater capability of the Indian Navy, claimed a press release. Vela is the fourth of the six Scorpene submarine that has completed the out fittings at MDL.The Vela submarine, the fourth of six underwater warships being built in India with French collaboration,  will undergo a number of tests conducted by the Navy before it is commissioned in the defence fleet…

INS Ranjit, a Rajput class destroyer ship in India, was decommissioned at a solemn yet grand ceremony at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam culminating a glorious era on 06 May 19.The decommissioning ceremony was attended by officers and sailors of the commissioning crew as well as other who have been part of Ranjit’s voyage over the last 36 years.The Chief Guest for the Decommissioning ceremony was Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi PVSM AVSM YSM NM VSM ADC (Retd) Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor…

Soon, seafarers can access their certificates from a smartphone. The Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) is preparing the launch of digital certificates for seafarers.According to an official media note from DMA, the development is underway, and an initial test voyage will begin later this month. Digital certificates are expected to make things simpler, faster and safer, it said."For those with practical experience in the burdensome handling of the many pieces of paper used for documentation for seafarers today, the digital certificates will be a welcome change.

U.S.

The Canadian government has removed the 10 percent retaliatory tariffs on U.S.-built recreational boats that resulted from President Trump’s 10 percent tariff on aluminum and 25 percent tariff on steel imported from that country to the United States.According industry obersers, removal of retaliatory tariffs seen as a critical first step toward elimination of US section 232 tariffs and ratification of USMCA trade agreement.A joint statement from NMMA Canada and NMMA said this marks the most positive development for the industry since the tariff issues first emerged."As such…

The U.S. Coast Guard said it closed the Mississippi River near St. Louis to boat and barge traffic on Friday as excessive rains and heavy snow melt this spring swelled the major shipping waterway to near record levels.The river - a key transportation artery for shipments of grain, agricultural chemicals, energy products and other commodities - is closed from river mile marker 179 to 184, the Coast Guard said."The Mississippi is closed to all vessel traffic due to extremely high water levels and fast-moving currents," said U.S.

Shipping emissions: International measures needed to cut operational greenhouse gas emissions of existing fleet by 2030 – new studyThe international shipping sector needs to quickly adopt short-term policy measures to cut operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the existing fleet, according to a new study. The study concludes that only a subset of potential policy options, namely those that mandate changes in how the existing fleet is operated can achieve the significant effect required to meet the sector’s emission reduction objectives.

The Coast Guard has closed a portion of the Mississippi River to all vessel traffic from mile marker 179 to 184 due to extremely high water levels and fast moving currents, Friday.Vessel operators may request permission to move within the closure zone from the captain of the port representative at Coast Guard Sector Upper Mississippi River via VHF Ch. 16 or at (314) 269-2332 at least 30 minutes prior to movement.Vessel movements within the closure zone should be to monitor or increase waterway and port safety only. The captain of the port will review each request to move within the closure zone on a case-by-base basis.While outside the river closure zone…

Seven people, including five children, were killed on Friday after a boat carrying migrants sank off the northwestern coast of Turkey, the Turkish coast guard said, adding that five others were being sought.The boat, off the coast of the Ayvalik district in the Balikesir province, was carrying a total of 17 migrants, the coast guard said. Five were rescued.In a statement, the coast guard said search and rescue operations including four boats and two helicopters were being carried out to find the four migrants and one suspected migrant smuggler.Turkey became one of the main launch points for migrants taking the sea route to European Union territory in 2015, many fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East and Africa.

A cyclone barrelled into eastern India on Friday, bringing down trees and power lines and "extensively" damaging the tourist town of Puri, but there were no early reports of casualties with a million people evacuated before it made landfall.Tropical Cyclone Fani, the strongest to hit India in five years, spent days building up power in the northern reaches of the Bay of Bengal before it struck the coast of the state of Odisha at around 8 a.m., the state-run India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.Howling winds gusting up to 200 kph (124 mph) whipsawed trees, uprooting scores, and driving rain impacted visibility, while streets were deserted in the state capital Bhubaneswar and Puri."Damage in Puri is extensive…

The United States has nearly tripled its natural-gas exports to the European Union (EU) since July and signed new licenses seeking to establish American energy as an EU mainstay. US exports of LNG surged following a meeting between Donald Trump and Jean-Claude Juncker in July 2018.In their Joint Statement of 25 July 2018 in Washington D.C., President Juncker and President Trump agreed to strengthen EU-U.S. strategic cooperation with respect to energy. They came in particular to an understanding on the benefits of expanded exports of U.S.

Legislation would close a loophole to strengthen Buy America standards that will support Wisconsin businesses, manufacturers and workers.U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin today introduced the bipartisan Strengthening Buy America for Small Shipyard Grants Act to strengthen Buy America requirements for federal Small Shipyard Grant funding to support American businesses, manufacturers and workers. The bill is cosponsored by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA).While Buy American requirements already apply to the Small Shipyard Grant Program…

Kongsberg Digital has signed a contract for a delivery of two new K-Sim Full Mission Bridge simulators at the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) HMAS Watson Bridge Simulator Facility in Watsons Bay, Sydney, Australia. The project is a noteworthy addition to Kongsberg’s service delivery contracts with the RAN, which includes multiple shiphandling and engine room simulators delivered at training facilities across the country.The requirement for expansion and intensification of RAN’s training program is the result of a sustained period of growth and capability enhancement for the navy.

The Coast Guard commissioned the newest California-based 154-foot Fast Response Cutter in San Diego, Wednesday.The Benjamin Bottoms is the fourth Sentinel-Class Fast Response Cutter (FRC) to be homeported at Base Los Angeles-Long Beach.While these ships will be based in San Pedro, they will operate throughout the 11th Coast Guard District, which includes all of California and international waters off of Mexico and Central America. "Radioman First Class Benjamin Bottoms is a Coast Guard hero," said Adm. Charles Ray, the Coast Guard vice commandant.

Wednesday, 1 May: Late this afternoon, President Donald Trump met with Congressional leaders from the Senate and House to discuss U.S. Maritime Policy. On the table was the Jones Act. President Trump assured the Congressional leaders that he is not seeking any changes to the Jones Act, nor is he seeking any waivers.“President Trump had the Jones Act matters all under control from the get-go”, said William P. Doyle, CEO & Executive Director of the Dredging Contractors of America. “Mr. Trump is all about jobs and national security — he’s never wavered on this.

Gulf Island Fabrication (GIFI), an American manufacturer of specialized structures and marine vessels used in the energy sector, announced that it received an award for the construction of two additional towing, salvage and rescue ships (T-ATS) for the U.S. Navy.The award represents the Navy’s execution of its second and third options for Gulf Island’s construction of three T-ATS vessels that will be built in the Company’s shipyard in Houma, Louisiana. The Navy has remaining options for five additional vessels…

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division delivered the National Security Cutter Midgett (WMSL 757) to the U.S. Coast Guard yesterday (May 1, 2019). Midgett is scheduled to sail away in June and will be commissioned later this year.“We have a mission statement in the NSC program that says during the construction of each NSC we will provide the men and women of the United States Coast Guard with the finest ship in their fleet,” said Derek Murphy, NSC program manager.“This excellence will be provided by our shipbuilders through working safely…

Vard Marine (VARD), a naval architecture and marine engineering company, announced that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed with Askeri Fabrika ve Tersane İşletme A.Ş. (ASFAT) in Turkey to promote  strategic partnership.As per MoU, Vard Marine provides the design of a wide range of paramilitary vessels and ASFAT coordinates construction of select projects at their approved naval shipyards in Turkey.The MOU provides an opportunity for Vard Marine to expand operations…

Britain's transport minister was under fresh pressure to resign after the government stacked up a 50 million pound ($65 million) loss for cancelling contracts to charter extra ferries to bring in essential supplies in the event of a no-deal Brexit.The decision to award the contracts has been a major political embarrassment after it emerged the government handed out a 14 million pound contract for extra ferries to a company that owned no ferries and published terms and conditions on its website that appeared to be for a takeaway food business.Then…

The Danish Maritime Authority and the Chinese Ministry of Transport met for a maritime dialogue meeting in Guangzhou, China, on April 29-30.Since 2010, the Danish Maritime Authority and the Chinese Ministry of Transport, including the Bureau of Water Transport, have met for annual maritime dialogue meetings.The meetings provide the opportunity to discuss the cooperation between Denmark and China in the maritime area and to exchange views on the challenges facing the sector."Denmark and China have many common interests within the maritime field…

President Donald Trump is set to meet with Republican senators on Wednesday over a proposal to waive rules that only U.S.-flagged ships can move natural gas from American ports to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Northeast.The nearly 100-year-old Jones Act mandates the use of U.S.-flagged vessels to transport merchandise between U.S. coasts. Bloomberg News reported last week the administration was seriously considering waiving the requirements for some energy shipments and that Trump…

U.S. President Donald Trump agreed with Democratic leaders on Tuesday to spend $2 trillion on roads, bridges, water, broadband and power grids, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said on Tuesday after a White House meeting.Trump and Democratic leaders are slated to meet again in three weeks to discuss how the "big and bold" plan - which would need the approval of Congress - would be paid for, Schumer told reporters outside the White House.Reporting by Roberta Rampton

The U.S. Coast Guard’s Pacific Area commander discussed the service’s new Arctic Strategic Outlook, Polar Security Cutters and innovation efforts to improve maritime domain awareness in the high latitudes April 26, 2019, during the Arctic Encounter Symposium in Seattle.During her keynote speech at the symposium, Vice Adm. Linda Fagan said, “The tyranny of distance and the harsh Arctic climate pose significant challenges to agencies charged with providing maritime safety and security to all Americans, including the hundreds of villages and thousands of seasonal workers in the U.S.

It took time for China's naval shipyards to hit their straps. For about a decade from the turn of this century, they experimented with new designs, in some cases launching just a couple of each new type of warship for evaluation.The yards absorbed foreign technology, imported some key components and developed local know-how. Quality ruled over quantity. Then they started mass production. New hulls cascaded into the water, mainly from the big shipyards at Shanghai, Dalian, Guangzhou and Wuhan.These yards have been building the full spectrum of warships and support vessels…

The Governments of Peru and the United States signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation in maritime search and rescue (SAR) operations.Peruvian Foreign Minister Néstor Popolizio Bardales and U.S. Ambassador to Peru Krishna R. Urs signed the Agreement to strengthen cooperation in the field of maritime and aeronautical SAR and to enhance effectiveness in assisting persons in distress.The Agreement allows enhanced, formal cooperation between the U.S. Coast Guard and the Peruvian…

The U.S. Coast Guard's Pacific Area commander discussed the service's new Arctic Strategic Outlook, Polar Security Cutters and innovation efforts to improve maritime domain awareness in the high latitudes Friday during the Arctic Encounter Symposium in Seattle.During her keynote speech at the symposium, Vice Adm. Linda Fagan said, “The tyranny of distance and the harsh Arctic climate pose significant challenges to agencies charged with providing maritime safety and security to all Americans, including the hundreds of villages and thousands of seasonal workers in the U.S.

On the night of March 23, 2008, most of the crew sleeps while fishing vessel Alaska Ranger makes her way to the rich fishing grounds off the coast of Alaska. As the Engineer makes his nightly rounds, he discovers a serious flood in the rudder room. He raises the alarm and the captain issues a Mayday call. But before the crew can investigate the source of the leak, the rising water reaches their electrical systems and the ship loses power. With the ship listing and in danger of sinking, the captain orders the crew to abandon ship.

Spanish state-owned shipbuilding company Navantia and the Ministry of Defense have signed the contract for the construction of five F-110 frigates for the Spanish Navy.The new generation of F-110 frigates, whose construction will begin shortly in Ferrol, stands out for having its own Spanish design and a high degree of industrial and technological sovereignty. About 80% of purchases and supplies will be made to Spanish companies.The design of this new frigate will incorporate remarkable technological advances…

The Nanchang, China's first Type 055 guided missile destroyer, will soon be put into commission in the People's Liberation Army Navy, a spokesperson said.China plans to have a fleet of 8 Type 055 destroyers, its most powerful naval vessel which was showcased during the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s 70th anniversary on Tuesday in Qingdao.Long expected by Chinese military enthusiasts, the Nanchang, China's first Type 055 destroyer, which is painted with the hull number 101…

The Prime Minister of Australia and leader of the Liberal Party Scott Morrison is promising $1 billion to build three naval ships in Western Australia to create 1000 jobs if the coalition wins the election."We will build two mine warfare support vessels and a hydrographic vessel in Perth," he said in an announcement.On the WA shipbuilding funding Morrison said it would ensure jobs created in the sector would continue to the 2030s."This commitment in West Australia adds to the 31 minor war vessels already being built in the state - built in Australia…

China and Serbia signed deals under the Belt and Road Initiative, as both sides vowed to level up cooperation under the China-proposed mega-project initiative.The deals were sealed as part of the Belt and Road Initiative following a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic in Beijing.Vucic said that his country ensured “a good passage” in China at the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ forum in Beijing.The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)…

Japan expanded its search for a missing F-35 stealth fighter on  with a maritime survey vessel joining a navy ship and a U.S. Navy salvage team is expected in the area in coming days, a Japanese air force spokesman said.Only small pieces of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force aircraft's tail have been found since the advanced jet disappeared from radar screens during an exercise with three other F-35s over the Pacific, near northwest Japan, on April 9."The plane and the pilot are still missing," the air force spokesman said.

Brazil is a country with a coastline over 7,000 km long, bathed to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. Along this coastline and offshore is where the country develops its fisheries activities, maritime trade and the exploitation of a variety of biological and mineral resources. The incredible environmental and financial wealth found in these waters, and under the seabed gave way to the term - Blue Amazon – relating to the Amazon Jungle. The Blue Amazon officially covers an area of 3.5 million square kilometers.

The Marine Safety Center received its 25th application for type approval for the HK-(E)C Ballast Water Management System manufactured by Miura Co., Ltd.MSC will review the application for compliance with U.S. Coast Guard regulations in 46 CFR 162.060. Once it has been determined that the application meets the requirements, the MSC will issue a type approval certificate.BWMS type approval applications and approval certificates are posted on MSC’s website. The list will be updated frequently in order to provide industry and the general public the most current information regarding the status of each application.

In less than five months, the IMO’s Ballast Water Convention will be extended to cover existing vessels as well as new builds. As of September 8, all will be required to comply by the time of their first IOPP certificate renewal following that date.To assist vessel owners in meeting their obligations under the convention while at the same time offering port and harbor authorities a value-added service that they can offer to their clients, Damen Green Solutions will be taking its InvaSave 300 mobile ballast water treatment system on tour to demonstrate its convenience…

At least 21 Venezuelans were missing after their boat sank on the way to the Caribbean island nation of Trinidad and Tobago, the U.N. refugee agency said on Friday, citing information from that country's coast guard.The boat, the “Jhonnaly Jose”, was carrying at least 25 people from the Venezuelan coastal town of Guiria when it capsized in the early hours of Wednesday, UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch told a regular U.N. briefing in Geneva."This tragic incident highlights the extreme risks of sea journeys and other irregular cross-border movements undertaken by refugees and migrants.

The President says he wants to make American great again, so why is he trying to destroy the principal support system for America’s maritime industry? This week, we learned that President Trump is “seriously considering” issuing a broad waiver for the Jones Act, a critical law that requires domestic shipping in the U.S. to occur on ships that are built in the United States, fly the U.S. flag, and are operated by crews consisting of at least 75 percent American citizens.I served as the top Democrat on the House Subcommittee of Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation for six years.

During January-April 2019, four incidents of unauthorized boarding of ships in locations of close proximity to each other were reported in the western sector of Singapore Strait.All four incidents occurred to tug boats towing barges and dredger while underway in the westbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS). Of the four incidents, two incidents reported loss of scrap metal, and nothing was reported stolen in the other two incidents. The crew was not injured in all four incidents.With the occurrence of four incidents in close proximity to each other within a period of three months…

As the IMO 2020 Global Sulfur Cap draws nearer, confusion among shipowners remains. To help inform, experts from Total Lubmarine and Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions (TMFGS) are embarked on a global conference tour, with the next event coming soon to New York City on board the USS Intrepid, which now serves as a museum and a coveted event space.Following a series of successful events in Europe during March, Total Lubmarine and Total Marine Fuels Global Solutions (TMFGS) will be visiting industry professionals in the U.S.

A federal grand jury in Wilmington, Delaware, returned a six-count indictment today charging Chartworld Shipping Corporation, Nederland Shipping Corporation, and Chief Engineer Vasileios Mazarakis with failing to keep accurate pollution control records, falsifying records, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering, the Justice Department announced.The charges stem from the falsification of records and other acts designed to cover up from the Coast Guard the overboard discharges of oily mixtures and machinery space bilge water from the Bahamian-flagged cargo vessel…

Greece’s Chartworld Shipping Corporation(CSC)'s cargo vessel Nederland Reefer, its manager, owner and the chief engineer have been indicted for falsification of pollution records, obstruction of justice and witness tampering.A federal grand jury in Wilmington, Delaware, returned a six-count indictment charging CSC, Nederland Shipping Corporation, and Chief Engineer Vasileios Mazarakis, according to the U.S Department of Justice.The charges stem from the falsification of records…

The Port of Rotterdam Authority considers it vital that the North Sea Consultation works towards a North Sea Agreement in the coming six months. This consultation is investigating where on the North Sea the challenges regarding food, energy and nature can be combined and where choices will need to be made.The Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW) is initiator of this consultation. The consultation concluded on 23 April, after which an in-depth meeting will be held with the representatives on 8 May.“The North Sea is not only our front yard…

Navies operate on a spectrum between deterrence and defense, to include offensive operation, support of foreign policy, and power projection to civil affair and humanitarian assistance and disaster response. Many have constabulary responsibilities, and it could be argued that, with the exception of the largest navies, most are more like a coast guard than a military force in their normal responsibilities.Every Navy is different. Yes, they all share similar challenges of acquisition…

Navies operate on a spectrum between deterrence and defense, to include offensive operation, support of foreign policy, and power projection to civil affair and humanitarian assistance and disaster response. Many have constabulary responsibilities, and it could be argued that, with the exception of the largest navies, most are more like a coast guard than a military force in their normal responsibilities.Every Navy is different. Yes, they all share similar challenges of acquisition…

Navies operate on a spectrum between deterrence and defense, to include offensive operation, support of foreign policy, and power projection to civil affair and humanitarian assistance and disaster response. Many have constabulary responsibilities, and it could be argued that, with the exception of the largest navies, most are more like a coast guard than a military force in their normal responsibilities.Every Navy is different. Yes, they all share similar challenges of acquisition…

A court in Croatia on Wednesday postponed a bankruptcy ruling for the country's biggest shipbuilding group Uljanik until May 13, as the government tried to delay activation of state guarantees to a customer for late delivery of a vessel.The commercial court in the northwestern town of Pazin had already delayed its ruling from March and the decision in May should be final. Bankruptcy would threaten the jobs of around 3,000 workers.Uljanik, which owns two shipyards in the northern Adriatic cities of Pula and Rijeka and is 25 percent owned by the state, has been working to stave off bankruptcy due to liquidity problems that began in 2017.The…

The Panama Canal welcomed its 6,000th Neopanamax vessel through the Expanded Canal, underscoring the route’s ability to accommodate the highly-dynamic liquefied natural gas (LNG) segment, which first transited the waterway following the inauguration of the Expanded Canal less than three years ago.The LNG vessel Energy Liberty completed the milestone transit today travelling southbound from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. Constructed in 2018, the vessel has a cargo capacity of 165…

Naval Group has launched the seventh multi-mission FREMM frigate for the French Navy from a specialist facility in Lorient.Known as Alsace, the vessel is the first of the two air defence frigates under the FREMM programme  – Multi-Mission European Frigates – for the French Navy and the ninth multi-missions FREMM frigate.Thirteen months after the keel laying of the first block, the FREMM DA Alsace is released from the construction form of the Naval Group site of Lorient. Ninth multi-missions FREMM frigate…

Port of Newcastle issued a media release announcing that Infrastructure NSW, an Australian government entity,  had withdrawn A$12.7 million funding for the project.“Infrastructure NSW has advised that the AUD12.7 million funding for the cruise terminal project is no longer available,” the Port of Newcastle said in a statement.Port of Newcastle has been working on this project on behalf of the NSW Government on the basis of providing a facility that meets the cruise industry's…

Iran's Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mohammad Rastad is in talks with Vietnamese officials with the aim of improving trade and connectivity capacities between the two countries.According to Islamic Republic News Agency, the managing director of the Ports and Maritime Organization met Vietnamese national shipping authorities during a visit to Vietnam and discussed the trade and communications capacities of the two countries. The discussions focused on the launch…

VT Halter Marine of Pascagoula, MS has emerged the victor in one of the most prized and coveted shipbuilding contracts in recent memory, a $746m deal to build the Coast Guard's lead Polar Security Cutter. If two additional ship options are exercised, the total deal could approach $2B.The U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy, through an Integrated Program Office (IPO), awarded VT Halter Marine Inc., of Pascagoula, Mississippi, a fixed price incentive (firm) contract for the Detail Design and Construction (DD&C) of the Coast Guard’s lead Polar Security Cutter (PSC).

Navies operate on a spectrum between deterrence and defense, to include offensive operation, support of foreign policy, and power projection to civil affair and humanitarian assistance and disaster response. Many have constabulary responsibilities, and it could be argued that, with the exception of the largest navies, most are more like a coast guard than a military force in their normal responsibilities.Every Navy is different. Yes, they all share similar challenges of acquisition…

Navies operate on a spectrum between deterrence and defense, to include offensive operation, support of foreign policy, and power projection to civil affair and humanitarian assistance and disaster response. Many have constabulary responsibilities, and it could be argued that, with the exception of the largest navies, most are more like a coast guard than a military force in their normal responsibilities.Every Navy is different. Yes, they all share similar challenges of acquisition…