Resource Management News

The US domestic and global maritime industry in 2026 stands at a critical crossroads, caught between structural labor deficits and an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape. Shipping has undergone a transition since Covid-19, moving away from decades of relative stability with defined trade flows toward operating conditions that grow more complex and volatile by the year. Historic energy routes have shifted, uncertainty has settled over key maritime chokepoints, and global supply chains have absorbed the disruption.

The U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) will host a Change of Command on July 10, 2026, at the New London Community Recreation Center, New London, CT, where current RDC Commanding Officer Captain Michael Chien, will be relieved by Captain Phillip Granati. Captain Chien has held command since June 16th, 2023. He leaves to become the Senior Coast Advisor to the President of the Naval War College in Newport, RI.During Captain Chien’s tenure, the command advanced the service's technological baseline through rigorous scientific inquiry…

Looking back at history one could argue that it was French author Jules Verne in his book “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, published in 1869, who was speculating about a new power source much in the same out of the box thinking that H.G. Wells employed when he wrote about inter-planetary flight in “War of the World’s. Verne was writing about “electricity” from batteries using seawater which he created after studying the model of the newly developed French Navy submarine “Plongeur” at the Exposition of 1867.In the novel…

Four vessels managed and operated by the NYK Group, the coal carrier Pirika Moshiri Maru, the very large crude oil carrier Takaoka, the bulk carrier Global Coral, and the passenger ship Asuka Ⅲ, have been honored with the “Best Quality Ship 2025” award sponsored by the Japan Federation of Pilots’ Associations. This is the largest number of NYK Group–related vessels ever selected simultaneously for this award.The award was established in 2003 to promote awareness of safe vessel operation and the protection of ports and the marine environment.

Introduction. Looking back at history one could argue that it was French author Jules Verne in his book “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, published in 1869, who was speculating about a new power source much in the same out of the box thinking that H.G. Wells employed when he wrote about inter-planetary flight in “War of the World’s. Verne was writing about “electricity” from batteries using seawater which he created after studying the model of the newly developed French Navy submarine “Plongeur” at the Exposition of 1867.In the novel…

The Greater Houston Port Bureau Board of Directors has announced the promotion of Corrina Ott to Vice President. Ott joined the Port Bureau in April 2025 and has been responsible for managing the Port Bureau’s Efficiency and Dredging Committee’s as well as maintaining the Port Bureau’s links with industry and Federal Partners. Additionally, she provides support for the Houston Ship Channel Security District and the Marine Exchange of Texas.Ott’s previous USCG experience includes certification as a Marine Safety Professional…

An Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) preliminary report has been released that outlines the order of events leading up to the grounding of the cruise ship Coral Adventurer near a remote port on the north-east coast of Papua New Guinea in December.The ATSB launched a transport safety investigation after the 93-metre Australian-flagged ship grounded on the morning of 27 December 2025, with 80 passengers and 44 crew on board.The cruise, which had left Cairns 10 days earlier, had visited several sites in Papua New Guinea, with passages between them generally conducted overnight.

On January 22, 2026, Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) and partners, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Royal IHC, held a keel laying ceremony for the ongoing construction of the Dredge DONNELLY at Eastern’s Allanton Facility.The DONNELLY is a Medium Class Hopper Dredge that has been under construction since April 2025. The vessel will replace the Dredge McFARLAND and will play a critical role in enabling USACE to continue to deliver its navigation mission.The keel laying…

On January 6, 2026, Ms. Laura DiBella of Florida was sworn in as a Commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC or Commission). Commissioner DiBella will serve for a term that expires on June 30, 2028. Commissioner DiBella was nominated by President Trump on September 3, 2025, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 18, 2025, and appointed to the Commission by the President on January 2, 2026.Commissioner DiBella previously served as Florida’s first female Secretary of Commerce and as President and CEO of Enterprise Florida.

Officer Lee Tae Young, a first mate from the Republic of Korea, has been awarded the IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea, in recognition of his heroic actions that saved 12 fellow crew members from the Geum Seong No. 135 when it sunk in November 2024. He was honored during a special ceremony recognizing seafarers held in London on November 24, 2025, in the margins of the IMO Assembly taking place from November 24 to December 3, 2025. IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez applauded Mr.

Ineffective coordination and monitoring by the crew and harbour pilots on board the container ship Maersk Shekou contributed to its collision with the tall ship Leeuwin II in the Port of Fremantle, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has found.The 333-metre, Singapore-flagged Maersk Shekou was being navigated into Fremantle under the direction of two harbour pilots in heavy squall conditions before dawn on August 30, 2024, when the incident occurred.Audio from the ship’s bridge…

On Monday, August 18, 2025, the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force (GLMTF) recognized Michigan Congresswoman Lisa McClain for her efforts advocating for the Great Lakes Navigation System and those who live and work on or near the Fourth Sea Coast."It is an incredible honor to be recognized as Legislator of the Year by the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force. The Great Lakes are not only a vital economic engine for our region, but a national treasure that demands strong, informed policy,” Chairwoman McClain said.

First High-Tech Exploration of Argentina’s Mar del Plata Canyon, Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Remotely Operated Vehicle SuBastian shines light on an offshore canyon in Argentine waters nearly twice as deep as the Grand Canyon — capturing images and video of 40 suspected new species, coral fields, and a seastar that resembled a famous cartoon character.An Argentinian-led expedition on board Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor (too) has captured the attention of millions, inspiring a predominantly Argentine audience with live video feeds from the deep seafloor.

Columbia Group has announced a series of senior leadership appointments to its executive team as part of its continued transformation into an integrated global maritime services platform.The move sees Demetris Chrysostomou appointed as CEO Asia Region, Norman Schmiedl as CEO of Columbia Blue and Simona Toma as Chief of Maritime HR.The appointments follow Columbia Group’s continued expansion with growth in new areas, reinforcing its long-term strategy to scale operations across core sectors including shipping…

Whether it’s an unsafe working condition, an equipment failure, or a concern about a colleague’s competency, mariners must feel empowered to voice concerns without fear of retribution. For all the training you invest in, nothing is more important than a mariner using their intuition and instincts, refined over a lifetime at sea, to recognize and act on potential dangers.One way the industry has encouraged this is through Near Miss Reporting, a process meant to catch safety hazards before they turn into incidents.

Following the grounding of one of its pilot transfer launches in Port Phillip Heads, Australia, a Port of Melbourne pilotage services provider has developed additional operational guidance on the use of launch equipment and crew resources.On the evening of October 5, 2023, the pilot launch Corsair was returning through the entrance of Port Phillip after collecting a pilot from an outbound container ship, when it ran aground on Point Lonsdale Reef travelling at about 24 knots.The coxswain…

Real-time data on coastal conditions will support improved maritime navigation in New York.Navigating New York waterways just got a bit easier. NOAA and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced the establishment of the Hudson River Estuary Physical Oceanographic Real-time System (PORTS). The system delivers real-time oceanographic and meteorological observations that can improve maritime safety and inform coastal resource management in the region.

Maxim Watermakers, a business unit of Fairbanks Morse Defense, has successfully completed qualification testing for a first-of-its-kind submarine maintenance closed loop cooling system for Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNS and IMF).This qualification is the first closed loop cooling system implementation for the U.S. Navy and Maxim’s initial application of this technology at naval facilities.The testing was funded by the Maritime Sustainment Technology and Innovation Consortium (MSTIC).

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released Accident Investigation Report 6/2024 into the jetty contact by the tanker Ali Ka.The Malta registered oil and chemical tanker made contact with the westernmost section of Oikos Jetty 2 at Canvey Island on the River Thames, England at 0436 on October 25, 2022. The vessel was departing the berth under compulsory Port of London Authority (PLA) pilotage and without a tug in attendance.The impact caused minor damage to the ship but severe damage to the jetty. Ali Ka grounded close to the pier.

When asked why pilots(1) are so effective, most say, “They know the local waters.” While true, there are other important factors that make pilotage so effective.Compulsory pilotage is navigation safety regulation, and by far the most effective mechanism available to governments to protect the marine environment while facilitating maritime commerce(2). Pilotage regulations are so effective because, unlike other maritime safety regulations which merely direct a ship to take or not take certain actions…

A bulk carrier came within 200 m of grounding in the Great Barrier Reef after a GPS unit onboard the ship began providing false information to the pilot and crew on board, an ATSB final report details.The near grounding occurred early on the morning of May 4, 2022, when the 225m bulk carrier Rosco Poplar was transiting Hydrographers Passage under the conduct of a coastal pilot.Unknown to the pilot and crew, one of the ship’s three GPS units began outputting incorrect positional data during the early stages of the pilotage…

Houston-based Noble Corporation contracted with Kongsberg Digital for the delivery of navigation, engine and dynamic positioning (DP) simulators based on Kongsberg Maritime’s K-Pos DP system. The simulators will be tailored and integrated with Kongsberg Maritime’s Riser Monitoring System (RMS) and electronic Well Specific Operating Guidelines (eW-SOG) to meet Noble’s training needs.Noble will be the first company globally to implement such an advanced DP drilling training solution for in-house Nautical Institute-accredited training.

The Fascinated by Shipwrecks Podcast, hosted by Kathy A. Smith,  is dedicated to the People & the Science of Maritime Archaeology.EPISODE 6 – Guest: Ryan MirandaUSS Constitution: Still on Duty“I was able to go below decks and see and touch some of the original ribs and the keel that’s still original. That was a really cool experience.” Ryan MirandaThe USS Constitution was launched in 1797 and is still a commissioned naval warship. Constitution became known as “Old Ironsides” during the War of 1812 as the wooden ship’s sturdy oak hull seemed impenetrable against enemy cannonballs.