Transportation Interests News

An Inland River Transportation Caucus could help inland river transportation interests that are often misunderstood and greatly undervalued.For anyone doing business on the inland river transportation system, the goal is to keep the rivers open for business, the barges moving and the landside facilities efficient in order to keep America’s supply chain strong.To accomplish this, it takes the federal agencies that are charged with operating and maintaining inland rivers to have the support of congress, the funding congress allocates and legislation passed by congress.

UAE-based Tomini Shipping has increased its fleet size further with an order for three Kamsarmaxes. The 82,000 DWT ships are being built by Taizhou Kouan Shipbuilding Co, a successful private shipyard in China with over 40 years of shipbuilding experience. The vessels are scheduled for delivery from the second half of 2019 onwards and follow the company’s order earlier this year for three newbuilding bulk carriers from another prominent Chinese shipyard. This latest deal underlines Tomini Shipping’s comprehensive fleet renewal strategy with the latest in quality, energy-saving, and fuel-efficient designs. The order will take Tomini’s fleet to over 18 vessels.

Trucking, rail and port panelists will explore the benefits of improving America’s intermodal freight transportation system. On May 13, American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) President and CEO Kurt Nagle will join forces with CEOs representing trucking, railroad and other transportation interests who will offer a host of oftentimes startling facts, surprising statistics and unique stories about the value of investing in our nation’s freight transportation infrastructure in Washington D.C.

Lomar informs it has declared a further three options to build new container vessels at Chinese shipyards, which brings the total number of newbuilding orders in hand to over 20 ships. The company has declared its final two options in a total order for six 1,100 TEU container vessels from the Yangzijiang shipyard. They are designed by leading Chinese design institute SDARI (Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute) and have much improved fuel consumption and the ability to carry up to 220 reefer containers.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard announced Thursday publication in the Federal Register of an outer continental shelf notice of arrival rule designed to enhance maritime domain awareness over outer continental shelf activities. This final rule enhances maritime security and safety by requiring U.S. and foreign vessels, floating facilities and mobile offshore drilling units arriving on and engaging in outer continental shelf activities to report their arrival time and location and information regarding the vessels' voyage, cargo, crew and vessel information. The outer continental shelf includes all submerged lands seaward and outside of the area of lands beneath navigable waters and of which the subsoil and seabed are subject to the jurisdiction and control of the U.S.

Jones Walker today announced the expansion of its government relations practice with the addition of John S. Doyle, Jr., Vice President of Government Relations for Waterways Work!, as special counsel in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. In making the announcement, R. Christian Johnsen, head of Jones Walker’s Washington office, said, “Mr. In 1999, Jones Walker formed a strategic alliance with The Livingston Group, headed by Bob Livingston, former Louisiana congressman and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. The Livingston Group-Jones Walker strategic alliance represents interests from Louisiana as well as national and multinational companies, many with U.S. and global shipping and transportation interests.