Transportation Systems News

Iridium Communications Inc., a provider of global voice, data, and PNT satellite communications, unveiled a miniature application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), the Iridium PNT ASIC. Engineered for integration into a wide range of electronic devices, the Iridium PNT ASIC will deliver authenticated, pole-to-pole positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) data. It will provide a resilient alternative to traditional GNSS, offering protection against spoofing and jamming for consumer…

As global reliance on subsea infrastructure grows, so do the risks. Discover how safeguarding undersea assets opens new frontiers for innovation and investment.Importance of Subsea InfrastructureSubsea infrastructure plays a critical role in maintaining the operational continuity of the modern society and the global economy. This vast network includes subsea data and communication cables, pipelines for energy transportation, electricity cables, and resource extraction systems.

The United States' maritime coastal security poses a significant challenge due to the vastness of its coastline and the complexity of its maritime borders. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Geodetic Survey there are approximately 95,000 miles of coastline. According to the Department of Homeland Security 2007 Transportation Systems publication there are “361 ports, and 3.3 million square miles of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to secure”.

The National Association of Waterfront Employers (NAWE), the leading organization representing U.S. marine terminal operators and stevedores, has expressed its support for the confirmation of Sean Duffy as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).In a letter sent to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), NAWE emphasized the importance of experienced leadership at DOT to ensure the vitality and efficiency of the nation’s transportation infrastructure. “Mr.

GAO-25-106953, published today, says, "Additional Efforts Needed to Assess the Effectiveness of DHS's Approach."Fast FactsThe U.S. economy depends on the efficient flow of millions of tons of cargo each day throughout the global supply chain, most arriving by ship. The Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection monitor these vessels for potential national security risks, like smuggling.At the 8 ports we reviewed, the agencies generally followed selected leading collaboration…

It was my pleasure on Nov. 10 to participate in the dedication of the U.S. Merchant Marine emblem alongside the emblems of the Armed Services of the United States at Veterans Memorial Plaza in Anacortes.I can’t think of a more auspicious time to have made this dedication than on Veteran’s Day weekend.We are a maritime nation.For those of you who don’t know, the U.S. Maritime Administration – MARAD for short -- is an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation. Our mission is promoting waterborne transportation.

Don’t Overlook Shipping’s Critical Role in U.S. Sustainable Transport Future, ABS Chairman and CEO Urges Washington.“Many of our sustainable transportation programs and initiatives tend to become mode-centric, but it is critically important to optimize the overall sustainable freight transportation across modes from origin to destination, which requires a system of systems focus.”That was the message to U.S. transportation industry and Government leaders from ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher J.

The California Volkswagen (VW) Zero-Emission Freight and Marine (ZEFM) Program Administrator is preparing to open a statewide solicitation offering up to $25 million to owners of cargo handling equipment, heavy-lift forklifts and marine vessels for zero-emissions projects:• Repowering marine vessels, including ferries, tugboats, and towboats to zero-emission;• Replacing heavy-lift forklifts (with a lift capacity of 8,001 lbs. or greater) with zero-emission alternatives; and• Replacing…

Amon Maritime has launched a new venture Amon Gas with a NOK 180 million investment grant from ENOVA to build ammonia-powered medium gas carriers (MGC).The grant was awarded at a ceremony hosted by the Norwegian minister of climate and the environment together with ENOVA at DNV headquarters at Høvik.“This is a significant milestone towards realizing carbon free transportation systems within the gas carrier segment. Amon Gas will provide the market with low-emission vessels while simultaneously meeting customer demands with innovative solutions…

Texas A&M University at Galveston said it will reduce fees for current and future out-of-state students seeking a merchant mariner license from the Texas A&M Maritime Academy, in an effort that aims to help the maritime industry fill worsening labor gaps.Texas A&M Maritime Academy students earn their U.S. Coast Guard license while completing one of several license-option four-year bachelor’s degree programs at Texas A&M at Galveston.Effective September 1, under a new three-tiered fee structure approved by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents…

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District in California has announced the opening of applications for zero-emission heavy duty forklifts, port cargo handling equipment, marine vessel repower and shore power for unregulated ocean-going vessels.Up to $20 million in funding is now available statewide through the VW Zero-Emission Freight and Marine (ZEFM) program. Applications are being accepted and reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis until funding is exhausted.Eligible equipment for the marine vessel repower funding includes combustion-fueled engines in ferries…

Panama City, Fla. based Eastern Shipbuilding Group has been awarded a contract to design and build a new hopper dredge for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.The $256,955,264 firm-fixed-price contract will see Eastern design and build the new medium-class hopper dredge (MCHD) for scheduled delivery in August 2027. Eastern was one of three bidders for the project.The new 6,000-cubic-yard-capacity hopper dredge will replace the USACE Philadelphia District's high-powered deep draft hopper dredge McFarland, built in 1967.

Researchers from NOAA, the state of Michigan, and Ocean Exploration Trust discovered an intact shipwreck resting hundreds of feet below the surface of Lake Huron. Located within NOAA's Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the shipwreck has been identified as the sailing ship Ironton. Well preserved by the cold freshwater of the Great Lakes for over a century, the 191-ft. Ironton rests upright with its three masts still standing."Using this cutting-edge technology, we have not only located a pristine shipwreck lost for over a century…

Inland maritime transportation systems (MTS) play major roles in domestic and international supply chains, with unique challenges related to upstream and downstream sources disruption, accessibility and shifts in commodities, as well as demand and supply imbalances. With a 20% on-time arrival statistic, the U.S. east coast serves as an example for the increasing appeal of inland waterways as a cost-effective, alternative, with Port of Cleveland traffic reportedly increasing 70% between 2020 and 2021.

U.S. shipbuilder Vigor launched the first in a series of modernized landing craft for the U.S. Army at its  fabrication facility in Vancouver, Wash.The Maneuver Support Vessel (Light), or MSV(L), will replace the Landing Craft Mechanized-8, (LCM-8,) a Vietnam-era watercraft that is unable to transport some of today's equipment due to the weight of modern combat vehicles. Designed with increased payload capability, increased speed and maneuverability, and improved draft, the MSV(L) will improve the speed and effectiveness of the Army’s dynamic force repositioning in inter-coastal areas…

The U.S. Coast Guard on Tuesday marked the end of the four-year Subchapter M certificate of inspection (COI) phase-in period for U.S.-registered towing vessels. Subchapter M, the United States regulatory code dealing with towing vessels and requirements for towing vessel safety, has officially been in place since July 2016, when the U.S. Coast Guard finalized the long-awaited Sub M rulemaking. The first COIs were issued in 2018, and all of the more than 5,000 U.S. domestic towing vessels must have valid COIs on board by July 19…

Houston-based dredging contractor Great Lakes Dredge and Dock has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Memphis District for the rental of a 24-inch hydraulic cutterhead dredge, discharge pipe, and attendant plant for harbor dredging along the Mississippi River.The $7,335,450 contract was awarded June 2, 2022, with an anticipated completion date of February 28, 2023.A total of nine harbors were awarded, with actual dredging scheduled to take place from July 1, 2022, through December 2022.

“Synergy” is an overused word. But in the case of the “Advanced Naval Technology Exercises” that are held around the country, ANTX is truly a sum greater than its parts.ANTXs are conducted by the Naval Research & Development Establishment (NR&DE) and hosted at the various Naval Warfare Centers to demonstrate emerging technologies and innovations aimed at solving Navy and Marine Corps problems and addressing mission priorities and gaps. They are not so much exercises, which usually denotes training, but more like technology demonstrations.

U.S. Coast Guard licensed officers in Boston are commanding an autonomous workboat on a voyage around Denmark.The American Maritime Officers (AMO) trade union has entered into a labor agreement with autonomous command and control systems developer Sea Machines Robotics for the project, which will see AMO-represented merchant mariners support Sea Machines’ first-of-its-kind 1,000 NM autonomous journey.The voyage, which Sea Machines is calling "The Machine Odyssey", aims to prove the world’s waterways are primed and ready for long-range autonomous vessel operations…

Canada's Transport Minister Marc Garneau announced he is expanding the requirements for the use of face coverings by workers and others involved in the country's transportation industry to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.Transport Canada and the transportation industry had already implemented measures such as increased sanitization, health checks for passengers, and allowing passengers to remain in their vehicles on ferries. The new measures requiring face masks are aimed at points in the transportation system where workers must be in close proximity to co-workers and travelers…

As we continue to contemplate a future with ships transitioning to automated and autonomous operations, the need for new and innovated crew training will only increase. Our current and future ship crews will need to straddle both new and existing vessel operation technology. This will present challenges, but ones that the industry can address in a proactive manner.Traditionally, maritime skills have changed slowly and new technology was assimilated on the fly in many cases. The Merchant Marine was a place where you learned on the job.

Inland Dredging Company helps keep commerce flowing on America’s inland waterway system.Dyersburg, Tenn. based Inland Dredging Company completed dredging projects spanning eight states and across four U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Districts. Beginning in July and finishing in December (2019), Inland Dredging crews dredged ports and harbors along the Mighty Mississippi River, Ouachita River, Red River, Black Warrior River, Atchafalaya River, Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway, and the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway from Apalachicola to Morgan City.Richard Jackson…

The Memphis District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has several missions associated with the Mississippi River. One of the most important is to keep the river channel at a depth that allows the river barge industry to dependably transport goods up and down the river.To deliver on this charge, the Memphis District awarded a contract/task order in the amount of $7,987,200 to the Inland Dredging Company in April of 2019. On Dec. 23, 2019, Inland Dredging Co. completed all work with a total of 1…