U S Maritime News

Seattle-headquartered Saltchuk on Monday announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG), a New York-listed marine transportation company based in Tampa, Fla., in a deal worth $950 million.Privately-held Saltchuk—OSG’s largest shareholder—said the transaction assigns OSG an aggregate equity value of approximately $653 million. Under the deal's terms, Saltchuk will commence a tender offer to acquire all outstanding shares of OSG it does not already own for $8.50 per share in cash…

One of the largest vessels in Australian history, HMAS Sirius, has been recycled.After 15 years’ service as a Royal Australian Navy fuel tanker – and two years since her decommissioning at HMAS Stirling, Perth, in December 2021 – the ship has now become scrap metal.Sirius is the largest vessel to be dismantled in Australia, with industry partner Birdon Group carrying out the process at the Australian Maritime Complex facility near Perth.Acting First Assistant Secretary Strategy…

Mobile satellite communications provider Inmarsat, a Visata company, has launched NexusWave, a fully managed connectivity service designed to improve maritime communications and global coverage at sea.NexusWave is underpinned by a bonded multi-dimensional network, offering high-speed connectivity, unlimited data, global coverage, and ‘secure by design’ infrastructure, according to Inmarsat.Delivered by a single provider, NexusWave offers fully managed service that seamlessly integrates multiple high-speed networks in real time – Global Xpress (GX) Ka-band…

One chapter of Norsepower’s remarkable growth story ends and another begins as Tuomas Riski passes his CEO position onto Heikki Pöntynen, who has been a member of Norsepower’s board. Pöntynen has vast experience in maritime growth companies, and has held several maritime management positions in Finland, China, Hong Kong, and the USA.  Before starting at Norsepower, Mr Pöntynen served as a senior executive with Plannneri, R&M Group, Rauma Marine Constructions – Rauma Shipyard, Elomatic and MacGregor Group. He also holds an M.Sc. degree and EMBA from Kellogg, Northwestern University-WHU.

Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou voiced gratitude at being selected as recipient of the first ever IMO Gender Equality award, presented by Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez ahead of the International Maritime Organization Women in Maritime 2024 event. The award recognized Co-Chief Executive Officer of Tototheo Maritime, Ms. Panayiotou Theodosiou's leading and pivotal role in advancing gender equality and empowering women through her tenure as President of WISTA International.The IMO said Ms.

Australia and Indonesia have completed a coordinated international maritime security operation to detect, deter and combat illegal activities at sea.Between May 8 and 17, Australian and Indonesian agencies undertook Operation GANNET within the Timor Sea Area of Operations, which includes waters around Ashmore Island.The operation comprised vessels, aircraft and personnel from the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (BAKAMLA), Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Republic of Indonesia (PSDKP)…

Implementation of the FuelEU Maritime regulation from 2025 presents an accountability dilemma for shipping as it is currently the Document of Compliance (DoC) holder that will be held responsible for fuel selection and could therefore face penalties - contrary to the ‘polluter pays’ principle, according to OceanScore.Shipping companies must start preparing now for the regulation as they face an August 31 deadline to submit a monitoring plan to track the fuel type and consumption for each EU voyage for each vessel as required by FuelEU…

Search and rescue efforts were underway in South Africa on Saturday to find 11 fishermen missing at sea after their vessel sunk off the coast of Cape Town, the fisheries department said.Nine fishermen who had managed to deploy an emergency craft were rescued, the department said in a statement."Our thoughts and prayers are with the missing fishermen and their families as we await news of the search and rescue operation," fisheries minister Barbara Creecy said.According to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) rescue efforts were activated on Friday following reports of a fishing vessel sink

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Saturday the country will "vigorously defend what is ours", in a thinly veiled reference to mounting tensions with China over maritime disputes.The conduct against intruders disrespecting Philippine territorial integrity will be guided by law and the responsibility as a rules-abiding member of the international community, Marcos said in a speech to graduating military cadets."Against intruders who have been disrespecting our territorial integrity…

Romanian rescue teams were searching on Saturday for three missing crew members of a cargo ship that sank off the Black Sea coast, the naval authority said.Officials said they were notified very early on Saturday that the Tanzania-flagged Mohammad Z had sunk 26 nautical miles away from Romania's Danube village of Sfantu Gheorghe.The naval authority's Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), border police and two commercial vessels in the ship's vicinity were involved in the search and rescue efforts.Mohammad Z had eleven crew members on board, nine Syrian citizens and two Egyptians."Eight o

An anti-ship missile reportedly fired by Houthi militants hit a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker off Yemen's Red Sea coast on Saturday, but multiple reports indicate the ship incurred minimal damage and was able to maintain course.There were no casualties reported by the ship, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement posted on the X social media platform.The strike was the latest in months of attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden by the Houthis, who seized control of most of Yemen's major population centers in a civil war, in opposition to Israel's war in Gaza.The Houthis launched a single anti-ship missile at the M/T Wind, a Panamanian-flagged and Greek-owned oil tanker, at around 1 a.m.

This year’s International Day for Women in Maritime focuses on the crucial role of women in ensuring maritime safety worldwide, while highlighting the changing attitudes towards gender in the industry.Observed globally on May 18 every year, Women in Maritime Day seeks to raise the profile of women in maritime, while promoting their recruitment, retention and sustained employment in the sector. Currently, only 29% of the overall maritime workforce and 20% of the workforce of national maritime authorities are women. Women make up less than 2% of seafarers worldwide.

Pacific Northwest boatbuilder Silverback Marine has added to its lineup of electric powered workboats with the launch of a new 24- by 8.5-foot landing craft.Powered by twin Photon 300 electric outboards, the all-electric Sherpa 24 offers clean, quiet access to beaches and estuaries, making it an optimum platform for marine biology, survey and other noise-sensitive operations in sea-to-shore applications, according to Silverback. The high torque of the Photon electric system will also allow for unmatched towing capacity for a vessel of this size…

The United States anchored a temporary floating pier to a beach in Gaza on Thursday to boost aid deliveries, but Washington is facing the same challenges that have beset the United Nations and relief groups for months when it comes to distributing assistance to the war-torn enclave.These include working in a war zone to stave off a looming famine and a dire shortage of fuel for aid trucks. The United Nations also has yet to finalize its involvement in the distribution of aid once…

The U.S. mariner shortage continues to be a strategic national security concern for all maritime industry stakeholders. So what can the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) do to address the problem?Subcommittees on Readiness, and Seapower and Projection Forces on the “Posture and Readiness of the Mobility Enterprise.” Both Administrator Phillips and Gen. Van Ovost focused on the mariner shortage as a key readiness concern. Gen Van Ovost stated, “The U.S. maritime industry is confronting manpower shortages that create a national security risk.

Torghatten, a Norwegian ferry operator, and Kongsberg Maritime have entered into a contract for the development of a system for self-driving ferries on the Flakk-Rørvik route.The car ferry service operation is part of the Norwegian highway network – County Road 715 - and connects the city of Trondheim with communities on the Fosen peninsula.The project will see Kongsberg Maritime technologies installed on the ferries, including its auto docking, auto crossing, collision avoidance and situational awareness capabilities.

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, has launched a new report Digital Wave: Transforming vessels into floating offices and remote homes.The report explores the growing importance of always-on onboard connectivity as ships and their crew become increasingly reliant on digital technology. Compiled by maritime technology research firm Thetius, the report draws on interviews and survey data to provide insight into how crews and shore-based teams are using digital technologies today.

The Port of Los Angeles will receive an estimated $58 million in federal funding this year for maintaining its harbor channels and repairing its wharves, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced. According to the port, the record amount—a nearly tenfold increase compared with $6 million it received in 2023—reflects the federal government's commitment to fully implementing long sought reforms to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF).“The San Pedro Bay ports move 40% of the nation’s container imports, transporting the goods that power our economy,” said California Sen. Alex Padilla.

As companies approach the exploitation phase of Deep Sea Mining, one critical factor is the transportation of mineral ores from the mine site location to onshore refineries While this may appear to be a relatively simple step, involving conventional bulk ore carriers and standard procedures, the nuances and practical limits of operating in the deep ocean mean that this step becomes increasingly complex and challenging. This article will explore the STARS concept, the likely regulatory requirements, and the complexities of this new vessel type.

Auramarine, a provider of fuel supply systems for the marine, power and process industries, signed a representative agreement with Specs Corporation Ltd., a Korean marine equipment and services provider to expand and strengthen the company’s presence in the South Korean maritime market.Specs will serve as an official Auramarine sales representative for its fuel supply units, including its conventional systems, as well as its specialist solutions for methanol and ammonia, and will be applicable for newbuildings, retrofits, commissioning and maintenance services.

The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) will meet in person for its 108th session at IMO Headquarters in London from May 15 to 24, 2024. The Committee will address the urgent issue of maritime security in the Red Sea area. Since the hijacking of the MV Galaxy Leader in November 2023, which is still detained, there have been over 40 incidents where ships have been threatened or attacked in the Southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. These attacks have targeted seafarers, several of whom have been killed or suffered life-changing injuries.

The Maritime Risk Symposium will convene in Monteray, CA next month, a small conference with a high-profile speaker line-up from across government, industry and academia. Here we look at Panel 3 – Maritime Policy vis a vis a new National Maritime Strategy, facilitated byCAPT Jon Kaskin, US Navy Reserve (retired)This panel will inform participants and generate discussion regarding the forthcoming National Maritime Strategy (NMS). Congress originally mandated that the NMS be developed…

The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) announced that its President and CEO Brandy D. Christian will step down mid-June 2024 to pursue an opportunity in the private sector. Christian has served as the President and CEO of Port NOLA since January 1, 2017, and as the CEO of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB) since its acquisition by Port NOLA on February 1, 2018, during which time Port NOLA increased operating revenues by 70% and NOPB increased operating income by 300%."We cannot overstate the exemplary leadership that Brandy Christian has provided throughout her tenure…