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The Coast Guard’s Office of Investigations and Casualty Analysis recently released a Report of Investigation (ROI) regarding the fire on the Italian flagged cargo vessel GRANDE COSTA D’AVORIO and subsequent fatalities of two Newark Fire Department firefighters. The vessel was conducting cargo operations at Berth 18, Port Newark, New Jersey on July 5, 2023, at the time of the event. The ROI can be found on the following website: Marine Casualty Reports.The fire was reported to have started late in the evening of July 5, 2023, and continued for five days.

OPEC's oil output fell in December due to lower supply from Iran and Venezuela, which offset an OPEC+ agreement to raise production for the month, a Reuters survey found on Friday.The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries pumped 28.40 million barrels per day last month, down 100,000 bpd from November's revised total, the survey showed, with Iran posting the largest decline.OPEC+, comprising OPEC and allies including Russia, has slowed the pace of its monthly output increases amid concerns of a supply glut.

The U.S. has seized the Olina tanker in the Caribbean, the fifth vessel targeted in recent weeks as Washington steps up efforts to curb Venezuelan oil exports, U.S. officials said on Friday.The Olina, which according to public shipping database Equasis was falsely flying the flag of Timor Leste, previously sailed from Venezuela and had returned to the region, said an industry source with direct knowledge of the matter.In a pre-dawn move, marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, launched from the carrier USS Gerald R.

Panama's maritime authority on Thursday said it had canceled in January of last year the flag of the M Sophia, a Venezuela-linked oil tanker seized by the U.S. military this week.The U.S. military's Southern Command on Wednesday said it had intercepted the M Sophia before dawn, and described it as a "stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker." Panamanian authorities canceled the supertanker's flag on January 23, 2025, the AMP authority said in a statement.The maritime authority also said the Bella-1, a Russian-flagged tanker the U.S.

In his 2026 goal setting message, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez noted that all eyes will be on the finalization of the autonomous ships code.The MASS Code is a framework for the safe, secure, and environmentally friendly operation of remotely operated and autonomous ships.Maj. Joseph DeFlorio, U.S. Army 8th Theater Sustainment Command, National Security Law Team, highlighted in a December piece on the Indo Pacific Defense Forum that there is a lot to be gained from autonomous shipping.Autonomous systems can monitor hazards and respond with precision…

Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA), Hanwha Systems Co (HSC), and U.S.-based collaborative autonomy company HavocAI announced they will jointly develop 200-foot autonomous surface vessels (ASV).Hanwha is currently the only shipbuilder with an operational shipyard in the United States to enter into a joint agreement with an autonomous vessels company. Hanwha Philly Shipyard is under consideration to produce the 200-foot autonomous ASV.HavocAI recently closed a $85m funding round, publicly confirmed the sale of dozens of vessels to the U.S.

Oil prices rose about 2% on Thursday after two days of declines as investors assessed developments in Venezuela and on worries about supplies from Russia, Iraq and Iran.Brent futures rose $1.21, or 2%, to $61.17 per barrel at 11:17 a.m. EST (1617 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained $1.02, or 1.8%, to $57.01.The U.S. seized two Venezuela-linked oil tankers in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday, one sailing under Russia's flag, as part of U.S. President Donald Trump's…

The U.S. Department of Labor announced the award of nearly $14 million in funding to support the development of programs aimed at reinvigorating and rebuilding the U.S. maritime industry and workforce.Administered by the department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs, the department awarded $8 million to Delaware County Community College and $5.8 million to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy to advance the next generation of American shipbuilders through hands-on training programs developed in conjunction with international partners.

The face of U.S. shipbuilding continues to evolve at speed, as Magnet Defense LLC has completed its acquisition of Metal Shark, bringing together autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and established U.S. shipbuilding capacity to accelerate delivery of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) for national security missions.The combination positions the newly integrated company as a supplier of AI-enabled USVs for U.S. and allied military customers, with Metal Shark’s Louisiana shipyards serving as production hubs supporting fleet operations and missile defense missions…

PaxOcean Group and ABB have announced that Singapore’s first fully electric tug completed commissioning, marking a major milestone in the city-state’s harbor craft electrification program.The 50-tonne bollard pull tug, PXO-ACE-1, is expected to be deployed in April 2026 and is the first fully electric tug to be built and operated in Singapore. The vessel was built by PaxOcean Group, a subsidiary of Kuok Maritime Group, and is powered by an integrated electric propulsion system…

Babcock and Frankenburg Technologies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore development of a new maritime counter‑drone air defense system in response to the rise of one‑way attack drones.Under the agreement, the partners will work on a cost‑effective, containerized platform for launching Frankenburg’s new low‑cost missiles, designed specifically to defend against one‑way attack drones. The capability is intended to offer affordable, scalable, kinetic solutions…

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced today that it will reissue 56 existing nationwide permits and issue one new permit for work in wetlands and other waters that are regulated by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and/or Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899.One existing permit will not be reissued.A pre-publication copy of the new final nationwide permit action is posted to the Office of the Federal Register website. The final action is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register in the coming days.

The Pasha Group, a leader in integrated global logistics and maritime services, announced that Cary Davis has joined the company as Vice President of Government Affairs to lead advocacy and corporate communications. In this role, Davis will oversee federal, state, and local government relations; industry and stakeholder engagement; media relations; and strategic communications in support of Pasha’s long-term growth and service to customers and communities.A business leader and trade attorney, Davis brings deep experience in maritime policy, infrastructure finance, and public affairs.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD0 announced on Wednesday that Britain had provided assistance to the United States during its operation to capture a "Russian flagged oil tanker" in the North Atlantic.After pursuing the tanker for over a month across the Atlantic, Washington was able to seize the vessel on Wednesday.Britain's armed forces provided "pre-planned operational support including basing," following a request from the United States for assistance.The report said that a naval vessel aided the U.S.

The quest to rebuild the U.S. iceabreaking fleet continues to move at lightening speed, with Seaspan Shipyards (Seaspan) signing agreements with Bollinger Shipyards (Bollinger) and Rauma Marine Constructions Oy (Rauma) to provide its Multi-Purpose Icebreaker (MPI) design and associated supply chain packages to enable rapid construction and delivery of up to six vessels for the U.S. Coast Guard’s Arctic Security Cutter (ASC) program.Rauma will build up to two vessels in Finland with delivery expected in 2028 under the contracts formally announced by the U.S. Coast Guard last week.

The U.S. seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker that was being shadowed by a Russian submarine on Wednesday, after pursuing it for more than two weeks across the Atlantic as part of Washington's efforts to block Venezuelan oil exports, U.S. officials said.It appeared to be the first time in recent memory that the U.S. military has seized a Russian-flagged vessel.The Marinera, originally known as the Bella-1, had previously slipped through a U.S. maritime blockade of sanctioned tankers in the Caribbean and rebuffed U.S. Coast Guard efforts to board it.

Russia said on Wednesday that the U.S. seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the Atlantic was a violation of maritime law, and a senior lawmaker described it as "outright piracy".Russia's Transport Ministry said contact with the vessel, the Marinera, had been lost after U.S. naval forces boarded it near Iceland as part of efforts to block oil exports from Venezuela."In accordance with the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, freedom of navigation applies in the high seas…

Oil extended declines on Wednesday as investors digested statements from President Donald Trump that the U.S. had reached a deal to import up to $2 billion worth of Venezuelan crude, a move that would lift supplies to the world's largest oil consumer.Brent crude futures were down 40 cents, or 0.7%, to trade at $60.31 a barrel by 11:05 a.m. ET (1605 GMT) after falling to $59.88 a barrel earlier in the session.U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 74 cents, or 1.3%, to $56.39 a barrel…

The U.S. seized an empty Russian-flagged, Venezuela-linked oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday as part of President Donald Trump's aggressive push to dictate oil flows in the Americas and force Venezuela's socialist government to become an ally.After capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an attack on Caracas on Saturday, the U.S. is continuing to blockade vessels under sanctions off the South American country, a member of the OPEC oil group. The U.S. Coast Guard and U.S.

This Safety Alert highlights the critical importance of preventing water intrusion into fuel tanks. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) investigated a marine casualty that occurred in the Corpus Christi Shipping Channel, involving a towing vessel constructed in 2011 with a low freeboard. While pushing a barge loaded with methanol, the vessel encountered sea state conditions with 4-foot wave heights and sustained winds of 35 knots. These conditions caused water to fill the fixed containment area beneath the vessel's fuel tank vent pipes…

SSA Marine, an independent marine terminal operator, announced that Meghan Weinman has been promoted to president of SSA Marine’s conventional division and that Abigail Struxness has been promoted to vice president of sustainability.As president of the conventional division, Weinman will lead SSA Marine’s North American conventional cargo operations, which include a wide variety of breakbulk, bulk, perishables, and vehicle cargo across 55 locations on U.S. and Canadian coasts and waterways.

Maritime 2026 opened with a bang between the announcement of Battleships, Venezuela, shadow fleets and yes, U.S. shipbuilding. The commercial building issue may come down to strategic patience or the adaptability to evolve through new technology while ignoring historic, old tactics. The subject requires another year of debate as the line separating the success or failure of Naval and Commercial shipbuilding in the U.S. is slowly becoming a blur. Look towards Naval growth developing in non-traditional patterns … because it has to.With China leading all of the discussions…

The Port of Virginia is nearing the completion of its $1.4 billion Gateway Investment Program with a critical piece of the strategic capital investment program being delivered in early 2026.In February, the port is scheduled to take delivery of the deepest shipping channels on the US East Coast, as the deepening and widening effort of Virginia’s channels comes to its close. The $450 million project will result in channels that are 55 feet deep and wide enough to safely handle two-way traffic of the biggest ships in the Atlantic trade…