Us Government News

The U.S. Trade Representative softened fee proposals for non-U.S.-built LNG tankers and car carriers amid its ongoing effort to counter China's dominance on the high seas and revive domestic shipbuilding.The revised proposal, unveiled by USTR on Friday, would remove LNG-related penalties for failing to export a percentage of fuel on U.S.-owned ships. It also would reduce fees when foreign-built car carriers visit domestic ports and exempt those vessels when they are serving the U.S. military.USTR previously exempted ships carrying U.S.

Over half a dozen U.S.-loaded ethane vessels, originally bound for China, have stalled around the U.S. Gulf Coast after Washington requested U.S. exporters seek licenses to ship the shale gas to the top buyer, according to trade sources and ship tracking data on Friday.Around half of all U.S. ethane exports head to China, and the halt in flows has pushed ethane prices lower on worries of domestic oversupply and is likely to cut into profits of top ethane producers.Energy Transfer and Enterprise Products Partners…

The SL7EXPO project, which aims to preserve one of the groundbreaking SL-7 Sea-Land Container ships as a commercial maritime exposition center in support of the SHIPS for America Act, has received seed funding from the Society of Marine Port Engineers.Originally built by containerization innovator Malcolm McLean as 33 knot container ships, the eight SL-7 class ships were converted into Fast Sealift Ships by the US Government in the early 1980’s.Their conversion into Roll on/Roll…

As trade negotiations between the United States and China inch closer to resolution, stakeholders across multiple industries are holding their breath. For many, the focus is on tariffs, supply chains, and global competition. But for the long-neglected U.S. maritime sector, these talks may represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity to not only regain relevance, but to reassert strategic and economic independence on the high seas.Once a dominant global maritime power, the United States today operates a commercial fleet of fewer than 80 ocean-going vessels under the U.S. flag engaged in international trade — a startling figure compared to China’s rapidly expanding commercial fleet of over 5,500 ships.

President Donald Trump's import tariffs will ultimately result in higher electricity prices for U.S. consumers, wind turbine maker Vestas warned on Tuesday, adding it could not absorb the extra costs.Wind turbines include components and materials sourced globally, making the sector vulnerable to potential impacts from international trade tariffs."Ultimately, the tariffs will go in and be part of an increased cost to the projects and therefore it will lead to an increased price in electricity…

On April 30, Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), together with several original co-sponsors, reintroduced the SHIPS for America Act in the U.S. Senate, first introduced in December 2024, divided into two bills. Companion legislation was also introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Trent Kelly (R-MS) and Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA). This is a major, historic effort to revitalize the U.S. merchant marine. The legislation had to be reintroduced to be considered by the new U.S.

Fast-growing energy demand is driving the need for technical support and guidance in new locations, writes Terrance Roberts, Manager, Global Business Development, ABS.Surging appetite for natural gas is accelerating the development of global and regional supply chains, with established producers seeking new markets and emerging suppliers looking to meet demand from local consumers.Long-tabled export projects are being fast-tracked for approval in North America while new facilities are under development in Canada and South America.

In accordance with a halt work order issued by the US government, Empire Offshore Wind LLC (Empire) will safely halt the offshore construction in waters of the outer continental shelf for the Empire Wind project.On 16 April, Empire received notice from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), ordering Empire to halt all activities on the outer continental shelf until BOEM has completed its review.Empire is engaging with relevant authorities to clarify this matter and is considering its legal remedies…

Arc Boat Company announced its entrance into the commercial sector. In partnership with a West Coast shipyard, Diversified Marine, Inc., Arc will retrofit a 26 ft tugboat for use in the Port of Los Angeles. The Port of Los Angeles is racing to be zero-emission by 2030, and yet is populated with antiquated tugboats that are expensive, inefficient, and highly polluting. With the first of many modern vessels that are more capable, cleaner, and built domestically, this workboat is a first step towards modernizing the busiest container port in the Western Hemisphere.In recognition of the importance of shipbuilding, the U.S. government has announced a flurry of new incentives to revive domestic capacity…

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has made recommendations aimed at improving the Department of Interior’s oversight of offshore wind projects.The Department of the Interior and other federal agencies are supposed to work with Tribes, fisheries and other groups that could be affected, but their engagement with these groups isn't consistent, says GAO. Also, when the agencies get feedback from affected groups, they have inconsistently considered or addressed their concerns.These concerns could relate to climate and public health…

While its implementation can sometimes take partisan forms, the goal of efficient delivery of government services is something that all Americans—both members of the public interacting with the government, and the government officials providing those services—can, and do, support. For the maritime industry, there are few government services more important than credentialing America’s merchant mariners.While Congress and the U.S. Coast Guard have recognized the need to modernize mariner credentialing and have taken some initial steps to begin that process…

A vessel chartered by Chevron carrying some 500,000 barrels of Venezuelan oil is about to complete the discharge of the cargo at a Venezuelan port, according to shipping data and a source, following state company PDVSA's order to return the crude amid payment uncertainty related to U.S. sanctions.At least nine tankers Chevron had chartered to carry Venezuelan crude to the U.S. in coming weeks as part of the wind down of its U.S. license through May 27 are now stalled in the Caribbean…

Beijing increased its tariffs on U.S. imports to 125% on Friday, hitting back against U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to hike duties on Chinese goods and raising the stakes in a trade war that threatens to up-end global supply chains.China's retaliation intensified the economic turmoil unleashed by Trump's tariffs, with markets tumbling further and foreign leaders puzzling how to respond to the biggest disruption to the world trade order in decades."Recession risk is much…

The European Union will pause its first countermeasures against U.S. tariffs after President Donald Trump temporarily lowered the hefty duties he had just imposed on dozens of countries, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday.The bloc was due to launch counter-tariffs on about 21 billion euros ($23.25 billion) of U.S. imports from next Tuesday in response to Trump's 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium. It is still assessing how to respond to U.S. car tariffs and the broader 10% levies still in place."We want to give negotiations a chance," von der Leyen said on X.

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at ‘restoring American maritime dominance’ through the revival of domestic shipbuilding industry and weakening China’s grasp on the global shipping market.The Order directs the creation of a Maritime Action Plan (MAP) to revitalize U.S. maritime industries, which will provide a strategy with specific actions to restore and create sustained resiliency for the American maritime industry.Up until now, government procurement processes and over-regulation have hindered private industry’s ability to build vessels on time and on budget…

The Trump administration has pulled out of the decarbonization negotiations taking place at the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) 83rd session this week.The US government is threatening reciprocal measures if any fees are imposed on US vessels based on GHG emissions or fuel choices.The 2023 IMO GHG Strategy outlines a set of “mid-term measures” aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping. These measures should consist of:• a technical element: a goal-based marine fuel standard designed to gradually lower the GHG intensity of marine fuels…

Nippon Yusen (NYK), Japan's largest shipping line, is concerned that U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs could push up the cost of automobiles and daily goods, denting consumer demand and slowing cargo flows, its president said."The tariffs are not directly borne by consumers, but the burden ultimately falls on them, which in turn reduces the actual flow of goods. That's our biggest concern," President Takaya Soga told Reuters in an interview on Monday.Trump last week unveiled plans to impose a 25% tariff on automobile imports, a move expected to hit Japan's export-driven economy.

The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stone offloaded approximately 45,600 pounds of illicit narcotics worth more than $517.5 million at Port Everglades, Thursday.The seized contraband was the result of 14 interdictions in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean, and 35 suspected smugglers were transferred ashore to face federal prosecution in U.S. courts.The following assets and crews were involved in the interdiction operations:U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stone (WMSL 758)U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk (WMEC 913)U.S.

U.S. President Donald Trump's push to rebuild U.S. shipbuilding is finding rare bipartisan support from Americans, with 72% saying the U.S. cannot remain dependent on China and other foreign producers to build ships, a poll released Friday showed.The survey of 2,204 adults, conducted by Morning Consult for the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) on March 10-12, showed strong concern about China's grip on the $150 billion global ocean shipping industry, and the negative national security implications for the United States.Only 11% said the U.S.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has published a report indicating that the Navy needs a new approach to its reliance on the private sector.The Navy relies on contracts with private companies—the "industrial base"—to build and, in many cases, repair ships. These companies are critical to the Navy's plans to increase its fleet size and improve the fleet's readiness for missions. But ships are often ready much later than expected and at a much higher cost.The shipbuilding industrial base has not met the Navy's goals in recent history, says the GAO.

Maersk on Tuesday denied shipping arms or ammunition to Israel during its war in Gaza in response to a shareholder proposal at its annual general meeting (AGM) but acknowledged shipping military-related cargo."Maersk has a strict policy of not shipping weapons or ammunitions into any active conflict zone," CEO Vincent Clerc told shareholders.The proposal to ban Maersk from shipping arms to Israel was put forward by Danish shareholder group Kritiske Aktionærer.Activist group Eko in a separate proposal called for Maersk to enact greater transparency in its human rights processes…

Oceaneering International, via its Aerospace and Defense Technologies (ADTech) segment, has been awarded a multi-year contract by the U.S. Department of Defense to design, build, test, and deliver a maritime mobility system.Oceaneering said it has been down-selected from multiple teams, without revealing any additional details.“We are pleased to have secured this contract with the Department of Defense which, at the time of award, is the largest initial contract value in Oceaneering’s history.“This award demonstrates the cross-industry application of our maritime technology…

A tanker carrying jet fuel for the U.S. military was hit by a container ship off northeast England on Monday, with the collision igniting a blaze on both vessels, causing multiple explosions and forcing both crews to abandon ship.The tanker, which can carry tens of thousands of tons of jet fuel, was at anchor when the smaller container ship struck it, rupturing its cargo tank and releasing fuel into the sea, its operator said. Its owner Stena Bulk gave the same details.Two maritime…