Wa News

The newest addition to the Manson Construction Co. (Manson) fleet—the hopper dredge Frederick Paup—departed the Seatrium AmFELS shipyard in Brownsville, TX, on Tuesday afternoon, setting sail for Mobile, AL.Representing Manson’s single biggest investment since its founding in 1905, the Frederick Paup—designed in collaboration with Hockema Whalen Myers Associates, Inc. of Seattle, WA and built by Seatrium AmFELS in Brownsville, TX—is the largest self-propelled hopper dredge in the United States.The 15…

Mavrik Marine, Inc. was selected to build high-speed passenger ferries for the Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District. Mavrik will construct catamaran passenger ferries as part of the District’s eight vessel Lima Class Ferry Replacement Program to provide transportation services in San Francisco Bay.The 50-m aluminum ferries specifications and systems were developed by Aurora Marine Design in San Diego with structural design from One2Three Naval Architects in Australia. Construction will begin immediately at Mavrik’s facility in La Conner, WA.

Ineffective coordination and monitoring by the crew and harbour pilots on board the container ship Maersk Shekou contributed to its collision with the tall ship Leeuwin II in the Port of Fremantle, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has found.The 333-metre, Singapore-flagged Maersk Shekou was being navigated into Fremantle under the direction of two harbour pilots in heavy squall conditions before dawn on August 30, 2024, when the incident occurred.Audio from the ship’s bridge…

Over the past month, Australian Border Force (ABF) has destroyed seven foreign vessels and detained the crews after they were allegedly caught fishing illegally in waters off northern Australia.Authorities seized a combined total of 1,930kg of sea cucumber, 2,844kg of other catch as well as assorted fishing equipment.All vessels have been destroyed in accordance with Australian law and the crews brought to Darwin for investigation by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority…

Rolls-Royce has been selected by Catalina Express of San Pedro, CA (USA) to supply the marine propulsion system for its new high-capacity ferry. The 500-passenger vessel, which will be the largest in the Catalina Express fleet upon completion, will be powered by four mtu 12V4000 M65L engines, delivering a combined output of over 7463 kW (10,000 bhp). The new ferry is part of the Port of Los Angeles’ $31 million LA MER project, which is funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved bipartisan legislation to strengthen, support and authorize funding through 2029 for the United States Coast Guard.The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 authorizes appropriations for the Service through fiscal year 2029. These authorizations will support Coast Guard operations and the continued recapitalization of its historically underfunded cutter fleet, aviation assets, shoreside facilities and IT capabilities. The bill modernizes the Coast Guard’s acquisition process…

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has announced that the Maritime Administration (MARAD) has awarded $8.75 million in grants to revitalize U.S. shipyards and advance America’s maritime dominance.The funding is part of the Small Shipyard Grant program, which supports advanced training, workforce development and new technologies that strengthen U.S. shipbuilding and repair capabilities. Duffy said the program will help America counter Chinese competition and maintain freedom…

On March 5, 2025, the United States Senate passed an important bill to authorize funding for our United States Coast Guard, after failing to do so in the previous Congress. S. 524, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025, would if enacted into law authorize appropriations to fund the Coast Guard totaling $30.45 billion for fiscal years 2025 and 2026. The bill is sponsored by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and cosponsored by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).

Emirates Shipping Line (ESL) enters the US market with the launch of the Sun Chief Express (SCX).The Sun Chief Express (SCX) will directly connect Seattle, WA with Ho Chi Minh, and Shekou, while also providing wider coverage of Southeast Asia via these ports. ESL will leverage its intermodal solutions within the US market, to provide inland connectivity via Seattle to locations across the US including, but not limited to Portland, OR, St. Paul, MN, Chicago, IL, Kansas City, MO, Columbus, OH and Memphis, TN.This news follows ESL's recent expansion to Mexico.

The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), the national association representing the U.S. shipbuilding, maintenance, and repair industry, announced its annual member safety awards for the 2024 calendar year. This year, 14 shipyards are receiving awards for their achievements in safety. The shipbuilding industry continues to improve on safety metrics year after year. This commitment to safety has allowed U.S. shipyards to address and adapt their continuing operations to any obstacles that arose throughout the year.To qualify for an SCA Safety Award…

An Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation interim report outlines the sequence of events leading up to the collision of a container ship with the berthed tall ship STS Leeuwin II in Fremantle last August.The 333m, Singapore-flagged container ship Maersk Shekou was being piloted towards its assigned berth in Fremantle’s inner harbor when it collided with and substantially damaged STS Leeuwin II alongside Victoria Quay on the morning of August 30, 2024.The container ship had arrived off Fremantle eight days prior to the accident.The vessel and its crew waited a week offshore…

Seawork sector-specific hubs, associations, pavilions and trails, offer exhibitors and visitors the opportunity to gather together in a mutually beneficial location.Whether networking via social events, meetings or speaking sessions on-site, Seawork is the place to do business.ADC - the Association of Diving Contractors, is hosting the Underwater Intervention Pavilion in the newly named Associations Hall. The member-led not for profit organisation represents the Inland/Inshore…

All American Marine (AAM) has announced a partnership with San Francisco Bay Ferry to build their 150-passenger battery-electric vessels. This landmark project will contribute significantly to advancing sustainable passenger transport in the San Francisco Bay Area while showcasing innovative maritime engineering.The concept vessel was initially developed by Aurora Marine Design, based in San Diego, as part of  SF Bay Ferry’s REEF program. Teknicraft Design of Auckland, New Zealand…

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded $4.85 million in grants to five marine highway projects across the nation via the United States Marine Highway Program (USMHP). The funding will enhance the movement of goods along our navigable waterways while expanding existing waterborne freight services in Louisiana, Puerto Rico, Washington, and West Virginia.The USMHP aims to expand the use of the nation’s navigable waterways to relieve landside congestion, support new and more efficient transportation options, and enhance performance of the surface transportation system. The program works with public…

Three years after bulk carrier MV Wakashio ran aground on a coral reef off Mauritius, spilling 1000 tons of a new type of marine fuel oil, Curtin University-led research has confirmed the oil is still present in an environmentally sensitive mangrove forest close to Ramsar conservation sites.Lead researcher Dr. Alan Scarlett, from Curtin’s WA Organic and Isotope Geochemistry Center in the School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said the chemical ‘fingerprint’ of the oil found in…

Port authorities in Singapore and Rotterdam said they have not received reports of vessels experiencing problems related to the use of cashew nutshell liquid biofuel - an issue highlighted by fuel testing agency CTI-Maritec last week.Several ships using the two ports reported operational problems in recent months after using marine fuel blended with cashew nutshell liquid, the Singapore-based agency said on Thursday, adding that the cashew nutshell liquid had come from undeclared source materials or production processes.The operational problems included fuel sludging…

All American Marine (AAM) has secured a contract to build a 63-foot hybrid catamaran for the Orange County Sanitation District (OC San).The Teknicraft Designed vessel, designed to support ocean sampling and scientific research, will feature a hybrid propulsion system powered by Cummins QSB 6.7 engines paired with ABB’s Series Hybrid technology.The vessel is designed to meet California’s zero-emissions standards, providing 30% of its operational power through a BorgWarner Energy Storage System (ESS)…

With a critical election fast approaching – in which the Executive Branch, House and Senate are all up for grabs – it is essential to consider the election’s potential impact on the maritime industry before heading to the voting booth.Maritime impact on the electionAt the time of writing, we are two weeks away from the expiration of the current six-year master agreement between the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) with no new agreement in sight.

Esgian has no rig contracts to announced but provides an update on rig moves and drilling operations in the US Gulf of Mexico, Canada, Morocco and Norway in its Week 38 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report SummaryDrilling Activity and DiscoveriesExxonMobil has abandoned the Persephone C-54 well on EL 1169 in the Orphan Basin offshore Newfoundland, Canada.Seadrill’s 12,000-ft drillship West Neptune has resumed drilling operations on LLOG’s Who Dat South exploration well in the US Gulf of Mexico…

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has unveiled nearly $300 million in grants from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law aimed at transforming and expanding ferry systems across the United States. This substantial investment will support the modernization of ferry services, which are vital for millions of Americans.Each year, ferries facilitate approximately 56 million trips nationwide, playing a crucial role in transporting people and goods…

A Singapore-registered containership allided with an iconic training tall ship at berth in Australia's Port of Fremantle on Friday, causing damage to both vessels.The 332-meter box ship Maersk Shekou was proceeding into the harbor under pilotage, assisted by four tugs when it struck the STS Leeuwin II, which was at berth.Two night watch crew members on board the 55-meter tall ship were taken to a nearby hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, while the 26 crew members on board…

A barge wreck found in September last year has been confirmed as the earliest known shipwreck discovered to date in Western Australia's Swan River, the WA Museum said. The barge was identified as one that lost in 1882 while carrying limestone from Fremantle to Perth.The State Government's release of detailed 3D multibeam surveys of the Swan River riverbed played a crucial role in the initial discovery of the wreck, which was first identified by Maritime Archaeology Association WA President Patrick Morrison and his colleagues Jess Green and Ian McCann.Following this discovery in 2023…

Esgian reports fresh finds confirmed in Guyana, China and Norway in its Week 12 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.Report Outline:ContractsDolphin Drilling has announced the award of a $154 million drilling contract from India's exploration and production company, Oil India Limited (Oil India), to the 6,000-ft semisub Blackford Dolphin.Malaysian offshore drilling firm Velesto confirmed Friday it had recently secured long-term contract extensions for three of its jackup rigs with Petronas Carigali…