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Maritime Administration News

17 Oct 2024

NSMV Patriot State Delivered to Massachusetts Maritime Academy

(Photo credit Jake Belcher)

Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) officially took custody of its new training ship Patriot State during a handover ceremony on October 11.The vessel is the second of five being built by Philly Shipyard under the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) program, designed to provide a purpose-built, state-of-the-art training ships for the nation's state maritime academies.During the handover ceremony, Rear Admiral Ann Phillips


15 Oct 2024

Swedish Maritime Administration Orders Electric Pilot Boat

(Image: Artemis Technologies)

Artemis Technologies has been awarded the tender to supply the Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) with a 100% electric Artemis EF-12 Pilot boat.The vessel, powered by Artemis Technologies’ eFoiler system, will be the first pilot boat of its kind deployed in Nordic waters. The vessel will provide pilotage services for ships navigating Sweden’s busy offshore shipping lanes, supporting the broader national goal of achieving net-zero emissions in the maritime sector by 2045.Operating with zero emissions


10 Oct 2024

MARAD Picks ABS as Partner for New US Maritime Innovation Center

© Georgii / Adobe Stock

The United States Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Office of Environment and Innovation has selected American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) to establish and maintain the U.S. Center for Maritime Innovation under a five-year cooperative agreement.Authorized by the U.S. Congress, the center is intended to support the adoption of clean energy on U.S. vessels through a wide-ranging program of research and development and training support.The center will work to facilitate development of infrastructure to support the deployment of clean energy


30 Sep 2024

US Election Awash with Maritime Implications

© rawpixel / Adobe Stock

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.

17 Sep 2024

Tamekia Flack Joins World Shipping Council as Director of US Government Relations

Tamekia Flack (File photo: MARAD)

The World Shipping Council (WSC), a trade association representing the international liner shipping industry, announced it has appointed Tamekia Flack as its new Director of U.S. Government Relations, effective immediately. Flack will lead WSC’s efforts to advance key safety, security and environmental priorities in the U.S.Flack brings a wealth of experience from her career in maritime transportation law and policy, having most recently served as the Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) following a period as MARAD’s Chief Counsel.

10 Sep 2024

Second NSMV Patriot State Christened at Philly Shipyard

Patriot State (Photo: TOTE Services)

Patriot State, the second vessel in a series of new training ships for the U.S.' state maritime academies, was christened during a ceremony at Philly Shipyard on Monday ahead of scheduled delivery to Massachusetts Maritime Academy in the coming weeks. The vessel is the second of five being built by Philly Shipyard under the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) program, designed to provide a purpose-built


10 Sep 2024

Washington State Ferries Cancels Sale of Retired Vessels

(File photo: Washington State Dept of Transportation)

Washington State Ferries announced it has canceled the sale of two retired vessels after the buyer failed to meet its contractual obligations and left a tugboat crew abandoned in Puget Sound.Sold in August for $100,000 apiece, the decommissioned WSF ferries Elwha and Klahowya had been sold to Nelson Armas, who has gained approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) to transport the out-of-service vessels by tow for recycling at a steel mill facility in Ecuador.But when Armas attempted to move the ferries to Ecuador


28 Aug 2024

Second NSMV Patriot State Completes Sea Trials

(Photo: TOTE Services)

The second vessel in a series of new training ships for the U.S.' state maritime academies has completed sea trials, build manager TOTE Services said.The National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) Patriot State, built by Philly Shipyard and scheduled for delivery to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy later this year, completed the trials with participation from the shipyard, vendors, construction management teams, captain, crews and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.“We’ve reached a historic milestone with the sea trials of the second NSMV


19 Aug 2024

Two Washington State Ferries Vessels Sold for Scrap

Klahowya (Photo: WSDOT)

Washington State Ferries announced it has sold a pair of retired vessels for recycling in Ecuador.Sold for $100,000 apiece, the ferries Elwha and Klahowya have been acquired by Nelson Armas, who has gained approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD) to transport the out-of-service vessels by tow for recycling at a steel mill facility in Ecuador.WSF described the facility as "clean" and "green" and noted that both retired ferries are certified to be free of hazardous materials.A Western Towboat Co.

19 Aug 2024

Crowley Breaks Ground on Salem Offshore Wind Terminal

(Photo: Crowley)

A ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony was held to signal the start of construction at the Salem Offshore Wind Terminal in Massachusetts.The Crowley Wind Services-led project involves transforming a former oil- and coal-fired power plant into Massachusetts’ second wind port, to support the construction of offshore wind farms in New England and future floating turbines in the Gulf of Maine.Crowley also announced it has awarded Massachusetts-based joint venture DW White JF White to be the project’s general contractor.

08 Aug 2024

Alternative Fuels: Many Possibilities But a Clear Path is Evasive

(© Reagan / Adobe Stock)

“It was the best of times, it was somewhat confusing times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of the learning curve, it was the season of light, it was the season of, uh, still not enough light.” â€• Deepest apologies to Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, 1859As the world zeroes in on alternative energy sources and products that can deliver power and performance, there are advances that could sway even the most hardened skeptic. But challenges remain—tough challenges.Two successes: renewable diesel and biodieselRenewable diesel (RD) is required now (since January 1


07 Aug 2024

Offshore Wind: Inside the Financial Web

Maersk Supply Service WTIV under construction at Sembcorp source Maersk Supply Service
Image courtesy Maersk Supply Service

Early 2024 saw a group of financial deals that have implications, in a broad sense, for how offshore wind projects may be financed. While offshore wind projects might be thought of as being in the ‘utility finance’ basket, they are ultimately high-risk deals that might better suit the portfolios of ‘infrastructure investment’ which, in recent years, has taken a shift towards tolerating more uncertainty when it comes to cash flows.A 2022 article from consultants McKinsey, titled “Infrastructure investing will never be the same”


10 Jul 2024

MARAD Awards $8.75 Million to US Small Shipyards

(Photo: Philly Shipyard)

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) on Wednesday announced $8.75 million in grant awards to 15 small shipyards in 12 states through the Small Shipyard Grant Program. The funds will help shipyards modernize, increase productivity, and expand local job opportunities while competing in the global marketplace.“Small shipyards are integral to the strength of America’s supply chains and the maritime industry” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

13 Jun 2024

The Evolution of Modern-day Shipbuilding

(Photo: Philly Shipyard)

In the grand tradition of American innovation, we've long been masters of the maritime domain, building advanced ships for our Navy, the preeminent force in the world. But times have changed, and seas are more treacherous than they used to be. With this, there are ample opportunities for innovators to launch a new era of shipbuilding for the 21st Century.When people think of American shipbuilding, they often look to U.S. shipyards’ historic shipbuilding in World War II. Production lines pushed out almost 3,000 Liberty Ships crewed by talented Merchant Mariners.

17 Jun 2024

Autonomous Vessels: Already Working, but Still Under Close Review

Graphical rendering of SELKIE 7 USV, unveiled in April 2024 (Image: Sea Machines)

Advances in autonomous vessels – from R&D to regulatory policies to actual work – are moving rapidly. AVs include a range of vessel types and missions, from freight to law enforcement to research to defense. There are many acronyms. Some examples –AV stands for autonomous vessel.AUV is autonomous underwater vessel.MASS stands for “maritime autonomous surface ship.”NOMARS is a U.S. Department of Defense term for “no manning required ship.”Different
but maybe not so differentSurface


23 May 2024

Help Wanted: US Maritime Industry Struggles to Fill Key Gaps

(Credit: Joseph DeLuco / U.S. Army)

A shortage of U.S. mariners presents a major threat to the United States’ national and economic security, and the problem is growing day by day.According to a 2017 study prepared by the Maritime Workforce Working Group and released by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), the estimated pool of U.S. mariners actively sailing with unlimited tonnage credentials was comprised of 11,768 mariners. Assuming that all these mariners would be both willing and available to sail as needed


02 Jul 2024

Taiwan Says China Seized Fishing Boat

© Peter Hermes Furian / Adobe Stock

Chinese officials boarded and then seized a Taiwanese fishing boat operating near China's coast close to a Taiwan-controlled island and took it to a Chinese port, the Taiwan coast guard said late on Tuesday in a further escalation of tensions.China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has ramped up pressure on Taipei since President Lai Ching-te took office in May, a man Beijing accuses of being a "separatist".The fishing boat was operating near the Taiwan-administered Kinmen islands, which sit next to the Chinese cities of Xiamen and Quanzhou, on Tuesday night when it

24 Jun 2024

Hanwha to Acquire Philly Shipyard

(Photo: Philly Shipyard)

South Korea's Hanwha Group has agreed to acquire U.S. shipbuilder Philly Shipyard in a $100 million cash deal, the companies announced on Thursday.Under the deal, which is expected to close in Q4 2024, Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Ocean will purchase purchase of Philly Shipyard, Inc., the sole operating subsidy of Aker-owned Philly Shipyard ASA, based in Oslo.Kristian Røkke, Chairman of Philly Shipyard ASA, said, “After two decades of stewardship, it is with great honor that we transition the ownership from Aker to Hanwha.

16 May 2024

No Shortage of Good Ideas to Address the Mariner Shortage

(Photo: Christopher Bosch / Military Sealift Command)

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.

06 Jun 2024

Congress Raises the National Security Alarm on Shipbuilding

(Photo: John Bellino / U.S. Navy)

A bipartisan, bicameral group is emerging in Congress as the thought leaders for future maritime policy. On January 30, 2024, Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL-6) led a letter to President Biden, joined by 17 other members of Congress, urging the White House to embrace a “bold and clear vision” for the future of U.S. sea power. Among other recommendations – including establishing an interagency maritime policy coordinator – the Congressional group urged President Biden to issue a Presidential Determination to establish “commercial


25 Jun 2024

Crowley Christens the US' First Electric Tug eWolf

eWolf (Photo: Eric Haun)

Crowley on Tuesday christened its new vessel, eWolf, the first all-electric ship assist tugboat in the United States.Set to enter commercial service at the Port of San Diego this week, the 82-foot tug was built by Coden, Ala. shipbuilder Master Boat Builders and designed by Crowley’s engineering services team to operate on full electric power, producing zero carbon emissions and 70-ton bollard pull strength.“The eWolf is a historic milestone in the maritime industry and Crowley’s legacy and underscores our company’s commitment to serve as global sustainability leaders and innovators


08 Jul 2024

NSMV Empire State Suffers Technical Issues

NSMV Empire State (Photo: SUNY Maritime College)

The first in a series if brand new training ships for the U.S.' state maritime academies has had to alter course on its inaugural summer training voyage after running into technical issues. The National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) Empire State, built by Philly Shipyard and delivered to SUNY Maritime Academy in September 2023, made it through about half of the 2024 summer sea term before the problems arose, SUNY Maritime College president Admiral John Okon said in a message to the school community."When the ship departed from Port Canaveral to Portsmouth


30 May 2024

MARAD’s Centers of Excellence: Addressing Maritime Workforce Needs and Preparing the Next Generation

(Credit: Diana Sherbs / U.S. Coast Guard)

Of the many challenges confronting the United States’ maritime industry today, some of the more crucial and complicated are related to the development of a well-trained workforce.As is the case in any sector, those responsible for staffing jobs within the maritime industry must promote awareness, secure potential recruits, train recruits to be effective employees, retain high-quality workers, and provide sufficient levels of professional development, all while competing with other industries of similar nature.

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