Us Coast News

The U.S. Coast Guard has completed the award of contracts for 11 Arctic Security Cutters with the announcement that Canada's Davie Defense, Inc. will construct two Arctic Security Cutters at Helsinki Shipyard in Finland and three domestically.The contract fulfills President Trump’s directive to rapidly expand America’s icebreaker fleet.The Arctic Security Cutters will defend U.S. sovereignty, secure critical shipping lanes, protect energy and mineral resources, and counter foreign malign influence in the Arctic region.A robust icebreaker fleet will enable the Coast Guard to control…

The U.S. Coast Guard and partner agencies apprehended a stowaway smuggler and seized 10 bales of cocaine in San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico, on January 28.The seized contraband weighed a combined total of 358kg/789.25 pounds and is estimated to have a wholesale value of more than $5 million. The apprehended suspect faces federal prosecution on drug trafficking charges.Sector San Juan Command Center watchstanders received a VHF Channel 16 marine radio communication from the tug Signet Thunder at approximately 5:48 a.m., Jan.

The U.S. Transportation Department on Tuesday approved a license for oil transportation and storage company Sentinel Midstream's planned deepwater oil export project off the Texas coast.Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement to Reuters the Texas GulfLink project is part of the Trump administration's effort to boost the U.S. oil industry and production and allow for the export of up to 1 million barrels of crude oil per day. The Texas GulfLink deepwater port will be located approximately 26.6 nautical miles off the coast of Brazoria County…

The U.S. Coast Guard coordinated the rescue of 27 mariners on Saturday after their Venezuelan-flagged fishing vessel caught fire approximately 500 miles north-northwest of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.At 3:51 p.m. PST, Saturday, Rescue Coordination Center Alameda received a notification from the Garmin Search and Rescue Command Center of an SOS distress alert from the 240-foot fishing vessel La Pena.Using a crewmember’s satellite messaging device, Coast Guard watchstanders established communications with the crew and confirmed the vessel had caught fire and sank.

The U.S. Coast Guard is accelerating long-term investments in cutters, aviation assets and autonomous systems following what service leaders described as a historic infusion of funding from Congress in 2025, according to testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee.During the hearing, Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) pressed Admiral Kevin Lunday, Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, on how the service is translating recent budget increases into operational capability, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.Adm.

Captain Steve Jones is President of the Passenger Vessel Association for 2025. As his term comes to a close in February at the PVA Annual Convention at MariTrends 2026 in Covington, KY, Captain Jones has achieved several long-sought-after successes during his term and set in motion other important association undertakings intended to deliver noteworthy benefits to PVA members in the coming year and beyond. Captain Jones has been with the Gateway Clipper Fleet since 1987. The Gateway Clipper Fleet…

The U.S. Coast Guard is actively conducting icebreaking operations in New York Harbor and the Hudson River in response to worsening ice conditions caused by prolonged extreme cold and Winter Storm Fern. Ice conditions have developed and expanded quickly across New York Harbor and the Hudson River, with significant ice formation now affecting the waterway from New York Harbor north through the Hudson Valley. Shore and drift ice are present throughout the area, and forecasts indicate continued ice growth over the coming days as cold temperatures persist.

The U.S. Coast Guard has launched a new, easier-to-use online system that allows mariners to submit and track credential applications faster and more securely. The Application Submission and Additional Information Portal, known as ASAP, lets mariners apply for Merchant Mariner Credentials and Medical Certificates, upload documents and monitor application status in one place. The system is now the primary way to submit applications to the Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center. The redesigned portal features simpler navigation, clearer instructions and improved document uploads.

Pole Star Defense closed Q4 2025 with two federal wins: a $36 million, three-year renewal with the U.S. Coast Guard and a new five-year contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Together, the awards extend the company’s role as a provider of maritime domain awareness to U.S. government customers. The Coast Guard renewal builds on a partnership first established in 2020 with a $50 million award. Under the extended agreement, Pole Star Defense continues to deliver vessel tracking, system modernization, and cloud-based analytics that support Coast Guard operations nationwide.

The captain of a Venezuela-linked crude oil tanker seized by the U.S. this month has been taken from British territorial waters and is now aboard a U.S. Coast Guard vessel, a lawyer for the captain's wife said on Tuesday.The U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. military special forces, bearing a judicial seizure warrant, apprehended the Russian-flagged Marinera in the Atlantic near Iceland on January 7 after pursuing it for more than two weeks as part of Washington's efforts to block Venezuelan oil exports.After its capture…

A record crowd of more than 900 industry and community representatives gathered for the 11th annual State of the Port, where Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka outlined his vision for the future, highlighting “Build Bigger and Build Smarter” investment priorities.Hosted by the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association since 2016, ticket proceeds from the event have now raised more than $350,000 for local non-profit organizations. This year’s recipients were EXP and the Toberman Neighborhood Center in San Pedro.Seroka announced the Port handled 10.2 million container units in 2025…

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) began icebreaking operations in the Southern Ocean in support of Operation Deep Freeze 2026 and marked its 50th year of commissioned service Saturday by freeing and escorting a cruise ship trapped in pack ice.The Australian-owned cruise ship Scenic Eclipse II contacted Polar Star at approximately 11 p.m., local time Friday after becoming beset in pack ice roughly eight nautical miles from McMurdo Sound. Polar Star’s crew conducted two close passes to break the vessel free…

US Coast Guard Sector San Juan Command Center watchstanders and the crew of the Horten Liberian-flagged tanker rescued a capsized rower in the Atlantic Ocean east of Puerto Rico, Wednesday night.Benoit Bourguet, 47, was in his single-man rowing vessel, City of Liverpool, which was reportedly struck by two rogue waves and capsized in 13 to 15-foot seas which forced Bourguet to deploy and board his life raft.Bourguet and the City of Liverpool vessel were competing in the World’s Toughest Row Race, a 3,000-mile rowing race from San Sebastian de la Gomera, Spain, to Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua.

The U.S. Coast Guard Safety Alert 03-26, issued on January 16, highlights critical findings related to immersion suit maintenance, inspection practices, and material integrity.ABS reports that U.S. Coast Guard inspectors have increasingly identified adhesive failures between immersion suit zippers and suit bodies, as well as other seam related defects. These deficiencies compromise watertight integrity and pose significant risks to crew survival in emergency situations.Contributing factors cited include use of non-approved lubricants…

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…

NAVTOR is helping Redningsselskapet (Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue) increase both efficiency and cost savings by making its fleet management solution, NavFleet, available free of charge, while also providing ongoing systems delivery and support. The partnership will help empower optimal operations for the society’s fleet of currently 59 vessels, with intelligent planning and monitoring, more efficient vessel utilization, greater predictability, and the potential for meaningful cost savings through smarter decision-making and deployment.

For Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC), the year has had a strong start. Today, a significant milestone was reached in the Squadron 2020 project with the start of production of the fourth multi-purpose corvette and the keel-laying of the third one. This also means that all four multi-purpose corvettes of Pohjanmaa class -- ships that measure 117 x 16.5m with a 5m draft and a crew of 70 -- are now simultaneously under construction at the RMC shipyard. Moreover, preparations are in…

The United States Coast Guard held a formal swearing-in and assumption of command ceremony on Thursday for Adm. Kevin Lunday as the 28th Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.Secretary Kristi Noem joined senior Coast Guard leadership, members of the Joint Force and distinguished guests in recognizing the transition of command and Adm. Lunday’s commitment to leading the Service.“President Trump’s plan was simple when he became President of the United States. He wanted to revitalize the Coast Guard…

Delfin Midstream has extended a letter of award with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and placed orders for critical liquefaction equipment, as the company moves toward a final investment decision on the first floating LNG vessel for its Delfin LNG project.The U.S.-based developer said the extension of the letter of award with SHI follows early engagement work carried out in recent weeks and comes as the remaining workstreams required to reach FID are nearing completion. Delfin expects to take a final investment decision during February 2026.Separately…

Adm. Kevin E. Lunday will officially be sworn in as the 28th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard during an Assumption of Command Ceremony. The ceremony will be presided over by the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.WHAT: Commandant’s assumption of command ceremonyWHEN: Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 11 a.m.WHERE: The ceremony will be streamed live for public viewing at: https://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/37352For more information, please contact the U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters media relations office at mediarelations@uscg.mil.

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) inspectors frequently find immersion suit defects caused by adhesivef ailures between the main zipper and the suit body. These failures, illustrated in the images, compromise watertight integrity and pose serious survival risks from water ingress. Contributing factors to the defects include improper maintenance (e.g., the use of non-approved petroleum based lubricants or scented powders), improper storage, and neglecting to conduct periodic pressure testing. Seam and closure deterioration may not always be detectable during routine visual inspections.

The U.S. Coast Guard has unveiled a rapid-response approach that identifies, prototypes and delivers breakthrough technologies to meet urgent operational needs and drives accelerated transition to programs. The Office of Rapid Response and Prototyping (CG-RAPTOR) is accelerating the “idea-to-operations” cycle, rolling our solutions within 30, 60, and 90 days through collaboration with operators, industry leaders and subject matter experts.The standup of CG-RAPTOR comes amid Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s push to change how the Coast Guard operates.

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.