Commanding News

The U.S. Coast Guard decommissioned Coast Guard Cutter Naushon (WPB 1311) during a ceremony in Homer on March 21.Rear Adm. Megan Dean, the commander of Coast Guard District 17, presided over the ceremony honoring the nearly 40 years of service Naushon and its crews provided to the nation.Commissioned on October 3, 1986, Naushon was the 11th Island-Class cutter to join the fleet.Naushon has been stationed in Homer since 2016 and has since responded to over 50 search-and-rescue cases and completed nearly 900 law enforcement sorties.Naushon is a 110-foot…

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) and crew departed the Antarctic region Tuesday after 65 days south of the Antarctic Circle in support of Operation Deep Freeze 2025.Operation Deep Freeze is an annual event, led by the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) in conjunction with the Department of Defense, to support the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The USAP advances the nation’s goals to support the Antarctic Treaty, fosters cooperative research with other nations, protects Antarctic resources…

A U.S. Coast Guard cutter crossing the Tasman Sea as part of maritime security cooperation with Australia and New Zealand knew Chinese naval ships were in the area but had no interaction with them, its commanding officer said on Tuesday.China's navy held live-fire exercises on Friday and Saturday in international waters between Australia and New Zealand that Australian officials have described as unprecedented. The drills forced airlines to change the paths of 49 commercial flights for safety reasons.The movements of the People's Liberation Army Navy frigate…

The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche (WMSL 751) will offload approximately 37,256 pounds of cocaine, valued at over $275 million, at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday at the 10th Avenue Marine Terminal in San Diego.The seized contraband is the result of 11 separate interdictions of suspected drug smuggling vessels off the coasts of Mexico, Central America, and South America between December and February. These operations were conducted as part of the Coast Guard’s ongoing efforts to combat illicit drug trafficking and enhance maritime security.Senior officials attending the event include:Vice Adm. Andrew J. Tiongson, Commander, Coast Guard Pacific AreaRear Adm. Joseph R. Buzzella, Commander, Coast Guard District 11Rear Adm. Jo-Ann Burdian, Joint Interagency Task Force South, U.S.

As the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) and crew departed Seattle recently for its deployment to Antarctica in support of Operation Deep Freeze, all eyes come back around to the U.S. icebreaking fleet, or lack thereof, as the nation and its allies work to help build the fleet to be larger and stronger than ever, facing potential national security threats that come with a strong Russian and Chinese presence in the polar regions.Click here to read about "U.S. Polar Security…

Bollinger Shipyards announced the delivery of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) John Witherspoon at Coast Guard Sector Key West. This is the 58th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) delivered under the U.S. Coast Guard's current program and the 184th vessel built by Bollinger for the U.S. Coast Guard over a 40-year partnership and will be homeported in Kodiak, Alaska. The John Witherspoon will be homeported in Kodiak, Alaska. This vessel is the fourth FRC to join the fleet in Alaskan waters, reinforcing maritime security and bolstering the U.S.

New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has released an interim report into the grounding of the passenger ferry Aratere in Titoki Bay, Picton, on June 21, 2024, citing lack of knowledge about the steering system.The Aratere had been in service for about 26 years, and in May 2024, KiwiRail installed a new steering control system in four of the five command consoles on the bridge. It wasn’t installed on the autopilot console, which was part of the original track pilot integrated bridge navigation system by a different manufacturer.

Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54) was recognized for its more than 37 years of naval service during a decommissioning ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, on September 27.During the ceremony guest speaker Rear Adm. Christopher Moe (USN, Ret.) spoke about Antietam’s history and accomplishments, wishing this final crew fair winds and following seas as they bid farewell to their ship.Moe served as Antietam’s commanding officer from 1997 to 1999. “I was there June 6, 1987, when USS Antietam was commissioned in Baltimore, Maryland.

The International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) presented its analysis of the latest marine insurance market trends at its 150th annual conference in Berlin, Germany, on Monday.The global marine insurance premium base for 2023 was reported as $38.9 billion representing an uplift of 5.9% from the previous year. Development was seen across all lines of business with the offshore energy sector experiencing a 4.6% increase, cargo insurance a 6.2% increase and ocean hull a 7.6%…

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy offloaded $44.2 million worth of cocaine in San Diego, last week.The crew aboard Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Yellowknife (HMCS-706) and a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment team interdicted more than 3,100 lbs. of cocaine approximately 430 miles southwest of Acapulco, Mexico, September 5.Capt. Tim Lavier, Eleventh Coast Guard District chief of response, said, “Deploying a Coast Guard law enforcement team aboard a Canadian…

The U.S. Coast Guard worked alongside international partners to seize tens of millions of dollars worth of cocaine from drug smugglers in the Caribbean Sea.The Coast Guard said its cutter Diligence offloaded more than 4,125 pounds of cocaine, worth an assessed street value of approximately $54 million, in Port Everglades, Fla. on Monday.The illegal narcotics were seized in international waters during three separate interdictions, involving U.K. Royal Navy ship HMS Trent (P 244), U.S. Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team Pacific (PAC-TACLET), U.S.

The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Richard M. McCool, Jr. (LPD 29) commissioned aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, on September 7.San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships are warships that embark, transport and land elements of a landing force for a variety of expeditionary warfare missions. They provide the Navy and Marine Corps with modern, sea-based platforms that are networked, survivable and built to operate in the 21st century, with the MV-22 Osprey…

The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, and the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center (RDC) in New London, Connecticut, have signed a comprehensive memorandum of understanding (MOU) to team up on addressing critical technology challenges in national defense and maritime security.The MOU builds on a previous agreement signed in 2019, broadening and specifying more precisely the scope of collaboration between APL and RDC. It outlines plans for collaboration on initiatives in areas such as additive manufacturing…

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) has returned to Seattle following an onboard fire that occurred during a scientific research expedition in the Arctic Ocean. The incident took place on July 25, 2024, while the vessel was navigating near Banks Island in the Northwest Territories of Canada.The fire, which broke out in an electrical transformer affecting one of the ship’s two main propulsion motors, was quickly extinguished by the crew. No injuries were reported. Following the incident, the crew and contractors worked to restore power to the affected motor.

Six people were rescued after abandoning their fire-stricken fishing vessel off the U.S. East Coast, Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard said.At 8:56 p.m., Coast Guard Sector Northern New England command center watchstanders received a mayday call from the 81-foot trawler Three Girls stating that the vessel was ablaze and the captain, NOAA observer and four crew members on board were preparing to abandon ship about 105 nautical miles east of Portsmouth, N.H. The First Coast Guard District command center also received an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon from the vessel.At 9 p.m.…

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed Major General William H. “Butch” Graham Jr. as the 56th chief of engineers and commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Graham is currently serving as the deputy chief of engineers and deputy commanding general for civil works and emergency operations. His long Army career includes leadership positions supporting both civil works and military construction.He will succeed Lt. Gen. Scott A. Spellmon, whose four-year term as chief ends on September 13.“MG(P) Graham has both a depth and breadth of experience across the Regiment and the Army.

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and the United States Coast Guard Research and Development Center (USCG-RDC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) as a stepping stone towards collaborative research and development on top-of-mind technologies impacting the maritime industry.Activity under the MoU can include developing joint research publications, new technology qualifications and information sharing in a variety of research areas including remote and autonomous systems for uncrewed surface and underwater vehicles…

The U.S. Army has selected Maj. Gen William H. "Butch" Graham Jr. to be its next chief of engineers and commanding general of the Corps of Engineers, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced on July 10.Graham is currently serving as the deputy chief of engineers and deputy commanding general for civil works and emergency operations. His long Army career includes leadership positions supporting both civil works and military construction.If confirmed by the Senate, Graham would succeed Lt. Gen. Scott A.

The captain of U.S. Navy ship USS Hershel “Woody” Williams has been relieved of his duties after the ship went aground under his command earlier this year.The Navy is still investigating the incident, which saw the 784-foot Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary mobile base vessel go soft aground near Gabon's port of Libreville on May 9. But it said "sufficient findings of fact emerged during the investigation to warrant the relief" of commanding officer Capt. Lenard Mitchell."The U.S.

A retired U.S. Navy admiral and two business executives were arrested on criminal charges related to a bribery scheme involving a U.S. government contract.An indictment unsealed on May 31 alleges that from 2020 to 2022, Robert Burke—once the Navy’s second-highest-ranking officer—used his status to help the executives of New York-based workplace tech platform Next Jump win military contracts.Admiral Burke disputes the charge and plans to plead not guilt, Burke’s attorney told the media.From 2018 to 2019…

Retired Adm. Craig Faller has assumed the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Surface Navy Association (SNA), a nonprofit promoting coordination and communication among military, business and academic communities with an interest in naval surface warfare and forces.Faller succeeds retired Adm. Vern Clark, who has been chairman since 2020.In addition to numerous ashore assignments including Chief of Naval Legislative Affairs; senior military assistant to the Secretary of Defense…

The crew of U.K. Royal Navy’s offshore patrol vessel HMS Trent has seized over $250 million worth of cocaine in the latest drugs bust in the Caribbean Sea, bringing the total drugs seized by the vessel so far to over $640 million.The latest bust came after HMS Trent was alerted to potential smugglers by a United States maritime patrol aircraft and used her powerful radars to track down the suspicious vessel.With the Royal Navy ship closing in, the vessel started throwing bales of cocaine into the sea to try and evade capture.The crew of HMS Trent then had to recover the drugs thrown overboard…

Founded as the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) and renamed Military Sealift Command in 1970, MSC today not only support the Navy, but we are the Department of Defense's provider of all sealift. Maritime Reporter & Engineering News recently interviewed Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, U.S. Navy, for insights on the service today and it’s needs to grow in the future.What makes MSC so vital to the Navy’s fleet and our military forces around the world?When we  look at the history of contested logistics in World War II…