Florida News

DNV has appointed Robert Galinski as Global Cruise Segment Director, with effect from January 1, 2025.“We are pleased to welcome Robert Galinski back to DNV,” says Trond Hodne, Business Director, DNV Maritime. “His extensive experience and strong industry relationships will be instrumental as we continue to further strengthen our position in the cruise sector. His leadership will play a vital role in advancing our customer-focused strategy and driving innovation in the industry.”Based in Florida…

We are at the one-year since the Francis Scott Key (FSK) Bridge collapsed over the Patapsco River’s Fort McHenry Channel in Baltimore, Maryland. Nearly 100 percent of the wreckage and debris removal was conducted by the Jones Act private sector U.S. maritime industry. The FSK collapsed at about 1:28 a.m. local time on March 26, 2025 after the container ship MV DALI lost power and collided with one of bridge’s support piers. Six construction workers died in the collapse, while two other workers survived the fall into the freezing water.

Port & Terminal Technology USA has established itself as a must-attend key industry event. Its huge success over the last thirteen years is attributed to overwhelming positive feedback   from attendees and the event’s growing list of returning exhibitors. As such, MCI Media Limited is delighted to announce that the 14th Conference & Exhibition will take place in Miami, Florida and is officially supported by PortMiami. An informative technical programme delivered by numerous industry experts will cover the very  latest developments…

A Trump administration proposal aimed at reviving the U.S. shipbuilding industry may backfire by imposing steep fees on China-linked vessels—penalties that industry leaders say would hurt American ship operators and ports rather than help them, industry executives said at U.S. Trade Representative hearings on Monday.At issue are proposed, stacking fees on China-built vessels that could top $3 million per U.S. port call. The Trump administration says the fees would curb China's growing commercial and military dominance on the high seas and promote domestically built vessels. U.S.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recommended that 30 owners of 68 bridges across 19 states conduct a vulnerability assessment to determine the risk of bridge collapse from a vessel collision.The recommendation comes as part of the ongoing investigation into the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.The NTSB found that the Key Bridge, which collapsed after being struck by the containership Dali on March 26, 2024, was almost 30 times above the acceptable risk threshold for critical or essential bridges…

Greensea IQ expanded its EverClean operations with a new service center in Miami, Florida. The new facility, located in Hialeah, Florida, will house both office and workshop space. The Miami location will accommodate an expanded EverClean support team dedicated to servicing customers in the region. With Miami serving as a global hub for cruise operations, the expansion furthers Greensea IQ's ability to provide ship operators with an efficient and environmentally responsible hull maintenance solution.“As the cruise industry continues to prioritize operational efficiency and sustainability…

The first thirty days of the new Trump Administration have brought sweeping changes throughout the federal government. We take a pause to assess where things stand for maritime stakeholders and what may be coming next in Washington, DC, for our industry.A Maritime DirectiveFor those that work in the U.S maritime space, it is axiomatic to state that all aspects of the maritime industry are critical to our national security. U.S. flag vessels and merchant mariners not only support U.S. economic prosperity, but also build the key sea lines of communication to support military operations.

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has announced an order that removes barriers for the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as marine fuel to power vessels.The order issued by DOE modifies a prior order issued to JAX LNG under the previous administration that asserted new oversight for the use of LNG to power marine vessels, also known as LNG bunkering.“Today’s action is a significant step in reducing regulatory burdens and helping this important segment of the LNG market continue to grow…

There’s a tendency for owners to stick with the coatings they are familiar with, but environmental concerns, particularly regarding marine biodiversity, are providing fresh opportunities for them to reconsider.Measuring hull coating performance from noon reports yields around 350 data points over a five-year docking cycle after including full loaded sailing days and excluding adverse weather days etc.But it’s become a more sophisticated challenge now that owners and operators have to factor in decarbonization regulations…

American Cruise Lines said that American Legend, the newest small ship in the company’s innovative Project Blue series, was christened in Key West, Florida. The celebration took place while the ship was docked at Mallory Square, just steps from the City’s vibrant town center. American Legend was visiting Key West along one of the company’s popular 8-Day Florida Gulf Coast & Keys cruises, which sail roundtrip from St. Petersburg, Florida. American’s new Florida itineraries are…

The Fascinated by Shipwrecks Podcast, hosted by Kathy A. Smith,  is dedicated to the People & the Science of Maritime Archaeology.EPISODE 8 – Guest: Vince Capone – Hunting Shipwrecks with Side Scan Sonar“The robot is navigating underwater and runs a search pattern, collecting the data. We are not at the point where we can transmit that data in real time back to the vessel because of the volume of data. We can transmit snippets to make sure it's working. When I say snippets, those are just small images of the sonar waterfall. But that time is coming.

Jim Towers is Principal in Charge as well as a Senior Naval Architect and Marine Engineer at Elliott Bay Design Group. He has 45 years of marine experience in vessel design and construction with a specific emphasis on structure. A recognized industry expert in vessel design and a part of numerous vessel construction and refurbishment projects, Jim has worked for the Pacific Northwest's top shipyards, where he developed his engineering talent and was involved in the construction of many high-speed aluminum vessels.

Gruppo Fratelli Cosulich strengthened its shareholding in FEMO Bunker, born from the vision of Capt. Antonio Cosulich e di Fabio e Massimiliano Pesto, specialized in bunker trading for the Yachting sector. The operation brings the controlling share of the Group to 62% of the social capital. FEMO Bunker, founded in 2000 and led by CEO and shareholder Ugo Pastorino, offers fuel supply services for yachts and ships. "This operation fits perfectly into the Group's strategy of expansion and consolidation of services in the Yachting sector" said Tomaso Moreno, CEO of Yachting for the Group.

In remarks delivered to the National Space Club Florida Committee, Canaveral Port Authority CEO Capt. John Murray outlined the Port’s long-standing historical support of America’s space program in the Cape Canaveral area.“Port Canaveral has been part of space operations since 1956. But, since the end of the shuttle program, we now see a uniquely different space enterprise,” Murray said. “The industry has evolved to include maritime components – support vessels and landing platforms – in at sea recovery operations.

US Coast Guard aircrew, the crew of the Crowley container ship El Coquí and fishermen from the fishing vessel Bonanza rescued four men from a life raft in Atlantic Ocean’s Silver Bank waters north of the Dominican Republic on Tuesday.The men were forced to abandon the sailing vessel Mariposa after the vessel reportedly struck a submerged rock and was then overtaken by a wave which caused the vessel to roll on its port side. The vessel struck another rock which breached the vessel’s hull and started taking on water while additional waves flooded the vessel before sinking.

Several Texas ports began to resume operations on Wednesday, after winter storm Enzo moved out of the state, according to ports and a shipping notice seen by Reuters.The port of Freeport had resumed vessel operations on Wednesday morning, while the ports of Houston and Galveston were planning to reopen to vessel traffic later in the day.The storm brought several inches of snow to Texas, Louisiana and Florida, where extreme winter conditions are rare. It forced the shutdown of school districts…

The Coast Guard announced immediate action on executive orders issued by the White House Tuesday.“The U.S. Coast Guard is the world’s premiere maritime law enforcement agency, vital to protecting America’s maritime borders, territorial integrity and sovereignty,” said Adm. Kevin Lunday, the Coast Guard’s acting commandant. “Per the President’s Executive Orders, I have directed my operational commanders to immediately surge assets—cutters, aircraft, boats and deployable specialized forces—to increase Coast Guard presence and focus starting with the following key areas:Coast Guard Vice Adm.

The same NOAA satellites that followed the moon’s shadow along the path of the Total Solar Eclipse and tracked Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, also helped rescue 411 people from life-threatening situations in the U.S. and its surrounding waters last year.NOAA’s polar-orbiting and geostationary satellites are part of the global Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking system, or COSPAS-SARSAT. The system uses a network of U.S. and international spacecraft to detect and locate distress signals sent from 406MHz emergency beacons onboard aircraft…

President Donald J. Trump has designated Louis E. “Lou” Sola to serve as the Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).The designation was made on January 20, 2025. Chairman Sola has served as a Commissioner of the FMC since January 2019, and he succeeds Daniel B. Maffei as Chairman. The Chairman is the chief executive and administrative officer of the Commission.“I am humbled by President Trump designating me Chairman and I am grateful for his confidence in my ability to lead the Federal Maritime Commission. There are many ways the Commission contributes to the competitiveness of American businesses, access to foreign markets for U.S. vessels and companies, and economic growth for the Nation.

The domestic passenger vessel answers the call for cleaner and more efficient platforms. It is truly an electric time to be a part of this niche industry.In the shadow of a rapidly changing political landscape, the domestic passenger ferry sector is nevertheless seeing an increasing number of newbuild vessel orders. Older fleet vessels, some approaching financial and operational obsolescence – also environmentally undesirable on a waterfront that more than ever demands cleaner carbon signatures – are going the way of the dinosaur.

There’s more to domestic dredging than meets the eye. Dredging Contractors of America CEO Bill Doyle is just the guy tell you why.William P. Doyle serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Dredging Contractors of America (DCA). DCA represents the dredging industry on key issues before Congress and is an active partner to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, public port authorities, state and local governments, as well as allied construction and maritime organizations.Immediately prior to this appointment, Mr. Doyle served as the Port of Baltimore’s Chief Executive for three years.

When the USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) docked at Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island from Nov. 21-24, it was especially meaningful for a Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport employee whose family name is linked to the ship’s name.John Lauderdale, a resident of New London, Connecticut, serves in Division Newport’s Undersea Warfare Electromagnetic Systems Department as principal for safety for electronic warfare, imaging and radar for PMS 435, visited the USS Fort Lauderdale to share his family’s legacy.

“With all the archival data and that real archaeological data coming together, we’ve built the most accurate virtual model ever of Monitor, and I'm not just talking just the shell of it. Every single nut and bolt is there.” Tane CasserleyThe USS Monitor was commissioned during the Civil War for the Union Navy in answer to the Confederate Navy’s new ironclad ship CSS Virginia (formerly the USS Merrimack), touted as being capable of breaking the Union blockade at Hampton Roads, Virginia. Swedish-American inventor, John Ericsson came up with a unique low, freeboard design that included a first-of-its-kind rotating gun turret.Monitor was launched on January 30, 1862, and on March 9th, famously fought the Virginia at the Battle of Hampton Roads.