Goverment News

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has unveiled the offshore wind solicitation schedule to meet the state’s 7,500 MW offshore wind goal by 2035 and called upon the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to take all necessary actions to implement the schedule.The proposed schedule calls for the next 1,200 MW solicitation to be opened by September 2020, with an award made by second quarter of 2021.Setting a solicitation schedule through 2035 provides a crucial level of certainty for developers, original equipment manufacturers, and the supply chain.“Several months ago, I committed the State of New Jersey to 7,500 MW of offshore wind by 2035…

Fishing Vessel Owner and Operator Plead Guilty and Fined $1 Million for Discharging Oily Waste into the Coastal Waters of the United States Sea Harvest Inc., operator of the fishing vessels Enterprise and Pacific Capes, along with Fishing Vessel Enterprises Inc., the vessels’ owner, pleaded guilty today to violating the Clean Water Act for both knowing and negligent discharges of oily bilge water from the vessels’ engine rooms. The companies were sentenced to pay a $1 million criminal fine and serve a five-year term of probation.

Iran has discovered a new oil field in the country’s south with an estimated 50 billion barrels of crude oil in the oil-rich Khuzestan province, its president Hassan Rouhani said.However, the US  sanctions against Iranian oil could make it difficult for the oil to find its way to international markets.Rouhani made the announcement in a speech in the desert city of Yazd. Some 53 billion barrels would be added to Iran’s proven reserves of roughly 150 billion, he said.He said the oilfield is located in the southwestern province of Khuzestan in a land stretching 2,400 square kilometers between Bostan and Omidiyeh.The president said exploration activities for the oilfield had begun in 2016…

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) is very concerned with the U.S. Senate’s approval of a fiscal 2020 appropriations bill that cuts funding by more than two-thirds to a U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD) program that provides critical grants for port infrastructure projects nationwide.MARAD’s Port Infrastructure Development Program, initiated last year and funded at $292.73 million, would be slashed to $91.6 million if the Senate’s appropriation mark is upheld in the final bill.Not only would funding for the program be severely cut, the Senate bill requires deep-draft coastal ports and shallow-draft inland waterways ports share those funds, which wasn’t the case last year.

Europe's largest shipyard Fincantieri faces a full-scale EU antitrust investigation into its bid for France's Chantiers de l'Atlantique on concerns the deal would reduce competition, three people familiar with the matter said.The European Commission's preliminary review of the deal ends on Wednesday. It will follow up with an in-depth investigation, the sources said. This lasts 90 working days but could stretch to as long as five months.The EU competition enforcer is worried the number of European players will be cut to two from three as a result of the deal, the sources said. The other competitor is a German shipyard.Fincantieri has argued Asian shipyards could pose strong competition in the next decade to try to address the Commission's worries, the people said.

Britain said on Tuesday it would complete a plan next year to achieve net zero emissions from all forms of transport, as climate change activists targeted the transport ministry.Britain is the first G7 country to commit to a net zero greenhouse gas emissions target for 2050."From driving our cars, to catching a train or taking a flight abroad, it is crucial that we ensure transport is as environmentally friendly as possible," said transport secretary Grant Schapps.Due to be complete next year, the plan will set out in detail what government, business and society must do to deliver the signific

Russia's liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer Novatek is in talks to tranship its Yamal cargoes in Norway or Russia's Murmansk because it is unsure of the impact of U.S. sanctions on the Chinese COSCO tankers it uses, a Novatek official said.The United States imposed sanctions on Sept. 25 on state-owned COSCO's subsidiaries, COSCO Shipping Tanker (Dalian) Co and COSCO Shipping Tanker (Dalian) Seaman & Ship Management, for allegedly ferrying Iranian crude.U.S.-listed ship owner Teekay LNG said last week its shipping joint venture in Russia, Yamal LNG, had been "blocked" by the U.S.

The six largest West Coast ports — Port of Long Beach, Port of Los Angeles, Port of Oakland, Port of Portland, Port of Seattle and Port of Tacoma — sent a letter to President Donald Trump to pursue fair and mutually beneficial trade agreements.The letter highlighted their concerns that the long-term impacts of the escalating trade conflict between China and the United States will create irredeemable economic harm to employers, workers, residents and international partnerships along the West Coast and throughout the entire country.“The chaos of the current trade war is one of the most prominent risks ahead. Exporters are losing market opportunities through increased tariffs on sales to China.

US authorities announced that South Korea's top shipbuilding conglomerate Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) will pay a US$47 million fine for illegally importing and selling dirty diesel engines in violation of American environmental rules.US Justice Department and and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that between 2012 and 2015, the company imported nearly 2,300 diesel-powered heavy construction vehicles with engines that did not meet US emissions standards.“Hyundai put profits above the public’s health and the requirements of the law,” Jeffrey Bossert Clark, head of the department’s environment and natural resources division…

Germany will not participate in a U.S.-led naval mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz, close to Iran, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Wednesday.Stressing that Germany wants to avoid a further escalation of tensions in the region, Maas told reporters on a trip to Warsaw that there was no military solution."Germany will not take part in the sea mission presented and planned by the Untied States," said Maas. (Reuters, Reporting by Joanna Plucinska Writing by Madeline Chambers Editing by Michelle Martin)

Sweden said on Wednesday it was holding talks with Iran, Britain and others over a Swedish-owned, British-flagged tanker seized last week by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz."Sweden is concerned by developments in the Strait of Hormuz. For Sweden and the EU it is vital that freedom of navigation is protected. Given the very serious situation in the region, it is also important that the measures taken help to ease tensions," the foreign ministry said in a statement."Sweden is conducting a dialogue at various levels with the UK, Iran and other relevant stakeholders... and we hope to find a resolution to the issues and de-escalate the tense situation." (Reuters, Reporting by Esha Vaish in Stockholm Editing by Gareth Jones)

The Minister of State for Shipping (Independent Charge), India, Mansukh Mandaviya will flag off an inland waterways vessel containing cargo from Bhutan to Bangladesh via Brahmaputra river and the Indo-Bangla Protocol Route today (July 12)."This is a first of its kind movement where an Indian inland waterway is being used for connecting two countries - landlocked Bhutan and Bangladesh,"said a press note from the shipping ministry of India.1000 Metric Ton of crushed stone aggregates will sail on Inland Waterways Authority of India’s (IWAI) vessel MV AAI from Dhubri port in Assam  to Narayanganj in Bangladesh through India’s NW2   and Indo…

The United States plans to raise the attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman during a closed-door meeting of the United Nations Security Council later on Thursday, diplomats said."It's unacceptable for any party to attack commercial shipping and today's attacks on ships in the Gulf of Oman raise very serious concerns," acting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Jonathan Cohen told a council meeting on cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States."The U.S. government is providing assistance and will continue to assess the situation," he said. (Reuters, Reporting by Michelle Nichols Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)