Government News

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the highest-ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, met with President Trump’s nominee to serve as the next Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth.During the meeting, the two exchanged views on a range of critical national defense topics, including the military challenge posed by the Chinese Communist Party, continued instability in Europe, and the growing threats of adversaries such as China, North Korea, and Iran.Senator Wicker expressed his view that the United States faces the most dangerous national security moment since World War II.

As world-reaction to Donald Trumps presidential win continues to come in, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said he is "strongly confident" the South Korea-U.S. alliance will continue to thrive under the incoming U.S. administration of President-elect Donald Trump.While there are many tendrils to the economic and defense alliance, in particular in recent years, South Korea's world-class shipbuilders have drawn increasingly close to their U.S. counterparts, as the U.S.

A Donald Trump presidential election victory [which as of this writing looks most likely] would have huge implications for U.S. trade policy, climate change, the war in Ukraine, electric vehicles, among other areas. While some of his proposals would require congressional approval, here is a summary of the policies he has said he would pursue in his second four-year term in office:MORE TARIFFSTrump has floated the idea of a 10% or more tariff on all goods imported into the U.S., a move he says would eliminate the trade deficit.

The United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)  awarded Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada-based Glas Ocean Electric a contract to develop and demonstrate a low-cost data acquisition system that can be easily installed on a range of vessels including fishing vessels, workboats, ferries and pleasure craft.Glas Ocean Electric’s PerforMarine is a platform that collects vessel and environmental data and then, using artificial intelligence, helps operators optimize vessel performance…

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) making available more than $662 million in Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 funding for MARAD’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP).The PIDP investment is intended to help modernize the nation’s ports and strengthen supply chains.“America’s ports play a central role in our supply chains,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “With today’s announcement…

Britain says it has canceled a contract with P&O Ferries "with immediate effect" in its latest action against the DP World-owned company following its decision to axe hundreds of staff earlier this year.The Home Office (interior ministry) said it was ending its agreement with the firm to provide contingency travel services to "juxtaposed ports" where British staff operate border controls in Belgium and France to check passengers and freight destined for Britain.It comes after P&O Ferries…

In my May 2020 MREN USS Enterprise column I made a reference to the benefits of titanium as a hull structural material.It related to the life of the USCG cutter Bear and I concluded the column with a suggestion that titanium would be a particularly useful and cost-effective structural material for sail training vessels, aircraft carriers, research vessels, cruise vessels, tugs and Staten Island ferries. I made this suggestion assuming that the hull design (shape) would have to be mature…

As part of his Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (EO 14008)—issued on the first day he took office—President Biden made significant commitments to renewable energy. These commitments include collaborating with multiple federal agencies in the United States and promoting critical industry support for the acquisition of electric vehicles for the federal fleet, as well as rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement, the landmark international agreement signed in 2015 to limit global warming.

There was important cruise news in January: Viking – a premier European ocean and river cruise company - will offer two new “destination-focused travel experiences,” starting in 2022. One set of cruises becomes Viking’s first foray in the inland North American market, in this case the Great Lakes. Another set of cruises will head to the Arctic and Antarctica. Viking is building two new vessels: the Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris, under construction now in Norway, by Fincantieri’s VARD.In a press release Viking writes that it has created “the thinking person’s expedition.”  Indeed…

The offshore wind industry in the United States is growing exponentially, with multiple projects in the development stages off of the Atlantic coast. The total megawatt capacity of U.S. offshore wind farms is anticipated to reach 22,000 by 2030 and 43,000 by 2050. To support this growth, U.S. Department of Energy reports estimate over 40,000 new jobs will be created by 2030.The new jobs anticipated to support the offshore wind industry include a wide range of types, including engineers, trade workers, surveyors, scientists, technicians, managers, and seafarers.

Export Control Lists Include Key Marine Tech Categories  Each year, the U.S. Department of Commerce receives thousands of inquiries from businesses looking to export, many of which involve licensing questions. The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), together with other USG agencies, is responsible for export licensing and controls. BIS export licenses may be required for items (commodities, software, or technology) with proliferation, military, or terrorist uses, or which warrant control for other reasons.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday said Canada would spend an estimated C$15.7 billion ($11.7 billion) to renew its coast guard fleet and that it would partner with a new shipyard to complete the project.Two Arctic icebreakers will be among a total of 18 new ships ordered, Trudeau told reporters in Vancouver. They will be built by Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax on the east coast, while 16 multi-purpose vessels will be built by Vancouver Shipyards on the west coast."Our…

Seaspan Shipyards (Seaspan) has awarded BCS Automation Ltd. (BCS) a contract for work on the Government of Canada’s new Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel (OOSV).BCS has been in operation for 30 years and specializes in automated systems for the marine, offshore and cement industries. BCS represents one of almost 80 Ontario suppliers to date that Seaspan is working with to meet its commitments under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS).BCS will supply a ship control and monitoring system for the OOSV.

Venezuela's main oil export port of Jose and the country's four crude upgraders have been unable to resume operations following a massive power blackout on Monday, according to industry workers and a union leader close to the facilities.The most recent oil shipment for export, on the carrier Dragon chartered by Russia's Rosneft, left Jose, which is owned by state-run PDVSA, on March 24, according to Refinitiv Eikon vessel-tracking data and PDVSA's trade documents."There is no electricity, everything is paralyzed," oil workers' union leader Jose Bodas told Reuters on Tuesday.The blackout, Venezuela's second major power outage in a month…

The ethics watchdog for Norway's $1-trillion wealth fund will focus this year on shipbreaking on India's beaches, which endangers workers and pollutes the sea and sand.The world's largest sovereign wealth fund, created from the proceeds of Norway's oil industry, operates under ethical guidelines set by parliament.The fund's Council of Ethics checks that companies the fund invests in meet these ethical standards. It set out its latest priorities in its annual report published on Wednesday.Johan H.

Italy's 5-Star Movement would be in favour of keeping the current chairman and chief economic officer of Fincantieri in their current jobs, a party source said on Monday.Fincantieri's Chairman Giampiero Massolo and CEO Giuseppe Bono come up for renewal at the annual general meeting.Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the right wing League party, also said on Monday he would back a confirmation of the two top executives, following media speculation the 5-Star wanted to replace them.(Reuters, Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte, writing by Alessia Pe, editing by Valentina Za )

The Statement of U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao issued the following statement regarding the President’s State of the Union Address. “Tonight the President issued a bipartisan call to repair and restore America’s aging infrastructure. Over the last two years, due to the President’s policies, our economy has generated historic levels of economic and job growth for Americans and widespread private sector investment. This success is enabled by America’s transportation sector, but aging and insufficient infrastructure threatens to impede future growth.

A flotilla loaded with about 7 million barrels of Venezuelan oil has formed in the Gulf of Mexico, some holding cargoes bought ahead of the latest U.S. sanctions on Venezuela and others whose buyers are weighing who to pay, according to traders, shippers and Refinitiv Eikon data.The Trump administration's move to impose sanctions last week was meant to undercut support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by targeting the Latin American nation's oil exports to the United States, the source of most of its foreign revenue.The sanctions aim to block U.S.

The Surface Navy Association will hold its 31st National Symposium January 15-17, 2019 at the Crystal City Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, Va.The symposium will feature senior Navy leaders delivering keynote remarks, focused on the theme of “Ready, Agile, Focused: Own the Fight!”Featured speakers include Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Bill Moran; Commander, Naval Surface Forces/Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Vice Adm. Richard A. Brown, USN; Director, Surface Warfare (N96) Rear Adm. Ronald A. Boxall; and Director, Expeditionary Warfare (N95) Maj. Gen.

Seismic research vessels hired by Exxon Mobil to explore for oil off Guyana's coast have not returned to the site of a December incident with Venezuela's navy, but they may in the future, Guyana's foreign minister said on Thursday.Guyana, with no history of oil production, has become the focus of intense interest since Exxon announced the discovery of over 5 billion barrels of oil and gas off its shores. That has reignited a century-old territorial dispute with neighboring Venezuela.

Vietnam's state oil firm PetroVietnam said on Friday that tension in the South China Sea will continue to weigh on its offshore operations this year.The company, formally known as Vietnam Oil and Gas Group targets to produce 12.37 million metric tonnes of crude oil this year, down 11.45 percent from last year's output, it said in a statement.Vietnam and China have been embroiled in maritime disputes in parts of the busy waterway, where China claims 90 percent of the potentially energy-rich maritime territory, which Vietnam calls the East Sea."The complicated developments in the East Sea have h

Oil production continues to be suspended at the SeaRose FPSO, about 350 kilometers east of St. John’s for the last 50 days. There’s no information on when production will resume.Production was suspended and shutdown began on November 16 after two spills -  an estimated 250,000-liter spill - following a storm.Efforts were underway to resume production after the storm when a failed flowline connector near the South White Rose Extension drill center caused oil to be spilled into the environment.According to a notification from Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB), "shutdown maintenance activities are ongoing at the SeaRose FPSO…

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Monday they plan to upgrade their speed boats in the Gulf with radar-evading stealth technology and new missile launchers as tensions rise between Tehran and Washington in the vital oil shipping route.Ending a long absence of U.S. aircraft carriers in the region, the USS John C. Stennis entered the Gulf last week, and was shadowed by the Revolutionary Guards' speed boats.There have been periodic confrontations between the Revolutionary Guards vessels and U.S. military in the Gulf, although the number of incidents has dropped in recent months."We are trying to increase the agility of the Guards' speed boats and equip them with stealth technology to facilitate their operations…