Government & Military News

The Australian Border Force (ABF) has successfully detected and interdicted 14 foreign fishing vessels, with a total of 112 crew onboard, in northern Australian waters.Operations were conducted between November 14 and 18, and the interdictions resulted in an apprehension and the seizure of catch and a variety of fishing and fishing-related equipment including:• 550 kilograms of sea cucumber (worth up to AUD$55,000)• 200 kilograms of fish (a combination of dried and fresh product)• 2…

The New Zealand Government’s plan to repeal its ban on live export by sea has been pushed back. In a statement, the Minister championing the restart of the trade, Andrew Hoggard, himself a farmer who has never exported his animals, confirmed a delay to the process and said he is committed to developing the highest standards of animal welfare. Hoggard says the discussion document on live export that he promised to make public before September won’t be coming out until next year.A ban was implemented by the previous government after the Gulf Livestock 1 capsized in 2020 leaving 41 crew and 6…

The Danish military said on Wednesday that it was staying close to a Chinese ship currently sitting idle in Danish waters, days after two fibre-optic data telecommunication cables in the Baltic Sea were severed.Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3 was anchored in the Kattegat strait between Denmark and Sweden on Wednesday, with a Danish navy patrol ship at anchor nearby, MarineTraffic vessel tracking data showed."The Danish Defence can confirm that we are present in the area near the Chinese ship Yi Peng 3…

Maritime entrepreneur is a long-time advocate for diversity and inclusion in the shipping industry. Ms. Karin Orsel, co-founder and CEO of the MF Shipping Group based in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, has been selected to receive the 2025 IMO Gender Equality Award. The Award is bestowed on individuals who have made significant contributions to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women in the maritime sector. The IMO Council endorsed Ms. Orsel as next year's recipient during its 133rd session held in London from 18 to 22 November 2024.

MSE International has won funding from TRIG 2024 to lead a new project, PRIMET; Port Recharging Infrastructure for Maritime Energy Transition.The project will accelerate the roll-out of port and harbor infrastructure needed to support the rapid expansion in vessel recharging and shore-powering facilities which are essential to realize the government’s Clean Maritime Plan. PRIMET will develop outline solutions for supplying energy to shore power/recharging facilities in three ports/harbors using in-port flow batteries to reduce the peak grid load and optimize utilization of in-port renewable energy, thereby strengthening the case for investment.

Swedish and U.S. Marines gathered in Sweden’s rocky coastal archipelago to improve their littoral warfighting skills and enhance interoperability during Exercise Archipelago Endeavor 2024 (AE 24).“This is an annual exercise between Sweden and U.S., and it is the seventh time we conducted  it, but it's the first time that we conducting the exercise as an ally. Before that, we have conducted the exercise as a partner,” said Lt. Col. Patrik Berge of the Stockholm Marine Regiment…

The Argentine government will call for a national and international public tender to privatize its stretch of the Paraguay-Parana waterway through a 30-year concession, cabinet chief Guillermo Francos said on Tuesday.The waterway, a natural river corridor that extends through the Parana and Paraguay rivers, is a key transport route to the sea from inland areas of Paraguay, Bolivia and southern Brazil.Argentina uses the 3,400 km-long (2,100 mile-long) waterway to move nearly 80% its foreign trade, including its massive farm exports such as processed soybeans, corn and wheat.Francos said the con

Australia will partner with India to boost investment in renewable energy, including solar manufacturing, battery and mineral processing, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a meeting with his Indian counterpart on the G20 sidelines.Australia and India will also look to enhance defense and maritime security cooperation, Albanese said in a meeting with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday.The two countries, along with the United States and Japan, are members of the Quad, which has sought to balance China's rising military and economic clout in the Indo Pacific r

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that he is nominating former Wisconsin Representative and Fox Business News host Sean Duffy to be transportation secretary.If confirmed, Duffy will oversee aviation, automotive, rail, transit and other transportation policies at the department with about a $110 billion budget as well as significant funding that remains under the Biden administration's 2021 $1 trillion infrastructure law and EV charging stations."I’m eager to help you usher in a new golden age of transportation," Duffy wrote on social media.Trump has vowed to reverse the Biden administration's vehicle emissions rules. He…

The COP29 climate talks in Azerbaijan aim to agree an annual finance target of $1 trillion or more a year to help poorer countries respond to global warming. Some see new taxes as one way to get there. The Global Solidarity Levies Task Force (GSLT), led by France, Barbados and Kenya, is exploring the issue. Below are excerpts from its latest report on the options being discussed -- as it pertains to shipping and fossil fuels -- and estimates about how much could be raised.SHIPPINGThe levy that could be closest to being agreed is for shipping…

HII, America’s largest military shipbuilder and provider of all-domain defense solutions, is celebrating National Apprenticeship Week from Nov. 17-23, honoring the essential role of apprenticeships in workforce development and skills training.National Apprenticeship Week is a nationwide celebration established by the U.S. Department of Labor to showcase and promote high-quality and in-demand career pathway opportunities through registered apprenticeship programs. With apprenticeship programs offered at each of HII’s three divisions…

Bethann Rooney, Port Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, has been named the 2025 Person of the Year by the New York/New Jersey Foreign Freight Forwarders and Brokers Association (NYNJFFFBA). She will receive the award at the association’s 107th Annual Dinner Gala, scheduled for February 6, 2025, at the Marriott Marquis in New York City.The NYNJFFFBA’s Person of the Year Award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the global trade, logistics, and transportation industries. Ms.

Port of Albany-Rensselaer CEO Richard J. Hendrick was unanimously elected Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) at its Annual Convention in Boston. AAPA is the trade association for 140 seaports in the western hemisphere.“It’s no surprise that Rich’s Port Executive colleagues elevated him to the Vice Chair position on AAPA’s Board” said Cary S. Davis, AAPA President and CEO. “Rich is a skilled leader and a tireless advocate for our nation’s maritime gateways and his home port of Albany.

The damaging of two undersea telecoms cables in the Baltic Sea should be presumed to be sabotage, Germany said on Tuesday, while Lithuania's armed forces boosted surveillance of its waters in response."No one believes that these cables were cut accidentally. I also don't want to believe in versions that these were ship anchors that accidentally caused the damage," German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said before a meeting with EU colleagues in Brussels.Two fibre-optic cables - one linking Finland and Germany…

Anyone who knows Aaron Smith, president and CEO of OMSA, knows that he is passionately focused on the U.S. maritime industry and staunchly defending the U.S. Jones Act fleet and mariners. We caught with Smith on the sidelines of the Workboat Show in New Orleans last week. Highlights of the conversation are below – including an update on the American Offshore Worker Fairness Act – the full interview can be seen on Maritime Reporter TV.Let’s talk a bit about the offshore energy industry today.

New EU and British sanctions are based on false claims of missile transfers to Russia and are "unjustified", Iran Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday.Brussels on Monday added the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and its director to its list of sanctions on Iran, which it said were a consequence of Tehran's support of Russia in its war with Ukraine.On the same day, Britain imposed sanctions against Iran's national airline and shipping carrier, measures it said were taken in response to Iran's transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia."Iran considers the i

Two undersea fibre-optic communications cables in the Baltic Sea, including one linking Finland and Germany, were severed, raising suspicions of sabotage by bad actors, countries and companies involved said on Monday.The episode recalled other incidents in the same waterway that authorities have probed as potentially malicious including damage to a gas pipeline and undersea cables last year and the 2022 explosions of the Nord Sea gas pipelines.The 1,200-kilometre (745-mile) cable connecting Helsinki to the German port of Rostock stopped working around 0200 GMT on Monday…

Preliminary fiscal year-end figures show Port Everglades enjoying healthy increases in cruise, cargo and petroleum volumes resulting in record revenues."Port Everglades is one of Broward County's vital economic engines, which supports more than 11,000 local jobs. That is a direct result of the success of the amazing leadership at Port Everglades and diverse array of companies served by our port," said Broward County Mayor Nan Rich.Port Everglades is a self-supporting enterprise fund of Broward County government and does not use local property taxes to operate.

Michael A. Thomas outlines plan to Deliver Louisiana’s Future in competitive global trade market and complex geopolitical landscape. During the 36th annual event in partnership with the International Freight Forwarders and Customs Brokers Association of New Orleans (IFFCBANO), Michael A. Thomas, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners for the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) and of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Commission, gave the 2024 State of the Port Address, “Delivering Louisiana’s Future -Together,” to nearly 250 community, business and elected leaders.

TBS Safety, with Wombat Safety Software this week announced new safety and compliance management technology to industrial and maritime businesses.Through this partnership, TBS Safety will serve as an official reseller of Wombat, delivering a digital solution that complies with OSHA standards and regulations, streamlines safety operations, and ultimately enhances workplace safety. The new software combines to offer a simple to use digital platform where companies can access compliance training…

With highly productive port service and expanding rail capabilities, South Carolina Ports looks to speed goods to market and support growth in the Southeast.SC Ports has three big-ship capable terminals and a total of 10 million TEUs on the horizon; the deepest harbor on the U.S. East Coast at 52 feet; two rail-served inland ports; and a near-port rail yard under construction.Construction is progressing on the Navy Base Intermodal Facility, which will significantly expand rail capabilities and capacity at the Port of Charleston.

A vessel 60 nautical miles southeast of Yemen's Aden reported on Monday a missile splashing into the sea in its close proximity, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.UKMTO added that the vessel and its crew were safe. The same vessel was passing through the Red Sea 25 nautical miles west of Yemen's Mokha on Sunday when it reported a missile splashing into the sea nearby, UKMTO said.Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militants have been attacking commercial shipping in the Red Sea for more than a year to try to enforce a naval blockade on Israel…

The European Union has widened its sanctions against Iran over Tehran's support of Russia in its war with Ukraine, the European Commission said on Monday.The Commission said it had added the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and its director Mohammad Reza Khiabani, among others, to its sanctions list.The fresh sanctions are against vessels and ports used for transporting Iranian-made Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), missiles and related technologies and components.

There’s plenty to go around for everyone, no matter it comes from.I will admit that attending the 2024 Workboat Show in the Big Easy just ten days after settling into the MarineNews Editor’s chair (for this, the second time around) had my full attention. The event typically evokes the specter of drinking from the proverbial fire hose in routine times, but attending and digesting all it has to offer, right out of the gate, makes the task just little bit edgier. Ultimately, last week’s trade show exuded terrific energy, from exhibitors to attendees alike.

Japanese troops will begin regular deployments in northern Australia as part of military cooperation with Australia and the U.S., Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Sunday.Around 2,000 U.S. Marines are already hosted in Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory, for six months of the year amid growing concern among Washington and its allies about China's growing military power in the Indo Pacific region."Today we are announcing that there will be regular deployments of Japan's amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade to Australia…

Nigeria and India on Sunday agreed to deepen collaboration in maritime security, intelligence and counter-terrorism during a state visit to the West African country by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Modi is the first Indian premier to visit Nigeria in 17 years after an invitation by President Bola Tinubu, who is seeking investments from some of the world's biggest economies.Modi arrived in the capital Abuja on Saturday night and met Tinubu at the presidential villa on Sunday where the two leaders also discussed economic development, defence, healthcare and food security, a joint statement

U.S., Japanese and South Korean naval forces exercised together in East Asian waters on Thursday in their most complex and final joint drills before President Joe Biden hands over one of his signature national security initiatives to Donald Trump.Led by the USS George Washington carrier and its jet fighters, the Freedom Edge naval exercise in waters south of the Korean peninsula and west of Japan's main islands comes after a pact brokered by Biden in 2023 in which Seoul and Tokyo…

The Philippines' foreign ministry said on Wednesday it summoned China's ambassador to protest Beijing's drawing of baselines around the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea."The said baselines infringe upon Philippine sovereignty and contravene international law," the ministry said in a statement.The move follows China's definition on Sunday of the baseline for "territorial waters" around the shoal, which Beijing claims as Huangyan Island. The shoal is a key point of contention over sovereignty and fishing rights.In response…

U.S. warships shot down drones and missiles fired by Yemen's Houthis while they were transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.Earlier on Tuesday, the Houthis said they conducted two military operations against U.S. naval vessels in the Red and Arabian seas which the group's military spokesperson said lasted for eight hours.Pentagon spokesperson Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder said that on Monday two U.S. warships were attacked by at least eight drones, five anti-ship ballistic missiles and three anti-ship cruise missiles.

China is stepping up pressure on the Philippines to concede its sovereign rights in the South China Sea, Manila's Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Tuesday after meeting his Australian counterpart in Canberra.The fifth such meeting since August 2023 reflects growing security ties between the countries, which have both voiced concern about Chinese activity in areas of the busy waterway claimed by the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations."What we see is an increasing demand by Beijing for us to concede our sovereign rights in the area…

Schottel has been selected by Birdon America to supply components to 27 vessels of the U.S. Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) program.For this program, U.S. Coast Guard prime contractor Birdon America is designing the cutters and is expected to construct 16 River Buoy Tenders (WLR) and 11 Inland Construction Tenders (WLIC).The cutters will be built at Birdon’s recently acquired Bayou La Batre shipyard in Alabama. Up to four cutters are expected to be delivered annually over the course of the next eight years…

A Russian Navy frigate equipped with new generation hypersonic cruise missiles has conducted drills in the English Channel and is carrying out tasks in the Atlantic Ocean, Russian news agencies reported on Tuesday.The crew of the frigate, equipped with Zircon (Tsirkon) hypersonic anti-ship missiles, conducted counter-terrorism drills, repelling air and sea drone attacks of a mock enemy, Russian state agencies reported."The Northern Fleet frigate Admiral Golovko has completed its…

Russian and Indonesian ships practiced freeing a vessel captured by terrorists and fought unmanned boats during the first joint naval exercises between the two countries in the Java Sea, Russia's RIA state news agency reported on Monday.The joint exercise, which started last week, came as newly inaugurated Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto pledged closer ties with Russia on defence, in a bid to forge links with any country as part of Jakarta's long-held non-aligned foreign policy.The crews of the joint detachment of ships practiced manoeuvring and communication…

On November 10, Vice Admiral Angus Topshee, the 38th Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, visited Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje shipyard and discussed Canada’s upcoming submarine acquisition project.This visit marks a significant step in the bidding process for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), in which Hanwha Ocean is actively participating.During the visit, Hanwha Ocean introduced the KSS-III Batch-II submarine, a model that the proposed KSS-III CPS for CPSP is based upon.

Fire broke out on a Japanese warship sailing near the western part of the country, causing one crew member to be hospitalized due to smoke inhalation, while another was missing, Japan's navy said on Sunday.The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) said the minesweeper Ukushima was sailing off the coast north of Fukuoka in the island of Kyushu when the fire occurred at around 9:40 a.m. local time (0040 GMT).Admiral Akira Saito later said firefighting efforts were ongoing as of 8:30 p.m.

The Panama Canal Authority could double in coming years the number of containers that move through the key East-West commercial waterway, the canal's chief told a maritime conference on Friday.A cargo-consolidation plan will seek to increase container volumes by assigning them to larger vessels, chief Ricaurte Vazquez told Houston maritime conference listeners. The authority also has granted shipping companies the ability to book future passages under a new auction of long-term reservation slots.But he warned that U.S.

British maritime agency says vessel approached by armed small craft near Yemen.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said on Friday that a vessel was approached by a small craft on Thursday carrying armed personnel that came within three cables of the vessel.The incident was part of a larger sighting where the vessel observed nine to fifteen small craft in the area, approximately 53 nautical miles southwest of Aden, Yemen, the agency said.All crew members aboard the vessel were safe and the ship continued to its next port of call, it added.

China summoned the Philippines' ambassador on Friday to express its objection to two new laws in the Southeast Asian nation asserting maritime rights and sovereignty over disputed areas of the South China Sea, its foreign ministry said.China made "solemn representations" to the ambassador shortly after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr signed the Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act into law to strengthen his country's maritime claims and bolster its territorial…

Taiwan's coast guard said on Friday it would offer rewards worth thousands of dollars for spotting Chinese activity at sea, including warships or submarines, saying it was harnessing "people power" to boost its own limited workforce.Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained for the past five years of stepped up Chinese military activity, and the Taiwanese coast guard has increasingly been involved in patrolling sea areas.China's coast guard's involvement in these activities has grown, which Taiwan officials say is part of a "grey zone" strategy that stops short of war and

Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez will lead IMO’s delegation to the annual UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29) to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11 to 22, 2024.The 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will bring together world leaders along with an estimated 40,000 delegates representing governments, civil society and the private sector for discussions on how to address climate change.In line with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change under the UNFCCC…

In response to recent media reports regarding a Seaman’s Book allegedly found with a Lebanese national naval officer, the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) has issued a statement clarifying the following:“The individual mentioned holds a Seaman’s Book issued by the Republic of Panama, with an endorsement - meaning official recognition of the title - which was requested at our international offices in 2022. At that time, the individual was not listed by the United Nations as a terrorist…

Silverback Marine has been awarded a multimillion-dollar DoD contract for its new OX series truckable tractor tug.Designed in collaboration with Elliot Bay Design Group of Seattle, Silverback Marine partnered with Darley Defense to secure the contract. Thespecific department of the DoD will remain anonymous until the first vessel is delivered, scheduled for late 2025.For illustrative purposes, Silverback Marine received permission from industry friends including Tradewinds Towing…

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.

Federal regulators on Wednesday gave Venture Global LNG permission to introduce natural gas into its Plaquemines export plant in Louisiana, documents show, moving the plant a step closer to producing the superchilled gas.The 20 million metric tons per annum (MTPA) Plaquemines LNG plant will be the second-largest U.S. export facility when fully operational. It and other projects due to start next year will help the United States retain its position as the world's largest exporter of the gas.Its commercial startup will make Venture Global the second-largest U.S.

The French government has selected winning proposals for a hydrogen import terminal, a renewable fuels facility and a lithium production factory to be built at the state-run port of Le Havre as part of an effort to attract industrial investment, the finance ministry said on Thursday.The land around the port was labelled a turnkey investment site under the 30 billion euro "France 2030" plan, allowing Haropa Port — the public entity that manages the ports of Rouen, Le Havre and Paris — to launch a tender for green projects.The three winners will benefit from accelerated approval procedures…

The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday extended a license protecting Venezuela-owned Citgo Petroleum from bondholders to March 2025, a key decision amid a seven-year-long legal case in which the refiner's parent might be auctioned to pay creditors.Citgo's parent, PDV Holding, was found liable by the court for Venezuela's debts from asset expropriations and debt defaults. The case has opened a route for creditors to fight for a piece of Venezuela's crown jewel - Citgo's 807,000…

The Philippines expects U.S. policy in the Indo-Pacific and support for its treaty ally amid South China Sea tensions to remain steady under Donald Trump, driven by bipartisan resolve in Washington, its ambassador to the U.S. said on Thursday.Both Democrats and Republicans prioritize countering China’s influence, including in the South China Sea, Jose Manuel Romualdez said, suggesting that military cooperation, economic ties and security commitments with the Philippines will continue."It is in their interest that the Indo-Pacific region remains free…

The U.S. Navy’s Fleet Weather Centers are piloting Sofar’s Wayfinder platform and data from its global network of ocean sensors to advance the Navy’s capability to ensure safe and efficient ship routing for the U.S. Fleet.Sofar Ocean announced the partnership with the U.S. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command’s (CNMOC) Fleet Weather Centers in Norfolk (FWC-N) and San Diego (FWC-SD).FWC-N and FWC-SD, the Navy’s two primary weather forecasting centers, are piloting Sofar’s Wayfinder platform to support the routing of naval vessels at sea.

Babcock has awarded the recycling contract to KDC Veolia Decommissioning Services UK (KDCV) as part of U.K.’s demonstrator project to fully dismantle a nuclear-powered submarine Swiftsure.Babcock is working with the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE) and KDCV on the demonstrator dismantling project, applying a new and innovative methodology which will enable around 90% of the structure and components to be reused or recycled.This includes the pressure hull around the reactor compartment…

The Port of Los Angeles handled a record 954,706 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in September, a 27% increase over the previous year. It marked the close of the busiest quarter ever at the Port, which processed 2,854,904 TEUs in the last three months. Nine months into 2024, the Port of Los Angeles is 18% ahead of its 2023 pace. “Just as impressive as these new records is the fact that we managed all this cargo with skill and efficiency,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka.

As the Military Sealift Command (MSC) celebrates its 75th anniversary, it is looking to the future through the eyes of a forward-thinking “innovation cell” named for a ship from its storied past. USNS Taluga (T-AO-62) was the first Navy replenishment ship that was operated by civil service mariners.The Taluga Group is a three-person team of Director John Bruening, Dean Vesely and Jerit VanAuker who are focused on capability development and adoption of innovative practices.The Tulaga Group team have diverse backgrounds to help them look at problems in different ways.

Panama's Maritime Authority said on Wednesday it has begun a process to cancel flags on four LNG vessels sanctioned by the United States over their links with Russian gas producer Novatek.The vessels North Air, North Mountain, North Way and North Sky, which have been operating under Panama's flag, had previously been identified as part of Russia's dark tanker fleet, according to media reports quoted by the authority.

Former President Donald Trump's return to the White House could mean tougher enforcement of U.S. oil sanctions against Iran, potentially trimming global supplies, but his administration could struggle to get China, Iran's top crude customer, to cooperate, analysts said.Cracking down on OPEC-member Iran would support global oil prices, but the effect could also be offset by other Trump policies, from measures to expand domestic drilling, the imposition of tariffs on China that could depress economic activity…

Project will integrate electric assets, charging infrastructure and solar power equipment. Gateway Terminal in New Haven, CT, an Enstructure company, will receive funding to purchase and install electric equipment through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Ports Program. The grant allocation includes $34,000,000 to purchase electric gantry cranes, material handlers and yard trucks, replace current diesel assets, and install solar panels as part of Enstructure’s progress towards zero emissions targets.

Palfinger Marine, an Austrian manufacturer of hydraulic lifting, loading, and handling systems for marine applications, been selected to supply its Polar Class lifeboats and davits package for the first fleet of ships in the Canadian Coast Guard’s Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV) renewal program.The contract covers the delivery of equipment for the first six of up to 16 vessels.The collaboration further extends Palfinger Marine’s long-standing partnership with Seaspan and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG).

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 US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has opened a 15-day comment period for members of the public to comment in response to a newly filed vessel sharing agreement between Ocean Network Express (ONE), Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) and Yang Ming Marine Transportation (Yang Ming).ONE, HMM and Yang Ming are parties to THE Alliance Agreement (No. 012439) that is currently in effect.The five-year agreement, titled the Premier Alliance Agreement, authorizes the three ocean common carriers to share vessels…

Suez Canal Chairman Gamal El-Dein says Canal Economic Zone set for rapid expansion.Egypt's Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCEZ) has invested $3 billion on infrastructure over the past few years and has plans to invest a similar amount over the next few years as it works to attract investors, its chairman said in an interview.The zone, a collection of six ports and four industrial areas alongside, or near the waterway, has been given special legal and tax advantages to benefit from the vast amount of international shipping passing by.While government-run…

The British Columbia ports labor dispute continued on Tuesday, impacting exports at Canada's biggest port in Vancouver with no sign of negotiating progress.International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 foremen began limited strike actions on Monday at 8:00 a.m. Pacific time (16:00 GMT) and their employer, the B.C. Maritime Employers Association, locked out workers at 4:30 p.m.Industries and provincial governments across Canada are alarmed by the dispute, which is occurring at the same time as a partial strike is blocking 40 percent of container traffic of the Port of Montreal…

MarineNews Editor Joseph Keefe weighs in with a look at the previous five years on the waterfront. It’s not what you think.You might be aware that I stepped away for a moment in late December 2019. The five years that followed, whizzed right by – well, all but that miserable part of being virtually locked in my house for six months during “the Pandemic.” Enough said. Now back in the Editor’s chair here at MarineNews magazine, it is apparent that while some things on the collective waterfront have changed…

U.S. authorities have arrested a Turkish man who they allege was trying to violate sanctions by transporting oil from Venezuela, the Justice Department said on Monday.The U.S. reimposed sanctions on the Venezuelan oil company PDVSA in June after what it said was the failure of President Nicolas Maduro to return to talks with the political opposition and commit to fair elections.In a statement, the Justice Department said 37-year-old Taskin Torlak had "allegedly conspired to illegally sell Venezuelan oil…

Final Rule is Effective Today, 5 November.Today, November 5, 2024, the Department of Transportation (DOT) published a final rule in the Federal Register to provide temporary qualification requirements for mock oral fluid monitors, provide for consistent requirements by identifying which individuals may be present during an oral fluid collection, and clarify how collectors are to document that a sufficient volume of oral fluid was collected.  To learn more about this final rule, view the rule at https://www.transportation.gov/odapc/frpubs.

Orsted CEO assures Sweden that the offshore wind industry has solutions that would address defense concerns. At issue: Sweden's rejection of a proposed 13 offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea.Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said on Monday that building wind farms in the Baltic Sea would pose defense risks, by making it harder to detect and shoot down missiles. As Europe turns to renewable sources to diversify energy supplies away from Russian oil and gas, concerns have also…

The Philippines will acquire 40 fast patrol craft for its coast guard to boost its maritime security, the economic planning agency said on Tuesday.The purchase, to be funded by official development assistance from the French government, was approved by the National Economic and Development Authority Board, chaired by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.(Reuters - Reporting by Mikhail Flores and Karen Lema; Editing by Martin Petty)

The regulatory landscape is about to get a whole lot more complicated, with the advent of FuelEU Maritime from January 1, 2025. This ambitious framework, focusing on the ‘well-to-wake’ GHG intensity of vessels trading within Europe, laughs in the face of traditional methods of calculating and tracking emissions, making Excel sheets strictly yesterday’s news. However, argues NAVTOR’s Director of Performance Jacob Clausen, there may be a simple way to voyage to compliance.The easy way to achieve FuelEU Maritime compliance for your fleet is simple.

EDGE and Fincantieri have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the design, development, and creation of advanced manned and unmanned underwater systems solution capability through their recently launched UAE-based shipbuilding joint venture MAESTRAL.The preliminary agreement will pave the way and boost for developing sophisticated solutions tailored to the unique underwater needs of navies worldwide.The collaboration marks EDGE’s first venture into underwater domain…

China has granted visa-free entry for Danish citizens.The move was announced earlier this year when Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen met with his Chinese colleague Wang Yi during the UN General Assembly in New York.From November 8, 2024 to December 31, 2025, Danish passport holders can travel visa-free to China for up to 15 days for business trips, tourist visits, family visits or transit.China is Danish shipping's largest market, so visa freedom is a great help, making trade and travel easier for the Danish shipping companies…

General Dynamics Mission Systems has been awarded a $15.9 million contract by the U.S. Navy to develop its Mining Expendable Delivery Unmanned Submarine Asset (MEDUSA) system.MEDUSA is a tactical, clandestine mining system using an expendable Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) that can be launched from a submarine torpedo tube. The U.S. Navy is developing MEDUSA to address the need for an advanced maritime mining system with long-range offensive mining capabilities.The scope of the newly awarded research and development effort includes the design…

Eureka Naval Craft is introducing its suite of high-speed AIRCAT (air cushion catamarans) surface effect ships (SES), already in use with the offshore energy industry, to the defense market.According to Bo Jardine, CEO of Eureka Naval Craft, a newly formed U.S.-based naval defense company, the versatile suite of AIRCAT naval vessels can serve as a patrol craft, rescue craft, medical evacuation vessels, heavily armed small combatants and landing craft.The AIRCAT SES has both an air cushion…

The BC Maritime Employers Association said it would lock out workers on Monday at Canada's Port of Vancouver after a negotiating deadline passed, potentially disrupting exports of coal, potash and beef.The association, which includes private-sector waterfront employers, said it would lock out foremen and other members of International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 at the country's largest port starting at 4:30 Pacific time (0030 GMT). A 13-day strike last year disrupted…

The Egyptian Navy has chosen Safran to outfit is new patrol vesssels, being built in Egypt at Alexandria Shipyard, with advanced optronic and navigation systems.

Yemen's Houthis said on Sunday they would maintain their maritime blockade against Israeli vessels in response to "intelligence information" regarding Israeli shipping companies selling their assets to other companies.The Iran-aligned Houthis claim to be intensifying their attacks to support Hamas and Hezbollah in their resistance against Israeli actions in the region. "Intelligence information confirms that many companies operating in maritime shipping affiliated to the Israeli…

Naval forces of Indonesia and Russia began their first joint military training drills in the Java Sea on Monday, the Indonesian navy said, which analysts say shows the Southeast Asian country's willingness to befriend any country.The joint exercise comes as Indonesia's newly-inaugurated President Prabowo Subianto has pledged closer ties with Russia on defence, in his bid to forge ties with any country as part of his country's long-held non-alignment foreign policy.The drills will take place in the Java Sea near Indonesia's Surabaya city, east of the capital Jakarta, from Nov.

St. Johns Ship Building this week announced a deal with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to construct two (2) 140' x 32' x 7' Stop Log Barges. The contract is St. Johns Ship Building’s first new construction project for the U.S. Government.“The new Stop-Log Barges will support the Army Corps’ major maintenance fleet working on the navigation system, locks and powerhouses, and the flood control lakes located within the Tulsa District,” according to a USACE statement.St.

Unionized workers started an unlimited strike at two terminals of the port of Montreal on Thursday amid stalled talks on a new labor contract, the employers' association said. The strike affects two terminals operated by Termont, which handle about 40% of the port's container traffic and roughly 15% of the port's overall cargo volume. Separately, Port of Vancouver foremen will be locked out on Monday unless they scrap a proposed strike, employers at Canada's biggest port said on Friday…

Fincantieri is open to all types of collaboration with the warship division of conglomerate Thyssenkrupp, but it is up to Germany to decide on a strategy for the unit, the CEO of the Italian shipbuilder said this week."Now is time for German institutions to understand what the best strategy is to give more value and strengthen (Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems).

Finland's Coast Guard said it has detected constant disturbances to satellite navigation signals in the Baltic Sea since April and in recent weeks has seen tankers spoofing their location data to cover up visits to Russia.Last week, Finland's interior minister Lulu Ranne said Finland believes Russia is behind disturbances detected in Finland and the Baltic Sea region in the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Global Positioning System (GPS) signals used in navigation.The Coast Guard said the GNSS jamming…

Vietnam has protested against China's alleged detention of Vietnamese fishermen and fishing vessels in the contested Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.Vietnam urged China to "immediately release the fishermen and fishing vessels that were illegally detained", the spokesperson told reporters in a regular press conference, without specifying how many people had been detained or when they had been detained.There was no immediate response from the Chinese foreign ministry to Reuters' questions about the incident.(Reuters)

Emergency services suppressed a huge blaze that broke out in the early hours at a BAE Systems shipyard yesterday in north west England that builds Britain's nuclear submarines.Earlier in the day pictures online showed what looked like flames and black smoke emerging from the top of the vast Devonshire Dock Hall building. Police said there was no nuclear risk.BAE Systems, Britain's biggest defence company, later said that while the affected area was only accessible for essential personnel…

Huntington Ingalls Industries on Thursday cut its 2024 shipbuilding revenue due to uncertainty in navy agreements, supply chain issues and labor shortages, sending its shares down roughly 7% premarket.The company forecasts shipbuilding revenue, which is the focus of two of its three divisions, will likely be near the lower end of its previously projected range of $8.8 billion to $9.1 billion.Huntington had expected to reach an agreement with the U.S. Navy for Virginia-class Block V and Block VI and Columbia-class submarines in the second half of 2024.However…

BAE Systems won a contract by General Dynamics Electric Boat for deck module fabrication in support of U.S. Navy submarine programs. The contract between the companies will cover the production and shipment of structural steel components for both Columbia- and Virginia-class submarines from BAE Systems’ facility in Jacksonville, Florida.BAE Systems currently provides support to the U.S. Navy Submarine Industrial Base through various business operations, particularly the company’s Louisville, Kentucky facility.

China's Ministry of State Security said on Tuesday that it had retrieved spying devices both on the ocean surface and in the depths of the sea, including underwater "lighthouses" that could guide the transit of foreign submarines.The ministry said it had uncovered devices that had been hidden on the ocean floor and were sending back information that could "pre-set the field for battle," in an article on its official WeChat account, China's most popular social media app.Recent…

The Paris MoU has raised concerns about fire safety, specifically fire doors, after the results of two previous concentrated inspection campaigns found a high level of non-compliance.The results of a concentrated inspection campaign on Fire Safety held from September 1 to November 30, 2023 were shared with the industry. Overall, compliance appeared to be satisfactory, however the result was less favorable on two specific topics; good working condition of fire doors (9.3% non-compliance) and fire drills (9.2% non-compliance).In the press release issued at the time…

**Austal USA Breaks Ground on New Submarine Module Facility in Mobile, Alabama**Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA announced the commencement of construction on a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility dedicated to submarine modules, known as MMF3. Set to be operational by late 2026, this new building will significantly enhance the company’s capacity to support the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base (SIB).The facility will span 369,600 square feet and is specifically designed for the manufacturing of submarine modules.

Nine Indonesian nationals who pleaded guilty to illegally fishing in Australian waters at Darwin Local Court have had their vessel destroyed.On September 19, 2024, Australian authorities apprehended the them as they fished illegally for sea cucumber in the vicinity of Augustus Island, Western Australia.Authorities seized 350 kilograms of sea cucumber worth up to approximately A$30,000 ($20,000 or more than 300 million Indonesian Rupiah) along with 175 kilograms of salt (used for preserving catch) and a large quantity of fishing equipment.

German shipbuilder Luerssen and defence group Rheinmetall RHMG.DE could emerge as potential suitors for the warship division of conglomerate Thyssenkrupp TKAG.DE, two people familiar with the matter said.It comes a day after news that private equity firm CarlyleCG.O had dropped out of the process for Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), in what was a blow to Thyssenkrupp's ongoing restructuring and had weighed on shares.Rheinmetall and Luerssen declined comment.Thyssenkrupp referred to comments made on Tuesday, when it said it would intensify efforts to find a standalone solution for TKMS, incl

BAE Systems announced it late September it has received a $177.8 million contract from the U.S. Navy for the maintenance and modernization of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97). The total value of the previously awarded undefinitized contract award could reach $225.5 million if all options are exercised.Under the Depot Maintenance Period (DMP) contract, BAE Systems’ San Diego shipyard will dry-dock the 509.5-foot-long ship, perform underwater hull preservation work…

Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson will remain in detention in Greenland where he has been held since July while Denmark decides whether to extradite him to Japan, local police said on Wednesday.U.S.-Canadian Watson, 73, founder of the Sea Shepherd conservationist group and of the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, was apprehended by police in the Danish autonomous region when his ship docked at the port of Nuuk on July 21."We continue to fight for the case to be concluded," his lawyer Jonas Christoffersen told Reuters…

The divers with Code 760, Regional Dive Locker at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility took delivery of a new purpose-built dive boat in May.The new boat replaces an Explosive Ordnance Disposal support boat built in 1991 that PSNS & IMF acquired in 2007.According to Mike Richardson, Diving Operations manager, Code 760, the new boat will help the divers accomplish their mission more effectively and comfortably.“The new boat is a purpose-built dive boat with a Marine Knuckle Boom crane,” said Richardson.

Canadian Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon said on Tuesday his proposal to appoint a mediator to help settle a dispute at the port of Montreal had been rejected.MacKinnon made the offer last week in a bid to resolve a standoff between the Maritime Employers Association and Montreal Longshoremen's union over a new contract.

Germany inaugurated on Monday a new multinational naval headquarters for the Baltic Sea capable of leading operations for NATO during a conflict, as the military alliance increases focus on the area amid rising tensions with Russia."Our message to our partners and to those who threaten our peace is simple: Germany stands firmly by its commitments," Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said according to a draft of his speech at a ceremony at the country's naval command in the coastal city of Rostock…

Private equity firm Carlyle has dropped out of a bidding process for the warship division of stricken conglomerate Thyssenkrupp, the German company said on Tuesday.Carlyle's withdrawal as a suitor for Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) is a major blow to Thyssenkrupp's restructuring, which also includes plans for a 50:50 steel joint venture with Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky."We can confirm that the investment company Carlyle Group has informed us that it is withdrawing from the bidding process for the investment in Thyssenkrupp's marine division," Thyssenkrupp said in a response to email

In 2023, the Ministry of Defence of the UK awarded Team Resolute (Navantia UK, Harland & Wolff and BMT) the contract to deliver three Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The first major project milestone, the preliminary design review, has now been completed. The review confirmed the robustness and maturity of the vessel design and leads on to the detailed design. Construction is expected to commence next year.The main task of the advanced FSS ships will be the underway replenishment of dry stores for Royal Navy vessels.

Russia's Black Sea Fleet has been forced to move many warships from the naval base of Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsular, which Russia annexed in 2014, due to attacks by Ukraine, a Russian-installed official was quoted as saying on Sunday.The remarks by Dmitry Rogozin, a Russian-installed senator for the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia region and a former head of Russia's space agency, are the first Russian official confirmation that the fleet has had to move from Sevastopol.Ukraine…

A U.S. and a Canadian warship sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait together on Sunday, less than a week after China conducted a new round of war games around the island, with Beijing denouncing the mission as "disruptive".The U.S. navy, occasionally accompanied by ships from allied countries, transits the strait around once a month. China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, also says the strategic waterway belongs to it.The U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet said on Monday that…

Five people were rescued from a tug that lost steering in heavy seas off the coast of La Push, Wash., Friday afternoon.At 4:10 p.m., the 130-foot commercial tug Luther lost steering and was beset by weather while towing a concrete barge 10 miles off the coast of La Push and requested assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard. On scene weather conditions were 10- to 14-foot seas and winds of 45-knots.A 47-foot Motor Lifeboat (MLB) crew from Coast Guard Station Quillayute River, an MH-60 Jayhawk crew from Coast Guard Air Station Astoria…

The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) has introduced a legal mechanism enabling the immediate revocation of registration and navigation licenses for vessels in the national merchant fleet that appear on international sanctions lists. Additionally, any other navigation documents issued by the PMA will also be invalidated.On October 18, 2024, Executive Decree No. 512 was published in the Official Gazette, outlining the cancellation of vessels or registered owners listed in the following:• Sanctions Lists issued by the U.S.

Russia's Black Sea Fleet has been forced to move many warships from the naval base of Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsular, which Russia annexed in 2014, due to attacks by Ukraine, a Russian-installed official was quoted as saying on Sunday.The remarks by Dmitry Rogozin, a Russian-installed senator for the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia region and a former head of Russia's space agency, are the first Russian official confirmation that the fleet has had to move from Sevastopol.Ukraine…

Conrad Shipyard announced it has delivered the first Yard, Repair, Berthing, Messing (YRBM) vessel to the U.S. Navy. The delivery took place at Conrad’s shipyard in Amelia, La., where the final inspection by key Navy officials took place.This YRBM vessel, the first in its class, was designed and constructed by Conrad Shipyard, featuring a new and innovative design tailored to meet the U.S. Navy’s operational needs. The vessel recently completed its acceptance trials during the…

Ukraine has asked the International Maritime Organization to send a monitoring mission to ports in the southern Odesa region amid intensified Russian attacks, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Wednesday.In recent weeks, Russian troops have ramped up missile strikes on Ukraine's southern port infrastructure and damaged a total of four foreign-flagged civilian vessels since Oct. 6."Amid increased Russian terror, Ukraine has officially appealed to the International Maritime Organization to immediately send an international monitoring mission to the ports…

A German warship operating as part of the United Nations' UNIFIL peacekeeping mission shot down a drone off the coast of Lebanon on Thursday, the German defense ministry told Reuters, as unease builds over the safety of the U.N. troops in the country.UNIFIL positions have come under fire in Lebanon since Israel launched a ground operation against Hezbollah militants on Oct. 1, raising alarm among European governments participating in the mission."The corvette brought an unidentified unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) into the water in a controlled crash…

Leidos has been awarded a follow-on contract by the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC PAC) to bolster unmanned and automated systems aimed at improving maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. Valued at approximately $248 million, the contract spans five years and underscores the growing emphasis on advanced technology in naval operations."This award enables Leidos to accelerate the technology needed to enhance ISR capabilities and harden the foundation for Navy operations," said Dave Lewis, Leidos senior vice president for sea systems.

Australia said on Wednesday it would invest billions of dollars over the next two decades to expand a shipyard in Western Australia that would become the maintenance hub for its nuclear-powered AUKUS submarine fleet.The government will make an initial investment of A$127 million ($85 million) over three years to upgrade facilities at the Henderson shipyard near Perth, Defense Minister Richard Marles said in a statement."The Defense Precinct at Henderson will optimize Australia's…