Massachusetts News

In the last decade, changing U.S. Administrations have become increasingly tumultuous, as the swings in priorities and directives have a real, material impact on business. Read on for insights on the current and future of U.S. Offshore Wind.In the weeks preceding his late January inauguration, then President-elect Donald Trump referred to wind turbines (both onshore and offshore) as “garbage in a field” and described electric power produced through offshore wind as “…the most expensive energy ever…”In the same briefing…

Operating one of the world’s largest marine fleets of any kind, it is Svitzer’s local footprint that speaks volumes for its diverse and far-flung workforce and assets. Strengthened by a multi-national team, providing value in more than three dozen countries, Svitzer stands out every day. On 30 April 2024, Svitzer was listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen (SVITZR) as a result of the previously announced separation from its former parent company, A.P. Møller - Mærsk A/S. Danish national Kasper Karlsen has been Global Chief Operating Officer of the Svitzer Group since December 2022.

Companies that once committed to investing in U.S. offshore wind infrastructure and supply chains are now scrapping their plans as the industry experiences significant challenges. These setbacks stem from project delays, soaring costs, and the potential loss of federal support under former President Donald Trump’s proposed policies.The downturn in the offshore wind sector over the past two years has led to prolonged project delays, budget overruns, and even outright failures of planned wind farms…

Patrick Murphy has been President of Blue & Gold Fleet, L.P., the San Francisco Bay Area’s largest and premier provider of Bay Cruises and ferry service, since 2016. Murphy grew up in the Maritime business. His father, Roger Murphy, founded Blue & Gold Fleet in 1979. Patrick Murphy began his career in 1982, working part-time in the Box Office and as a Deckhand before receiving his United States Coast Guard’s license in 1995 and was promoted to Captain in 1996. In 2005, Murphy advanced to Blue & Gold Fleet Operations Manager, and then to Director of Operations in 2009.

The Coast Guard rescued four people Thursday night from a fishing boat after a collision between two fishing boats occurred approximately 10 miles south of Block Island, Rhode Island. At approximately 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound received a distress call via VHF-FM channel 16 of two fishing boats colliding.Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and dispatched crews aboard a Coast Guard Station…

U.S. President Donald Trump in his first day of office on Monday suspended new federal offshore wind leasing pending an environmental and economic review, saying wind mills are ugly, expensive and harm wildlife.Former President Joe Biden supported the offshore wind industry, setting a target for 30 gigawatts (GW) of projects by 2030, up from 42 megawatts at the end of 2023, prompting many European project developers to acquire leases and plan wind farms in the United States.Trump's executive order is not expected to stop existing U.S.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today announced its approval of the Construction and Operations Plan for the SouthCoast Wind Project. This is the final approval needed for the project from BOEM following the Department of the Interior’s December 2024 Record of Decision. “We are proud to announce BOEM’s final approval of the SouthCoast Wind project, the nation’s eleventh commercial-scale offshore wind energy project, which will power more than 840,000 homes,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. "...

You just might get it.In the waning days of the Biden administration, the executive orders and such that get announced seemingly on a daily basis signal countless victories for that side of the equation. And, no matter which side of that great divide that you reside on, it is likely that some of those edicts will be quickly reversed by the incoming President. Of course, much of this is likely irreversible. No where is that more apparent than Biden's order to withdraw 625 million acres of ocean from new offshore oil and gas development.U.S.

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.

Irony: (noun) a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result. But this is anything but funny.It has been a busy news month for the nation’s fifth uniformed service; the United States Coast Guard. Of note, changes to the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment (SASH) regulations for U.S.-flagged commercial vessels entered into force on December 23, 2024. Separately, and from inside the Beltway…

Cadets Anna LaDue and Odegaard Fields from Maine Maritime Academy have been awarded the Thomas B. Crowley Sr. Memorial Scholarship. These students were selected based on their performance during the cadet training periods aboard Crowley-operated or -managed ships and their intent to pursue maritime careers.LaDue, a junior from Canterbury, New Hampshire, is studying marine transportation operations, with a minor in sail training. She has served as the Assistant Officer in Charge…

The Interior Department has now approved more than 19 gigawatts of offshore wind energy.The Biden-Harris administration today announced the approval of the SouthCoast Wind Project – the nation’s 11th commercial-scale offshore wind energy project approved under President Biden’s leadership. With today’s approval, the Department and its Bureau of Ocean Energy Management have approved over 19 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy from offshore wind energy projects – enough to power more than 6 million homes.The SouthCoast Wind Project is expected to generate up to 2.4 GW of offshore wind energy for Massachusetts and Rhode Island, enough to power more than 840,000 homes.

The bipartisan, bicameral bill will fuel U.S. economy, strengthen national security by responding to China’s threat over the oceans. Currently, the number of U.S.-flagged vessels in international commerce is 80; China has 5,500.Today, Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Senator Todd Young (R-IN), Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-8), and Representative Trent Kelly (R-MS-1) introduced the Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security (SHIPS) for America Act, comprehensive legislation to revitalize the United States shipbuilding and commercial maritime industries. After decades of neglect, the United States has a weakened shipbuilding capacity, a declining commercial shipping fleet that is dwarfed by China, and a diminished ability to supply the U.S. military during wartime.

Schmidt Sciences has named 25 scholars working at the forefront of AI as AI2050 fellows and will award them up to $12 million to advance research that realizes the potential of AI to benefit humanity.The AI2050 program asks researchers to imagine the year 2050 where AI has been hugely beneficial and to pursue projects that help society realize this.The program will fund senior researchers and early career scholars for two years.Previous senior fellows in the first two cohorts include Prof. Kelly Chibale from the University of Cape Town, recently elected to the U.S.

Spoiler Alert: we already know what to do. Some of it just isn’t physically possible. Help isn’t going to come from South Korea.Just two days following Donald Trump’s historic election victory, positioning him to become just the second U.S. President to be elected twice, in separate, non-following terms, the headlines curiously turned to shipbuilding. Which is a nice thing, since the average American thinks very little about that industry on a daily basis. Digging deeper, it seems that America’s once dominant shipbuilding industry needs help…

American Cruise Lines announced its line-up for 2025, including more new ships, 8 new itineraries, and the longest river cruise in the country, the 51-Day Great United States. 2025 offerings also feature an array of exclusive U.S. cruises, including bucket-list adventures exploring U.S. National Parks from Alaska to Wyoming to the Smoky Mountains. Next year, the world’s only 100% U.S.-flagged fleet of riverboats and small cruise ships, will sail over 50 different itineraries, including brand new cruises on the Mississippi River…

Washington comes to grips with the reality that the domestic intermodal equation includes four modes. One of them is by water. It’s about time.One of the great things about spending five years in retirement (I mean, aside from being blissfully idle while you toiled) is that, when you do come back to work, you enjoy a truly fresh perspective in all aspects of your job. Not only does this provide new energy, more importantly, a half decade of change is much easier to discern. Nowhere…

About 10,000 Sailors served aboard 130 landing craft support (LCS) ships during World War II. The last two surviving LCS Sailors, J. William Middendorf II and Eddy Desmond, visited NUWC Division Newport to share their stories with a full audience in Chafee Auditorium on Nov. 18.Middendorf and Desmond were the most prominent members of a panel, which also included Dr. Christopher Lehman, national security and naval warfare expert; Christine Pitts, granddaughter of U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr.

The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) today celebrated a record-breaking passenger count at Flynn Cruiseport Boston this year with just over 480,000 passengers, a 29 percent passenger increase over last year.Flynn Cruiseport welcomed a total 167 cruise ships this season –18 more ships and a 12 percent increase over 2023. The Authority also announced a $100 million investment in the Cruiseport, including $60 million for shore power, a significant step forward for sustainable maritime practices at the Port of Boston…

American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) named Peter Coxon as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Coxon brings more than 40 years of maritime industry experience to ACBL as both an operator and customer. Most recently, he served as CEO of Rand Logistics, leading a successful turnaround, driving improved performance and synergies following Rand’s acquisition of American Steamship Company.Coxon joined the ACBL Board of Directors earlier this year, bringing decades of experience leading multiple businesses and corporate functions in marine logistics and vessel construction…

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.

GE Vernova’s offshore wind turbine manufacturing plant has fired or suspended several workers in Quebec after a company investigation found they took shortcuts on quality control, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.GE Vernova launched the probe at the factory in Gaspe, Quebec, after one of the 107-meter-long turbine blades it made shattered at the Vineyard Wind project off the coast of Massachusetts in July. Shards of fiberglass littered the beaches and forced the project…

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…