S Maritime Administration News

India’s decision to introduce additional documentation checks before end-of-life vessels are cleared could prevent the practice of fake documents among the dark fleet, says leading vessel cash buyer Wirana Shipping Corporation.The recent decision taken by the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) to introduce an additional process of documentation checks will act as a deterrent to ships being sent for recycling with fake documents, says Wirana Shipping, the world’s…

At least three tankers were damaged off the Gulf coast and one seafarer was killed as Iranian retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran exposed ships to collateral damage, shipping sources and officials said on Sunday.Risks to commercial shipping have surged in the past 24 hours, with more than 200 vessels including oil and liquefied gas tankers dropping anchor around the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters, shipping data showed on Sunday.Iran has said it has closed navigation through the critical waterway…

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has opened applications for its Centers of Excellence (CoE) program for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education.The Center network spans 32 institutions across 44 cities in 17 states. These programs are focused on training the next generation of mariners for vital careers at sea and on shore, ensuring the U.S. maritime industry remains skilled and strong. A CoE designation is awarded for a five-year term.CoEs play a vital role in supporting the maritime industry by providing workforce development…

The United States issued fresh guidance on Monday to commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane for Middle East oil supplies, as tensions simmered between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program.Iran has in the past threatened to close down the Strait of Hormuz, a portion of which lies within its territorial waters, and has at times seized commercial ships and oil tankers moving through the area alleging smuggling.The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration…

Oil prices rose more than 1% on Monday after the U.S. Department of Transportation issued an advisory to U.S.-flagged vessels to stay as far as possible from Iranian territory while voyaging through the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman.Brent crude oil futures were up 89 cents, or 1.3%, at $68.94 a barrel by 11:24 a.m. EST (1624 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 83 cents, or 1.3%, to $64.38.The U.S. DOT's Maritime Administration agency noted that vessels going through the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman have historically faced the risk of being boarded by Iranian forces…

Maybe it is a human trait, or maybe a Washington, D.C. trait, but when confronted with a difficult problem with unpalatable solutions, there is usually an impulse to delay the moment of difficult decision by ordering a study. The U.S. merchant marine industry is the poster child for this behavior. The industry has been studied and studied, and is currently being studied, but studies don’t build ships -- shipyards build ships.Going back to the Lynch Committee in 1870, the U.S. government has regularly produced studies on how to revive the U.S. merchant marine.

The U.S. Transportation Department on Tuesday approved a license for oil transportation and storage company Sentinel Midstream's planned deepwater oil export project off the Texas coast.Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement to Reuters the Texas GulfLink project is part of the Trump administration's effort to boost the U.S. oil industry and production and allow for the export of up to 1 million barrels of crude oil per day. The Texas GulfLink deepwater port will be located approximately 26.6 nautical miles off the coast of Brazoria County…

Financial support from federal and state agencies helped Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, in undertaking capital projects that have made its shipyard operations more efficient and safer.With a Small Shipyard Grant from the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), the yard replaced heavy bi-fold doors on its 12,000 square foot Walker St. facility. It took two cranes and as many as six employees to open the doors, explained Peter Duclos, shipyard co-president and director of business development.

Delfin Midstream has extended a letter of award with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and placed orders for critical liquefaction equipment, as the company moves toward a final investment decision on the first floating LNG vessel for its Delfin LNG project.The U.S.-based developer said the extension of the letter of award with SHI follows early engagement work carried out in recent weeks and comes as the remaining workstreams required to reach FID are nearing completion. Delfin expects to take a final investment decision during February 2026.Separately…

St. Johns Ship Building (SJSB), a subsidiary of Americraft Marine Group, announced the receipt and commissioning of a new 100-ton Link-Belt rough terrain crane, acquired through funding provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) Small Shipyard Grant Program.The Link-Belt 100|RT is fabricated and assembled in Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.A. This heavy-lift crane expands the shipyard’s material-handling and modular assembly capabilities, supporting a growing backlog of both commercial and government vessel programs.The 100|RT crane features a five-section…

After developing the technique some five years ago, Aker Arctic has now completed the research required to get its new design methodology for icebreaker hulls accepted into the Finish-Swedish Ice Class Rules. The method has also been adopted to Polar Class rules of several Class Societies (LR, ABS, DNV).Although the research focused on vessels typically sailing the Baltic Sea, Aker Arctic has also used the methodology in many of its recent newbuilding designs including, for example, Canada’s new icebreaker which is currently under construction.

U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the Clean Air Act (CAA) permit for the proposed offshore Texas GulfLink (TGL) deepwater port. The permit allows a first-of-its-kind use of vapor capture and control technology mounted on an offshore support vessel at TGL’s proposed deepwater port about 30 miles southeast of Freeport, Texas.The offshore deepwater port will be able to load very large crude carriers up to 85,000 barrels per hour, or 365 million barrels a year. The…

Empowering Small and Medium Shipyards Through Strategic ReformAs the United States faces mounting global maritime challenges, from contested sea lanes to aging fleets, the need to expand and modernize our shipbuilding industrial base has never been more urgent. Yet the path forward must be more than a call for capacity. It must be a call for smarter capacity. That means a more distributed, resilient, and inclusive strategy; one that fully leverages the capabilities of small and medium-sized shipyards across the country.These yards are not fringe players.

Crowley Stena Marine Solutions, the joint venture between Crowley and Stena Bulk, has received approval from the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) to operate the CS Anthem tanker under the Tanker Security Program.The CS Anthem, a U.S.-flagged, 49,990-metric-ton, medium-range tanker, is crewed and managed by Crowley under a bareboat charter through the joint venture. The vessel joins Crowley-managed tankers Stena Imperative and Stena Impeccable in the Tanker Security Program…

Hanwha Group has announced a $5 billion infrastructure plan for Hanwha Philly Shipyard as part of South Korea’s commitment to supporting growth of the U.S. shipbuilding industry through a $150 billion investment fund.The $5 billion program will be dedicated to the installation of two additional docks, and three quays to increase capacity. Hanwha is also reviewing the build-out of a new block assembly facility.Through this expansion, Hanwha aims to increase Philly Shipyard’s annual production volume from less than two vessels to up to 20.

The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) has celebrated the christening of the State of Maine, the third of five National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV), at Hanwha Philly Shipyard.Built for Maine Maritime Academy, the State of Maine will serve as a next generation training ship, supporting both the academic development of cadets and America’s humanitarian relief.MARAD is replacing aging training vessels from the National Defense Reserve Fleet with new, purpose-built ships…

Business Korea reports that Hanwha Ocean plans to invest an additional minimum of $70 million in Philly Shipyard.The aim is to increase productivity to 10 ships per year by 2035, up from the current rate of 1 to 1.5 ships per year.Hanwha Ocean acquired Philly Shipyard in December last year for $100 million and renamed it Hanwha Philly Shipyard.Hanwha seeks to build on the success of Philly Shipyard, established in 1997, that delivered around 50% of all large ocean-going U.S. Jones Act commercial ships since 2000…

“In a global marketplace, supply and demand in one area of the world can greatly impact the agricultural production in another. American products are shipped worldwide …” is how the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) describes the backdrop for international trade. The inland and coastwise waterway systems serving the United States (where agricultural cargoes are an important component) are sometimes regarded as insular highly specialized marketplaces. However, they are indeed elements of much larger trading networks that are influenced by global economic…

Pacific-Gulf Marine (PGM) has been awarded three 10-year firm contracts with a total value of approximately $621 million, including fixed fees and reimbursables. Of the six ships PGM will manage on behalf of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), two are out ported in the San Francisco Bay Area, two in Newport News, VA, and two in New Orleans, LA. These ships are part of MARAD’s 51-vessel Ready Reserve Force (RRF) fleet.The RRF consists of military-useful ships maintained by commercial operators in a high state of readiness…

The military and Coast Guard budgets are established that will benefit the U.S. ship building and repair sector, but what will stimulate the commercial yards?This author has been scratching his head of late, after a thrilling dive into July’s U.S. Big Beautiful Bill Act, and has asked several colleagues where the funding for support commercial shipbuilding can be found? To answer that, we need to look elsewhere and to future programs.Setting the SceneMany column inches have been dedicated to the decline U.S. shipbuilding, whether signaled by the relatively small presence of a U.S.

As U.S. ports face their annual surge in pre-holiday inventory arrivals, many are relying on propane-powered equipment to stay efficient, resilient, and cost effective. This surge in port activity comes just as the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Maritime Administration announces $500 million in funding opportunities to upgrade port infrastructure across the country.Propane forklifts and terminal tractors help ports keep fuel and maintenance costs low compared to diesel.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has announced that the Maritime Administration (MARAD) has awarded $8.75 million in grants to revitalize U.S. shipyards and advance America’s maritime dominance.The funding is part of the Small Shipyard Grant program, which supports advanced training, workforce development and new technologies that strengthen U.S. shipbuilding and repair capabilities. Duffy said the program will help America counter Chinese competition and maintain freedom…

Building commercial ships in U.S. shipyards supports the maritime industry, which plays a vital role in national security. However, U.S. commercial shipbuilding has been in decline for decades. The Maritime Administration (MARAD) has four financial assistance programs to help change that – U.S.-built vessels generally cost more than foreign-built ones.It's not clear if these programs are meeting the needs of the industry or national security, says the Government Accountability Office (GAO). MARAD hasn't established measurable goals, such as the number of ships built because of a program.