Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Representative Mike Walz (R.-Fla.) along with Senator Marco Rubio (R.-Fla,) and Representative John Garamendi (D-Calif.), have released a roadmap for revitalizing the U.S. maritime sector. Entitled “Congressional Guidance for a National Maritime Strategy” it provides a comprehensive vision for planning guidance, strategic objectives, and actionable steps to revitalize the U.S. maritime sector. The legislators believe that, in an era of great power competition, aging infrastructure, and the threat of high intensity war, Congress must adopt a maritime strategy vi ..read more

A fire detection and notification system that didn’t notify is a key focus of the National Transportation Safety Board report on the fire that broke out on the 1977-built, 276 foot long Trident Seafoods catcher processor Kodiak Enterprise at around 3.20 a.m., April 8, 2023, while moored for a scheduled overhaul at the seafood company’s facility on the Hylebos Waterway in Tacoma, Wash.. The so intense that initially some Tacoma residents were under a shelter in place order. VIDEO: Tacoma fishing vessel fire brings shelter in place order Four crewmembers, who were living onboard during the ove ..read more

Two RO/RO freight ferries operated by Sweden’s Stena Line are each to undergo conversions that will increase their capacities by 30%, not through a midbody insertion stretch, but through the addition of an additional cargo deck, The vessels are the 196 meter long, 2001-built Stena Foreteller, which currently operates on the Belfast-Liverpool route, and the 195.3 meter long 2003-built Stena Forerunner, which currently operates on the Rotterdam=Harwich route. The conversions will be carried out in China at the China Merchants Jinling (Weihai) Shipyard under a contract signed on behalf of Stena L ..read more

The chief engineer and second engineer of the 47,999 dwt, Greek-flagged oil tanker M/T Kriti Ruby, which is operated by Avin International, pleaded guilty May 7 to charges related to the concealment of pollution by falsifying records. The chief engineer also pleading guilty to charges related to the discharge of oily waste into the sea from a commercial vessel near a petroleum terminal in Sewaren, N.J.. The maximum penalty on each pollution charge is six years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense. The U.S. Department of Justice say ..read more

ABS has issued its New Technology Qualification (NTQ) for the innovative ammonia-to-electrical power system developed by Brooklyn, N.Y., headquartered Amogy. The Amogy solution splits, or “cracks,” liquid ammonia into its base elements of hydrogen and nitrogen, funneling the hydrogen into a fuel cell generating high-performance power. The technology represents a sustainable, clean energy solution tailored for industries such as maritime shipping and power generation. ABS granted the NTQ following assessment of the integrated reactor system transforming ammonia into hydrogen, resulting in pure ..read more

Island Offshore has placed an order at Fincantieri Group member Vard for a 120 meter ocean energy construction vessel that includes options for two further vessels. The vessels will be built to a new Vard 3 25 design, developed for the offshore energy industry’s transition from oil and gas to renewables. “We are proud to present the next generation OECVs with versatile capabilities that will ensure long-term employment as the energies of the ocean evolve,” said Island Offshore chairman Morten Ulstein. “We strongly believe in the vessel concept and look forward to presenting the vessel to our c ..read more

Precision cuts made with small explosive charges will be used to remove a large section of bridge wreckage that is pinning down the bow of the M/V Dali, the vessel whose strike on Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key bridge initiated its collapse The exact time of the precision cuts will depend on multiple environmental and operational factors. The small explosive charges, a standard controlled demolition tool, will split the large section of truss at specific locations to create multiple, smaller sections, which will allow salvors to use cranes and barges already on scene to remove these sections of ..read more

Drafting a new ship repair or construction contract can be a daunting task with potential pitfalls, but it’s a crucial step toward improving a new or used vessel. To go into more detail on this topic, Alfred Rufty—member of Jones Walker’s maritime litigation, arbitration, and dispute resolution team—will be speaking at Marine Log’s Ship Repair USA on June 11 in New Orleans, La.’s French Quarter. In addition to discussing liquidated damages, force majeure, liens and termination, and suspension clauses, Rufty plans to cover payment terms, overhead, change orders, warranties and more. Rufty has r ..read more

Kongsberg Maritime has won a contract to supply azimuth thrusters to Turkish shipbuilder Med Marine, to power six new azimuthing stern-drive tugs for the Tunisian port authority, OMMP. The new tugs, of Robert Allan RAstar 2800 series design, will offer powerful and reliable performance for a range of towing and harbor operations in Tunisian ports. Kongsberg Maritime will supply a pair of its US205 FP azimuth thrusters, to each of the six 28-meter vessels. The thrusters feature 2.8 meter diameter fixed pitch propellers which will deliver efficient operation and enhanced maneuverability, giving ..read more

ULA (United Launch Alliance) has a next generation Vulcan rocket. With lot of work already lined up for the rocket, ULA is building a new RO/RO ship, called SpaceShip to carry the rockets from the ULA factory in Decatur, Ala., to the launch sites at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. ULA has signed contracts with Lockport, La., based Bollinger Shipyards and Bristol, R.I., based Bristol Harbor Group, Inc. in Bristol, Rhode Island, to design, oversee and build SpaceShip. ULA’s new Vulcan rocket is contracted for 38 launches to support the ..read more