INTERTANKO applauds the result of a plea bargaining agreement in the U.S. whereby a Somali national, who a few weeks ago escaped trial when a U.S. federal judge threw out a case accusing him and five colleagues of piracy, has pleaded guilty…
Kongsberg Maritime AS, Simulation & Training has made an agreement with the Research Council of Norway to form a user-directed research program called SIMAR - Simulation of Demanding Maritime Operations - which is aimed at improving simulation training by enhancing focus on human factors…
The directors of Marine Response Alliance LLC (MRA or Alliance) announced that McAllister Towing and Transportation Co., Inc. (McAllister) has joined the MRA as a full and equal member. McAllister is now united with the other MRA member companies—Crowley Marine Services…
Between July 27 and August, 2010, while conducting development testing of its Nationwide Automatic Identification System (NAIS), the Coast Guard inadvertently tele-commanded most AIS users transiting the Eastern United States between lower Connecticut…
Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (MD-07), a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a request to Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) on August 30, requesting that, in his role as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Domestic Policy…
Seven crew members from the newly activated Liberian Coast Guard (LCG) spent 10 days at sea with the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk (WMEC 913) crew off the coast of western Africa August 13-23, 2010. Since February 11, 2010, when the LCG was activated…
STX Norway Offshore has signed contracts for the building of two icebreaker tugs to JSC Circle Marine Invest. The vessels will be delivered in 2011, and the total value of the two contracts amounts to approximately $71.4m. JSC Circle Marine…
The European Commission has opened formal proceedings to investigate whether certain provisions accompanying claim-sharing and joint-reinsurance agreements in the marine insurance sector might infringe European Union antitrust rules. The Commission…
The Deepwater Horizon joint investigation concluded the fourth day of the fourth session of hearings August 26 into the circumstances surrounding the explosion, fire, pollution and sinking of the Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Deepwater Horizon…
With the economy as it is, one might expect to be able to walk into any shipyard, name your price and have construction of a brand new workboat commence instantaneously. While every shipyard is eager for new business, work is still coming in slowly and fairly steadily…
Aboard the tall ship Royaliste, Wayne 'Lord Pirate Captain Marcato' Marquardt listens as U.S. Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Jack Hambidge of Marine Safety Unit Chicago explains the safety requirements the Royaliste must meet before people…
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that Rear Admiral Philip H. Greene, Jr. will become the new Superintendent of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY. Admiral Greene holds a Merchant Marine Master’s license and is a 1978 Academy graduate…
U.S. EPA’s Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Jared Blumenfeld announced details of the Agency’s proposal to ban all sewage discharges from large cruise ships and most other large ocean-going ships to the marine waters along California’s entire coastline…
The U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center issued a special notice reminding mariners that any vessel operating in U.S. waters equipped with an Automatic Identification System (AIS) should confirm that the proper channel frequency has been selected…
The Gulf Coast Claims Facility (GCCF), administered by Kenneth R. Feinberg, is now accepting claims from individuals and businesses for costs and damages incurred as a result of the oil discharges due to the Deepwater Horizon incident on April 20…
