Government Update News


Top Maritime Trends 2020: Owners and Operators can Do the Right Thing for Seafarers

Dec 10, 2020

Due to a confluence of factors, COVID-19 has adversely impacted merchant mariners more than virtually any other profession. The merchant marine is an international profession from a wide variety of countries, so there is no one nation standing up to represent them…

US Maritime Industry Seeks $3.5 Billion in COVID-19 Relief

Dec 09, 2020

In a joint plea to Congressional leadership and Treasury Secretary Steven Munchin this week a host of maritime transportation entities asked that $3.5 billion in COVID-19 relief funding be made available for the U.S. maritime transportation sector…

US Targets Coal Shipments in Fresh N. Korea-related Sanctions

Dec 08, 2020

The United States imposed new sanctions on six groups and four vessels related to the transport of North Korean coal on Thursday, including operations based in China, the Treasury Department said on Tuesday.'The DPRK (North Korea) continues to circumvent the U…

US Axes Environmental Reviews of LNG Marine Transport

Dec 03, 2020

The U.S. Department of Energy on Thursday issued a rule to exclude environmental reviews for marine transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG), as the Trump administration unleashes last minute rules supporting the fossil fuel industry.The rule…

FMC Raises the Monitoring Report Requirements for Global Carrier Alliances

Nov 25, 2020

Pursuant to direction from FMC Chairman Michael Khouri, the Federal Maritime Commission has issued letters to the three global carrier alliances (2M, THE, and OCEAN) requiring that certain carrier-specific trade data currently filed with the Commission quarterly…

Greece Gets Strong Interest for Igoumenitsa Port

Oct 30, 2020

Greece on Friday received nine non-binding bids for a 67% stake in Igoumenitsa port, its privatization agency said on Friday.Bids were submitted by Aegean Oil, Attica Holdings and a consortium of Archirodon Group and ANEK & Trident Hellas Group…

MarAd Awards $4m to Ports of Indiana

Oct 28, 2020

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has awarded Ports of Indiana $4 million to make bulk cargo supply chain improvements by converting a vacant gravel yard into a multimodal storage facility at Burns Harbor…

MARAD Accepting Applications for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education

Oct 20, 2020

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) said Tuesday it is accepting applications from eligible and qualified institutions to apply for a Centers of Excellence (CoE) designation, which will recognize and support…

MARAD Awards $220 Mln in Port Infrastructure Grants

Oct 15, 2020

More than $220 million in discretionary grant funding has been awarded to improve U.S. port facilities in 16 states and territories through the Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Port Infrastructure Development Program, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L…

FMC: Ocean Shipping Challenges Abound

Oct 12, 2020

Since early Spring 2020, American consumers have received a practical education in supply chain operations. One lesson is that it takes more than simply going online and clicking a “Buy Now” button for goods to show-up on our front porches.…

Opinion: Legislative Loophole Could Keep U.S. Offshore Wind Jones Act Fleet at Dock

Oct 08, 2020

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Expanding Access to Sustainable Energy Act of 2019, which enforces Jones Act requirements for all offshore renewable energy production. However, the bill's current language has the potential to create a loophole that would leave the U…

Museum Acquires 80-year-old Bottle of Whisky from 'Whisky Galore!' Shipwreck

Oct 04, 2020

The Scottish Maritime Museum has successfully bid for an 80-year-old bottle of whisky salvaged from one of Scotland’s most famous shipwrecks and the inspiration for the Ealing Studio comedy Whisky Galore!The unlabelled bottle of blended whisky from the 1923 SS Politician…

Cruising Pause Has Major Impact on Florida's Economy

Sep 23, 2020

The cruise industry has certainly been among businesses hardest hit by the economic impacts of COVID-19. But the industry-rocking fallout extends well beyond the cruise lines themselves, extending through cities throughout Florida where canceled…

Maritime Risk Symposium 2020: Maritime Resilience in Black Swan Events

Aug 28, 2020

In 2007, scholar Nassim Nicholas Taleb, who holds a doctorate from the University of Paris, wrote a bestselling book titled “Black Swan,” which proposed a theory involving unpredictable events with significant impact. Taleb believed that a black swan event was an outlier with significant impact and…

Shipping Community Beware; Sanctions Scrutiny is Stepping up a Gear

Aug 28, 2020

Earlier this year, The U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and the U.S. Coast Guard issued a new advisory to provide those engaged or involved in trade in the maritime industry…

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Wisconsin Ports Holds Annual Meeting to Advance Maritime Priorities

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