The Offshore Marine Service Association announced that Ben Billings has officially assumed the position of President and Chief Executive Officer. Billings comes to OMSA from Washington, D.C. where he has worked for the past nine years on maritime issues in the U…
Alaska Arctic Policy Commission Co-Chairs Senator Lesil McGuire and Representative Bob Herron have approved of a recent DoD report, introduced by United States Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, but pointed out that the overarching language is short on details and lacks a plan for implementation…
The National Freight Advisory Committee yesterday unanimously approved a recommendation to pass legislation that will ensure that the Harbor Maintenance Tax is utilized for its intended purpose - to keep the nation's harbors and channels dredged…
FMC Commissioner William P. Doyle, addressed the Executive Committee of the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NGLA) in Little Rock, Arkansas: Topic – 'Is Your State Ready for a Historic Transformation of Transportation, Energy, & Agriculture…
The Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), meeting for its 28th session in London, is expected, amongst other matters, to adopt key resolutions and amendments relating to the Organization’s mandatory audit scheme, paving…
A recent report US Government Audit Office (GAO) report, mandated by the House, discussed amongst other issues: (1) quality problems in constructing recently delivered ships and Navy actions to improve quality and (2) key practices employed…
Vice President Joe Biden visited the Port of Houston Authority's Bayport Container Terminal Monday to highlight the importance of ports and the Panama Canal expansion. His next stop is Panama, where he will tour the expansion project, set for completion in 2015…
Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA), the Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, has introduced H.R. 3475, the Cruise Vessel Consumer Confidence Act of 2013…
Shipowner groups, unions and welfare organizations are pulling together in response to the devastating effects of Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines. One of the main concerns is for Filipino seafarers, who represent more than 20% of the world's seafarers…
A new Port Security Management System (PSMS) will be introduced for the first time by Henk van Unnik of Tosepo in London on 13-14 November 2014. PSMS is an interactive real time dynamic web-based dashboard that will help maritime and logistics…
National Ocean Industries Association President Randall Luthi issued the following statement on the nomination of Tommy Beaudreau to be the next DOI Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget:“NOIA congratulates Tommy Beaudreau…
SCI’s updated webapp now spells out U.S. environmental laws in Russian, Greek, Tagalog, Spanish and English.Seafarers journeying to the United States must follow regulations outlined in environmental statutes that may differ from other nations’ laws…
National Ocean Industries Association President Randall Luthi issued the following statement on the nomination of Janice Schneider to be the next DOI Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management:“It is the prerogative of the President and Secretary to nominate whomever they choose…
Landmark legislation has strong bipartisan support, will bring huge benefits for Louisiana.U.S. Sen. David Vitter has announced that he has officially been selected to be on the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) conference committee…
A call for sustained innovation and an ‘international level playing field’ on environmental regulation greeted global maritime and offshore business leaders today, as Melanie Schultz van Haegen, Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment of the Netherlands opened Europort 2013 at Ahoy Rotterdam…
