NOAA has selected Arthur John “A.J.” Reiss, as the director of NOAA’s Ocean Prediction Center (OPC) in College Park, Maryland. OPC provides marine forecasts and critical decision support services for mariners, ensuring the safety of lives and…
The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has issued new guidance about how it will assess the reasonableness of detention and demurrage regulations and practices of ocean carriers and marine terminal operators (MTOs) under 46 U.S.C. 41102(c).The final rule…
The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission voted to temporarily allow parties to file service contracts up to 30 days after they take effect, as a measure to relieve COVID-19 impacts to the supply chain.The Commission published an order today making…
The United States on Monday posted rule changes that impose new restrictions on exports to China, including aircraft components and many items related to semiconductors.The new rules will require licenses for U.S. companies to sell certain items to military entities…
Ferry routes between Great Britain and Northern Ireland have been safeguarded, thanks to a multimillion-pound government scheme to help ensure critical freight can continue to move into and across the union.The package, worth up to £17 million ($21 million)…
The United States should work to achieve a single, comprehensive agreement with Kenya that removes barriers to trade and investment, instead of pursuing a phased approach, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said in a document viewed by Reuters.In comments submitted to the U…
The marine transportation system (MTS) is critical to both our national security and economic prosperity. The U.S. Coast Guard has an enduring responsibility to safeguard the MTS and enable the uninterrupted flow of maritime commerce. While…
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended its “no sail order” for all cruise ships, as it looks to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic.The new CDC order says that cruise ships have to cease operations for up to 100 days…
The U.S. Coast Guard is giving additional time for vessels impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to comply with regulations requiring ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) to be installed on board.Recognizing the impact of public health policies…
Admiral James Steele Gracey, USCG (retired), 17th Commandant of the Coast Guard, passed away on Sunday, April 5, 2020, in Falls Church, Va., at the age of 92.Born in Newton, Mass. in 1927, Adm. Gracey graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1949…
The U.S. government said on Monday it has not yet received requests to waive a 100-year-old law on shipping goods between domestic ports, despite some interested parties who say temporarily lifting the regulation would help energy companies hurt by the oil price plunge…
United Nations shipping agency the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has echoed industry calls for governments to grant special travel exemptions to seafarers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.In a Circular Letter (link) issued on Monday…
The Federal Maritime Commission issued an order authorizing Commissioner Rebecca Dye to identify operational solutions to cargo delivery system challenges related to Coronavirus-19.The Order notes that “Recent global events have only highlighted…
Greece plans to sell majority stakes in four ports as part of a privatization plan agreed with its lenders after the country exited the bailouts in 2018, a document of its privatization agency (HRADF) showed on Tuesday.HRADF will sell majority stakes in the share capital of Alexandroupolis…
South Africa's main export terminals will be closed to mineral exports from midnight on Thursday when a nationwide 21-day lockdown over coronavirus begins, disrupting copper supply chains linking major producer Zambia to Asian consumers.Miners…