From the Editor
From the Editor: The Infiltration of MSC
One of the dark underbellies of the maritime shipping industry that no one likes to talk about is smuggling. But the weekly magazine Bloomberg Businessweek has taken on the problem [...]
News
LA, Long Beach Port Directors Outline Priorities, Goals for 2023 and Beyond
The leaders of the two of the three busiest seaports in North America in January outlined some of their goals and priorities for the year. Economic growth, job creation and [...]
News
Port of Oakland Ramps Up Solar Energy Use
The Port of Oakland’s stake in a newly expanded solar array at Antelope Valley Solar Ranch came online in late January, and is now delivering renewable energy to the port. [...]
News
Dockworker Pleads Guilty to Billing Sex Services on ILWU-PMA Health Plan
A Port of Long Beach dockworker has pleaded guilty for taking part in a fraudulent plan to bill his labor union’s insurance to pay for sexual services, the U.S. Attorney’s [...]
News
NW Washington Disaster Grants Available for Flood-Affected Businesses
The Washington State Department of Commerce, in partnership with community assistance program FORWARD and local community organizations, is accepting applications from businesses that sustained physical damage or economic loss due to flooding [...]
News
Alameda Fire Department Chooses Moose Boats to Build New Fire Boat
San Francisco Bay Area-based boat designer and manufacturer Moose Boats, LLC said in December that it has been awarded a contract by Alameda City Fire Department in Northern California for [...]
News
Seattle Port Leaders Pledge Against Human Trafficking
The Port of Seattle in January launched its Port Allies Against Human Trafficking (PAAHT) pledge. During January’s National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the port called on its partners and tenants [...]
News
Oceanwide Repair Gets New Majority Owner
Long Beach, Calif.-based Oceanwide Repair, which provides marine ship repair services for a variety of vessels from tugboats and barges to very large oil tankers, bulk carriers, passenger ships and [...]
News
MARAD Announces Nearly $20 Million in Grant Funding Available for Small Shipyards
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) on Jan. 20 announced the availability of nearly $20 million in federal funding to help modernize small U.S. shipyards and train the [...]
News
Port of LA Seeking Proposals for Cruise Terminal Development
The Port of Los Angeles on Jan. 31 said that it is inviting comments on a draft Request for Proposals (RFP) for the future development of a new Outer Harbor [...]
News
POLB Acquires Federal Help for Channel Deepening Project
On Dec. 23, President Joe Biden signed into law the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022, the biennial legislation authorizing federal flood control, navigation and ecosystem improvements that include [...]
News
Ocean Network Express Acquiring West Coast Container Terminals
Japan-based shipping company Ocean Network Express (ONE) on Dec. 27 revealed that it has signed agreements to acquire a 51% stake in two terminal operators—TraPac LLC and Yusen Terminals (YTI), [...]
News
IMO Extends West Coast Vessel Lanes, Adopts Whale Protections
Commercial vessels along the California coast are to begin lining up for port entry farther west and away from the continental shelf in an effort to protect endangered whales beginning [...]
Coast Guard News
Coast Guard Pursues Civil Penalty for Columbia River AIS Violation
The Coast Guard in late January stated that it’s pursuing a civil penalty with a maximum punishment of $41,000 against a commercial fishing vessel for violating Automated Identification System (AIS) [...]
Coast Guard News
Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley Returns to Alaska
The Coast Guard cutter Alex Haley returned to its homeport at Coast Guard Base Kodiak, Alaska on Jan. 13 following an extended seven month dry dock maintenance period in Seattle. [...]
Coast Guard News
Coast Guard Expands National JROTC Program
The Coast Guard on Jan. 25 announced that its establishing four new Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps units for the 2023-2024 school year—including, for the first time, one on the [...]
Coast Guard News
Coast Guard, Partners Respond to Mysterious Oil Sheen Off Calif. Coast
U.S Coast Guard pollution responders and partners responded to an oil sheen off Summerland Beach in Santa Barbara County, Calif. on Jan. 6. The estimated 1.5-mile to 2-mile-long sheen was [...]
News
WPPA Hires Port of Seattle’s ffitch as New Executive Director The Washington Public Ports Association has hired Port of Seattle Government Relations Manager Eric ffitch as its new executive director, [...]
California Ports
Regional Update: California Ports
2022 was a wild ride for most major California seaports. The Golden State is home to the nation’s busiest seaports, the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long [...]
Features
High-Tech Techniques Help Spill Response Become More Efficient, Safer, Productive
Above the surface or underwater, oil and hazardous material spill response and recovery in marine environments is making strides, thanks to technological advances and equipment upgrades, resulting in safer and [...]
Features
Maritime Construction Projects: 2023 & Beyond
The West Coast maritime construction industry never rests. West Coast maritime construction companies have been busy over the last year with projects from Hawaii to Antarctica, as well as from [...]
Features
Vessel Profile: North River Boats’ Sounder
North River Boats has built the new 26-foot survey vessel Sounder for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) of Los Angeles. The Sounder is the flagship for a larger [...]
Features
Shaver Debuts New 80-Foot ASD Tug Equipped with Belgian ABC Engines
Shaver Transportation, which provides ship handling services at all the ports of the lower Columbia River and barge hauling services down the Columbia-Snake River system, has been operating tugs on [...]
Columns
The Elephant in the Room at the COP 27 Climate Conference
The agenda of the recent U.N. Climate Conference held in Egypt this past November leaves out a very big emissions source that could prevent meeting the 2050 deadline for a [...]
Columns
Winning the Battle Against Rust in the Maritime Industry
Anyone who works with exposed ferrous metal (iron or steel) knows that it’s going to rust, it’s a fact of life and science. Even rock star Neil Young knows: rust [...]
Columns
Another Seaport Under Cyber Attack
The Port of Lisbon in Portugal is attacked by LockBit ransomware. Put yourself in this manager’s shoes: It’s Christmas Day. You’re in the middle of the extended family meal of [...]
International Report
Global Piracy Hits Lowest Level in Decades: IMB
The ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) in mid-January called for efforts to be sustained worldwide as maritime piracy and armed robbery attacks reached their lowest recorded level in almost three [...]
International Report
Container Vessel Catches Fire While Transiting Panama Canal
A containership transiting the Panama Canal in late January caught on fire, the Panama Canal Authority confirmed Jan. 30. The container vessel Cape Kortia, while moving toward the PSA port [...]
International Report
Billion-Dollar Chinese-Owned Seaport Opens in Lagos
In late January, Nigeria opened the new Lekki Deep Sea Port, a billion-dollar Chinese-built port in Lagos, which is expected to ease container traffic congestion and become an African hub [...]
International Report
Maersk Discontinuing 2M Alliance, Partnering with DP World
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) and Maersk A/S, a subsidiary of Danish shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk have mutually agreed to terminate their 2M shipping alliance effective January 2025, the companies [...]
International Report
Draft Guidelines for Reduction of Underwater Noise from Commercial Ships Approved
Draft guidelines for the reduction of underwater noise from commercial shipping to address adverse impacts on marine life were agreed to by the International Maritime Organization’s Sub-Committee on Ship Design [...]