Marine Economy Pours Billions Into America’s GDP, Reports Show

Marine Economy Pours Billions Into America’s GDP, Reports Show

Economic reports compiled by two Commerce Department agencies confirm that America’s marine economy continues to pour billions of dollars into the nation’s gross domestic product, albeit tempered by a general economic decline during the first year of the global coronavirus pandemic. Results of the annual Marine Economy Satellite Account released in June by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) show that amounted to some $361 billion in 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. That total represents a 5.8% or $23-billion reduction in real terms, adjusted for inflation, from 2019, outpacing…
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Maritime Security is Everyone’s Job

Maritime Security is Everyone’s Job

The challenge of securing ships and ports is not new. The Jack Sparrows of the world long have been trying to hijack ships, steal their cargo and misdirect the vessels onto the rocks, so pirates can harvest the booty that floats onto the beach. However, with better technology on ships and in ports, and new vectors available for the attacks, the necessary actions to predict and prevent physical and cyber assaults to shipping companies and seaports are increasing. There is more work to do to keep the buccaneers at bay, and there are new threats to consider in the maritime…
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Making Moves Toward Methanol

Making Moves Toward Methanol

As the U.S. marine industry pushes toward decarbonization, our domestic fleet will be the first to adopt and experiment with different propulsion methods. For the majority of passenger vessel operations, the most viable and fully developed option for substantively reducing carbon emissions will be all-electric propulsion—where it can be practically implemented. However, certain vessels may not be able to accommodate marine battery systems due to weight or space constraints. For others that operate on longer routes, have highly variable operating profiles or serve rural areas where the addition of shoreside charging infrastructure is impractical, all-electric propulsion may not be achievable.…
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Clean Energy Factory to Open at Port of Bellingham

Clean Energy Factory to Open at Port of Bellingham

Corvus Energy, a supplier of battery energy storage systems (BESS) for marine applications, has chosen Whatcom County to expand its U.S. operations and plans to open a new factory at the Port of Bellingham, port officials announced in late May. The manufacturing facility, with an annual capacity of 200 MWh of stored energy capacity, would support demand for marine BESS in the Americas as the marine industry accelerates its adoption of decarbonization technology to meet targets for global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions, port officials said. “Congratulations to the Port of Bellingham and Corvus Energy on the new facility here…
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POLB Executive Director Appointed to National Advisory Committee

POLB Executive Director Appointed to National Advisory Committee

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has appointed Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero to the federal Maritime Transportation System National Advisory Committee, which guides the secretary on strategies to improve the readiness and resiliency of the U.S. supply chain. The appointment was announced in mid-June. The committee is made up of leaders from commercial transportation firms, trade associations, state and local public entities, labor organizations, academia and environmental groups. Cordero, who has led the Port of Long Beach since 2017, will continue in his role at the port. “I thank Secretary Pete Buttigieg for this honor at…
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Change of Command at  USCG Base Ketchikan in Alaska

Change of Command at USCG Base Ketchikan in Alaska

Coast Guard Base Ketchikan personnel conducted a change-of-command ceremony June 10, as Commander Arthur M. Dehnz transferred command of Base Ketchikan to Cmdr. Timothy E. Boettner. The ceremony marked the passing of responsibility and authority for the command from Dehnz to Boettner. As the new Base Ketchikan commander, Boettner is responsible for supporting the Coast Guard’s operational missions throughout Alaska. The base provides personnel, administrative, logistics, medical, procurement, contracting, industrial and electronics support for units throughout Alaska, with a primary focus on Southeast Alaska. Boettner was previously assigned at the Project Residence Office Gulf Coast, located at the Huntington Ingalls…
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New Executive Vice President  for GEODIS

New Executive Vice President for GEODIS

Laurent Melaine has been appointed to the position of Executive Vice President, Commercial and Marketing with European transport and logistics company GEODIS, the company announced in early July. He is a member of the company’s executive committee and reports to Marie-Christine Lombard, the company’s Chief Executive Officer. Melaine, 56, began his career at Transports Graveleau and then Dachser, holding various business development and site management positions. He joined GEODIS in 2011 as Key Account Sales Director for the Distribution & Express business, and joined its executive committee in 2013. In 2018, he was appointed International Sales Director, managing, among other…
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Oakland Seaport Board Elects New Pres., VPs

Oakland Seaport Board Elects New Pres., VPs

The president of Oakland, California’s Chamber of Commerce president is taking on an added role leading the Port of Oakland’s governing board. At their mid-July Board meeting, Port Commissioners unanimously selected Barbara Leslie as their new president. Leslie will lead the seven-member board that sets policy for Oakland’s 93-year-old port authority. She succeeds Commissioner Andreas Cluver who steps down after two years as Board President. The Board elected architect Yui Hay Lee as First Vice President. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf nominated Commissioner Yee to serve another term. The Oakland City Council ratified Commissioner Yee’s second term to serve on the…
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Jim Walker Retires from AAPA

Jim Walker Retires from AAPA

The American Association of Port Authorities recently celebrated the long career of Jim Walker, AAPA’s Director of Navigation Policy and Legislation, as he retired from the workforce in June. Walker was responsible for handling waterside infrastructure issues and relevant legislative and regulatory matters, including AAPA’s Quality Partnership Initiative (QPI) with the Army Corps of Engineers. He also served as staff liaison to the Harbors and Navigation Committee. Following a 36-year career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he joined AAPA in 2012. His responsibilities included the organization’s efforts to improve navigation policies, legislation and funding. He was instrumental, according…
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Lesko Named Irving Shipbuilding President

Lesko Named Irving Shipbuilding President

Dirk Lesko will assume the role of president of Halifax, Nova Scotia-based Irving Shipbuilding Inc. on Sept. 1, the company announced July 11. Lesko retired in April 2022 as a vice president with the General Dynamics Corp. and the 15th president of Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. He was president of BIW from 2017 to 2022. BIW has been building ships for 140 years and is one of the primary military shipbuilders for the U.S. Navy. Lesko, a 32-year BIW employee and third generation shipbuilder, previously held various leadership positions with the company, including Vice President DDG 1000 Program,…
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