Nuclear power gains steam as regulators eye maritime use

Nuclear power gains steam as regulators eye maritime use

As new generations of nuclear reactors emerge, momentum is building to modernize the regulatory framework that could bring atomic propulsion to commercial shipping. Over the past year, international nuclear and maritime regulators and national leaders have taken meaningful steps toward clearing a path for nuclear propulsion in commercial shipping. At the same time, private companies are developing advanced marine reactors…
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Two decades on, Tier 4 compliance is still evolving

Two decades on, Tier 4 compliance is still evolving

In 2004, Twitter, YouTube and the iPhone did not exist, and Taylor Swift and Katy Perry both signed their first contracts with major record labels. Yet U.S. maritime industries — and some others — are still struggling to meet emission standards finalized that year. The Environmental Protection Agency mandated a set of standards known as Tier 4, the fourth regiment…
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Great Lakes icebreaker gap threatens U.S. maritime dominance

Great Lakes icebreaker gap threatens U.S. maritime dominance

When Americans think of our coastlines, most picture the beaches of the Atlantic, the Pacific or the Gulf. But the Great Lakes are America’s fourth coast — a 2,300-mile expanse reaching deep into the nation’s industrial heartland. Each year, this system moves more than 135 million tons of cargo worth over $26 billion, carrying the raw materials that power American…
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As icebreaker drought grips the Great Lakes, a historic boom is coming to the poles

As icebreaker drought grips the Great Lakes, a historic boom is coming to the poles

While Great Lakes carriers continue urging Congress to fund a second heavy icebreaker for inland waters, the federal government and U.S. shipbuilding industry are charging ahead with polar icebreaker expansion — though the U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security’s recent track record has been characterized by delays and ballooning budgets. In 2022, lawmakers approved funding for a new…
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Civmars file lawsuit against Military Sealift Command over Covid-era policies

Civmars file lawsuit against Military Sealift Command over Covid-era policies

More than 40 civilian mariners have filed a lawsuit against the Military Sealift Command seeking damages over a pandemic-era measure that prohibited them from leaving ships for months. On March 21, 2020, MSC officials issued a “gangway up” order that cancelled leave for more than 5,500 civmars employed by the U.S. Navy agency. They were ordered to stay on their…
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Clean Ports projects underway, but unresolved lawsuits weigh on federal funds

Clean Ports projects underway, but unresolved lawsuits weigh on federal funds

In October 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it would provide almost $3 billion in grant funding for Clean Ports projects. Awarded through a competitive application process, Clean Ports funds helped pay for projects meant to increase the use of clean energy and improve air quality, not just in ports but also in nearby neighborhoods. Last year, EPA…
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St. Johns to build dive support vessel for U.S. Navy

A Florida shipyard has been awarded its first U.S. Navy shipbuilding contract to construct a dive support vessel (DSV). In May, St. Johns Ship Building was commissioned by the Navy to build a DSV that will serve critical operational roles for the Navy, including support for specialized diving and underwater support as well as operations and training, St. Johns said.…
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A sextant is more than a conversation piece

A sextant is more than a conversation piece

Imagine this: You are crew aboard a ship, midocean, and the passage is going well. Seas and conditions are favorable and all aboard are attentive, but relaxed. Then the crew on watch gives a shout. Something about the GPS receivers sending out a new position that is nowhere near where you know you have been. You go to the bridge,…
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Legalities aside, SS United States still on track to be reefed

Legalities aside, SS United States still on track to be reefed

Despite a lawsuit and a petition drive seeking to prevent the reefing of SS United States off the Florida Panhandle, preparations for sinking the historic vessel are continuing in an Alabama shipyard. After a 12-day, 1,800-mile tow from its longtime berth in Philadelphia, SS United States arrived on March 2 at a shipyard in Mobile to prepare the world’s fastest…
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