Maritime News – Professional Mariner

13 Aug

Port Everglades milestone tempered by water depth limits

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsPorts, shipping

(FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.) — Port Everglades on Tuesday celebrated the arrival of the largest cargo ship to ever visit the port. However, water depth restrictions mean that MSC Vandya was lightly loaded, negating the efficiency and environmental benefits of the industry’s modern larger cargo vessels. MSC Vandya is 143,521 gross tons, 1,200 feet long and has the capability to carry…

13 Aug

MarAd to invest $35 million for upgrades at 45 shipyards

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsMarAd, shipbuilding

(WASHINGTON) — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Thursday announced that the Maritime Administration (MarAd) is delivering $35.1 million to invest in critical infrastructure and workforce development at 45 shipyards across 24 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Projects examples include: • $1,007,678 to Gulf Marine Repair Corp. in Tampa, Fla., for training center equipment, wheel loaders and upgrades to…

11 Aug

Trump extends Jones Act waiver but adds new guidelines

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsJones Act, shipping

(WASHINGTON) — President Trump has extended a Jones Act waiver allowing foreign-flagged ships to transport oil and other commodities around the United States for 90 more days, but added new caveats as the war in Iran disrupts the flow of crude oil and raises fuel costs. Trump narrowed the scope of relief from the Jones Act, requiring case-by-case reviews of…

11 Aug

MSC, chief engineer guilty in runaway boxship incident

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsNTSB, Ports, shipping, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — MSC Shipmanagement Ltd. (MSC) pleaded guilty Monday and the company’s chief engineer was sentenced to pay a fine following a June 2024 incident when the containership MSC Michigan VII caused the evacuation of a bridge in Charleston, S.C., and created a large wake that injured two people, damaged ships and piers, and led to the clearing of local…

06 Aug

Nichols to build station vessel for San Francisco Bar Pilots

Rich MillerMaritime NewsPilots, shipbuilding

(FREELAND, Wash.) —Nichols Brothers Boat Builders has been awarded a contract by the San Francisco Bar Pilots Benevolent and Protective Association to construct the organization's next-generation station vessel. The award represents another significant milestone for the Washington shipbuilder and further demonstrates its ability to deliver technically advanced commercial vessels for some of North America's most demanding maritime operators. Designed by…

06 Aug

Eastern cuts steel on first of three hybrid ferries for WSF

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsferries, shipbuilding

(PANAMA CITY, Fla.) — Eastern Shipbuilding Group and Washington State Ferries (WSF) marked the start of construction on three new 160-vehicle hybrid-electric ferries at a steel-cutting ceremony Wednesday in Florida. David Sowers, program administrator for system electrification at WSF, headlined the event and also announced that Washington state is accepting the option in the contract for a third boat. “This…

01 Aug

How is technology affecting your work at sea and ashore?

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsLicensing and training

(LONDON) — The Nautical Institute is calling on all seafarers and maritime professionals globally to share their experiences of how technology is impacting their daily work at sea and ashore. The #ListeningToSeafarers survey, part of the STEER Project in collaboration with Lloyd’s Register Foundation, explores the real impact of technology, automation, digitalization and new systems on operational safety, workload, skills,…

30 Jul

Gladding-Hearn redelivers upgraded ferry for Boston Harbor

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsferries, shipbuilding

(SOMERSET, Mass.) — Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corp., has redelivered Boston Harbor’s Outward Bound ferry after a major mid-life refit. Purpose-designed by JW Gilbert Associates and built by the Somerset, Mass., shipyard in 1995, the 64-foot, 140-passenger steel vessel carries visitors and supplies seasonally to Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound School, which offers experiential outdoor programs for youth and adults on…

27 Jul

Healy to undergo major repairs after ‘significant’ breakdown

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newscasualties, Icebreakers, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — U.S. Coast Guard cutter Healy experienced a significant engineering casualty while operating northwest of Port Angeles, Wash. There were no reported injuries. On July 13, tugboats safely towed Healy back to home port for an investigation into the incident and to undergo major repairs. “The crew of Coast Guard cutter Healy acted with speed and skill in responding…

23 Jul

Long Beach, MarAd to partner on nuclear power for vessels

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsPorts, propulsion, shipping

(LONG BEACH, Calif.) — The Port of Long Beach became the first port in the nation to sign a memorandum of cooperation with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MarAd) on Wednesday to advance work on development of small modular reactor (SMR) technology to power commercial vessels, ports and other maritime assets. The agreement represents a significant milestone, making…