Maritime News – Page 4 – Professional Mariner

26 Mar

Icebreaker gap brings U.S. Great Lakes fleet to standstill

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsGreat Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, Icebreakers, shipping

(CLEVELAND) — A little over a day and half since the Soo Locks opened, providing access to Lake Superior and critical raw materials like iron ore, the U.S.-flagged Great Lakes commercial fleet is at a standstill in the St. Marys River and Whitefish Bay, the critical connection between Lake Superior and all other Great Lakes. The only way into Lake…

26 Mar

U.S. to invest $488 million to revitalize nation’s ports

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsMarAd, Ports, shipping

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd) has announced $488 million in funding to restore American maritime dominance and revitalize American ports, shipyards and maritime capabilities. The funding will support projects that: • Improve ports' ability to load and unload goods. • Streamline supply chain movements. • Modernize ports’ infrastructure and operations. • Support America’s vibrant seafood and seafood-related businesses.…

25 Mar

Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project delivers first power

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsoffshore wind

(VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.) — Dominion Energy's wind farm off the Virginia Beach coast sent its first power to the regional electric grid on Monday, VPM News reported. The $11 billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project (CVOW) stretches from about 27 to 44 miles off the oceanfront and will be the nation's largest commercial offshore wind farm. The first fully completed…

25 Mar

Port of Baltimore posts second-best year for overall cargo

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsPorts, shipping

(ANNAPOLIS, Md.) — The Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore handled approximately 50 million tons of cargo in 2025 at its state-owned public and private marine terminals, making it the port’s second-best year. The accomplishment continues to reveal the port’s resilience and comes as the port and surrounding communities continue to recover from the devastation of the Francis Scott Key…

23 Mar

IMO urges safe-passage framework for Strait of Hormuz

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsIMO, Security, shipping

(LONDON) — The Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has strongly condemned the threats and attacks against vessels and the purported closure of the Strait of Hormuz, in line with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2817, which have adversely affected merchant and commercial vessels and threatened the safety and welfare of seafarers. The council, meeting in an extraordinary session on…

20 Mar

All American building research cat for Texas science institute

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsLicensing and training, shipbuilding

(BELLINGHAM, Wash.) —All American Marine has begun construction on a 78-by-26-foot aluminum catamaran research vessel for the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI). The vessel is being built on Teknicraft Design’s proven multi-purpose research platform and is designed to support scientific research, survey, and teaching missions throughout the Gulf of Mexico, including offshore operations up to 150 nautical miles…

19 Mar

NMC updates guidance as government shutdown continues

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsLicensing and training, NMC, U.S. Coast Guard

(MARTINSBURG, W.Va.) — Due to the government shutdown, the National Maritime Center (NMC) and all Regional Examination Centers (RECs) remain closed. Customer walk-in service at the RECs is suspended. Examinations and other REC appointments are canceled. To mitigate the impact caused by the government shutdown, the NMC has implemented the following measures: • The Application Submission Portal (ASAP) for submission…

19 Mar

Dredging done, Port of Virginia now deepest on East Coast

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsdredging, Ports, shipping

(NORFOLK, Va.) — Construction of the 55-foot-deep shipping channel and harbor, a key project in the Port of Virginia’s $1.4 billion Gateway Investment Program, is complete, making Virginia home to the deepest port on the U.S. East Coast. “Completion of this project positions the Port of Virginia as a national leader in U.S. port infrastructure development and will help drive…

19 Mar

Port of Long Beach cargo up amid war, tariff uncertainty

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsPorts, shipping

(LONG BEACH, Calif.) — Amid ongoing uncertainty over the impact of tariffs and conflict in the Middle East, the Port of Long Beach reported solid cargo volumes in February, Port CEO Dr. Noel Hacegaba announced Wednesday during a virtual media briefing. Dockworkers and terminal operators handled 767,525 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cargo containers last month, up 0.3 percent from…

18 Mar

Trump waives Jones Act for 60 days in bid to ease gas prices

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsJones Act, shipping

(WASHINGTON) — The Trump administration has issued a 60-day waiver of the Jones Act in an attempt to lower gasoline prices that have surged since the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran, NPR reported Wednesday. The Jones Act is a century-old maritime law requiring that goods shipped between U.S. ports be transported on U.S.-built and U.S.-flagged vessels. Temporarily…