Regulation – Professional Mariner

06 Sep

AWO applauds California bill on new emissions equipment

Professional Mariner StaffTugboats & Towingemissions, Regulation

(ARLINGTON, Va.) — The American Waterways Operators (AWO) is commending the California Legislature's recent passage of Assembly Bill 1122 as a major milestone in protecting mariner safety and port operations stability on the state's waterways. Led by Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains, D-Bakersfield, AB 1122 protects mariner lives by ensuring that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) cannot require the use…

31 May

Great Lakes shippers praise U.S. inquiry into Canadian rule

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime Newsballast water, Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, Ports, Regulation, shipping

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has opened an investigation into a Canadian shipping regulation as a potential unfair trade practice. The FMC noted, “Based on available information, it appears that conditions created by the government of Canada in connection with regulation of ballast water management systems may adversely affect the operation of United States carriers in the…

04 Mar

Coast Guard won’t enforce new CARB emissions rule

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsRegulation, Tugboats and towing, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard says it will not enforce a new California Air Resources Board (CARB) regulation pertaining to commercial harbor craft, citing safety concerns, The Center Square reported. The Coast Guard and business organizations oppose CARB's requirement that owners and operators of commercial harbor craft install diesel particulate filters (DPFs), which have been linked to a number…

01 Mar

AWO urges Gov. Newsom to delay enforcing CARB rule

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsEnvironment, Regulation, Tugboats and towing

(ARLINGTON, Va.) — In a Feb. 22 letter, Jennifer Carpenter, president and CEO of the American Waterways Operators (AWO), asked California Gov. Gavin Newsom to delay deadlines or enforcement of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) commercial harbor craft rule due to safety issues and lack of the EPA-required authorization. Carpenter pointed out that technical experts have not approved diesel…

21 Nov

EPA seeks to revise ballast water discharge requirements

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsEPA, Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, Regulation, shipping

(WASHINGTON) — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently published a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) in the Federal Register, requesting public comment on modifications to the agency's 2020 proposed rule implementing the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA). The law seeks to regulate a variety of discharges from commercial vessels, including ballast water discharges. Since the late 1980s, ships' ballast…

14 Sep

Lloyd’s: Shipping must not delay on climate action

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsClimate change, Regulation, shipping

(LONDON) — The maritime industry must improve its forecasting to prepare for a range of possible futures, according to classification society Lloyd's Register. Lloyd’s Register and the Lloyd’s Register Foundation have called on shipowners and other supply chain stakeholders to increase their ability to deal with significant changes and possible future scenarios – developed in a new report presented at…

07 Sep

DNV: Shipping faces shortage of carbon-neutral fuels

Professional Mariner StaffMaritime NewsClimate change, Regulation, shipping

(OSLO, Norway) — Faced with tough competition for greener fuels from other sectors, new 2030 maritime emission targets hang in the balance. According to the latest edition of DNV‘s "Maritime Forecast to 2050," the shipping industry will find it challenging to secure enough supply of carbon-neutral fuels. The report emphasizes the need to consider all alternative approaches to reducing emissions…

04 Aug

EPA cites four boxships for ballast water violations

Rich MillerMaritime NewsRegulation, shipping

(SAN FRANCISCO) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has settled with CMA CGM, the world’s third-largest shipping container company, over claims of violations of EPA’s Vessel General Permit issued under the Clean Water Act. Under the terms of the settlements, CMA CGM will pay $165,000 in penalties for claims of violations by four of the company’s ships involving ballast…

19 Jul

Panamanian delegate elected as IMO secretary-general

Rich MillerMaritime NewsRegulation, shipping

(LONDON) — Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco of Panama has been elected as the secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The appointment takes effect Jan. 1, 2024, for an initial term of four years. The IMO Council voted to appoint Dominguez during its 129th session (C 129), which is meeting from July 17 to 21. The decision of the council…

21 Apr

Annual PSC report shows slight rise in vessel detentions

Rich MillerMaritime NewsPorts, Regulation, safety, U.S. Coast Guard

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard’s Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance has released the U.S. Port State Control (PSC) Annual Report for 2022, with the vessel detention rate increasing slightly from the previous year. This marks another year of PSC activities with the annual report aimed at providing the global maritime industry with key statistics and trends in relation to…