Us Maritime Administration News

The U.S. Center for Maritime Innovation (USCMI), with the Maritime Administration and facilitated by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), convened maritime, energy, and public-sector leaders for its Innovation Café focused on Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technologies for maritime applications, advancing dialogue on next-generation propulsion and energy solutions for the U.S. maritime sector.As Secretariat of USCMI, ABS plays a central role in leading and facilitating industry dialogue to advance maritime innovation.

With demonstration projects now underway, including a nuclear-powered LNG tanker and an offshore vessel, the debate is shifting from whether nuclear shipping is possible to how it can be delivered. Jan Emblemsvåg, Professor at the Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU)'s Department of Ocean Operations and Civil Engineering in Ålesund, argues that the key barriers are no longer technical, but regulatory, commercial and political.Nuclear propulsion is returning to the…

The guidebooks and river cruise itinerary for the Nile River cruise were  studied and neatly packed for my trip, but nothing really preparedme for what surely is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to savor firsthand and physically close  some of the most striking and memorable scenery andhistory anywhere in the world.As I write this, I’m traveling down the Nile in a flat bottomed, two masted houseboat, a dhahabiya (الدهبية) in Arabic, meaning “golden one,” which vaguely recalls the state barges of Egypt’s medieval Muslim rulers.

Over 300 Cal Poly Maritime Academy cadets will soon embark on their annual Summer Sea Term, a 65-day Pacific training voyage aboard the Training Ship Golden Bear, marking both a defining part of a cadet’s education and the final era of a vessel that has served the seafaring academy for three decades. The voyage also marks the first since the transition from California State University Maritime Academy to Cal Poly Maritime Academy, now part of Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. The training cruise provides cadets with immersive…

When Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, the Administration had a real problem on its hands. I understand why a White House would want to move fast, but moving fast and moving smart are not the same thing. This week the Administration extended the current Jones Act waiver for another 90 days. Washington needs to take an honest look at what this waiver has actually produced.The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), which oversees the nation’s merchant fleet, has data that tells the story.

Maybe it is a human trait, or maybe a Washington, D.C. trait, but when confronted with a difficult problem with unpalatable solutions, there is usually an impulse to delay the moment of difficult decision by ordering a study. The U.S. merchant marine industry is the poster child for this behavior. The industry has been studied and studied, and is currently being studied, but studies don’t build ships -- shipyards build ships.Going back to the Lynch Committee in 1870, the U.S. government has regularly produced studies on how to revive the U.S. merchant marine.

Financial support from federal and state agencies helped Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, in undertaking capital projects that have made its shipyard operations more efficient and safer.With a Small Shipyard Grant from the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), the yard replaced heavy bi-fold doors on its 12,000 square foot Walker St. facility. It took two cranes and as many as six employees to open the doors, explained Peter Duclos, shipyard co-president and director of business development.

Delfin Midstream has extended a letter of award with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and placed orders for critical liquefaction equipment, as the company moves toward a final investment decision on the first floating LNG vessel for its Delfin LNG project.The U.S.-based developer said the extension of the letter of award with SHI follows early engagement work carried out in recent weeks and comes as the remaining workstreams required to reach FID are nearing completion. Delfin expects to take a final investment decision during February 2026.Separately…

Crowley Stena Marine Solutions, the joint venture between Crowley and Stena Bulk, has received approval from the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) to operate the CS Anthem tanker under the Tanker Security Program.The CS Anthem, a U.S.-flagged, 49,990-metric-ton, medium-range tanker, is crewed and managed by Crowley under a bareboat charter through the joint venture. The vessel joins Crowley-managed tankers Stena Imperative and Stena Impeccable in the Tanker Security Program…

Hanwha Group has announced a $5 billion infrastructure plan for Hanwha Philly Shipyard as part of South Korea’s commitment to supporting growth of the U.S. shipbuilding industry through a $150 billion investment fund.The $5 billion program will be dedicated to the installation of two additional docks, and three quays to increase capacity. Hanwha is also reviewing the build-out of a new block assembly facility.Through this expansion, Hanwha aims to increase Philly Shipyard’s annual production volume from less than two vessels to up to 20.

The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) has celebrated the christening of the State of Maine, the third of five National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV), at Hanwha Philly Shipyard.Built for Maine Maritime Academy, the State of Maine will serve as a next generation training ship, supporting both the academic development of cadets and America’s humanitarian relief.MARAD is replacing aging training vessels from the National Defense Reserve Fleet with new, purpose-built ships…

“In a global marketplace, supply and demand in one area of the world can greatly impact the agricultural production in another. American products are shipped worldwide …” is how the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) describes the backdrop for international trade. The inland and coastwise waterway systems serving the United States (where agricultural cargoes are an important component) are sometimes regarded as insular highly specialized marketplaces. However, they are indeed elements of much larger trading networks that are influenced by global economic…

Pacific-Gulf Marine (PGM) has been awarded three 10-year firm contracts with a total value of approximately $621 million, including fixed fees and reimbursables. Of the six ships PGM will manage on behalf of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), two are out ported in the San Francisco Bay Area, two in Newport News, VA, and two in New Orleans, LA. These ships are part of MARAD’s 51-vessel Ready Reserve Force (RRF) fleet.The RRF consists of military-useful ships maintained by commercial operators in a high state of readiness…

Davie, a leader in icebreaker and specialized vessel construction, announced plans to acquire shipbuilding assets in Galveston and Port Arthur from Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corporation — marking a major step toward revitalizing large-scale shipbuilding of icebreakers in the United States. The move underscores growing momentum behind domestic production of ice-capable vessels and aligns with U.S. maritime security and industrial revitalization goals.The deal, expected to close in summer 2025…

The U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services, through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025, tasked the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) with assessing how reduced dredging capacity may have impacted designated strategic seaports. In response, USTRANSCOM submitted a report titled Dredging and the Strategic Seaport Program, which has recently been declassified and made available to the public. The report outlines operational impacts, identifies root causes of dredging challenges…

On April 30, Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), together with several original co-sponsors, reintroduced the SHIPS for America Act in the U.S. Senate, first introduced in December 2024, divided into two bills. Companion legislation was also introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Trent Kelly (R-MS) and Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA). This is a major, historic effort to revitalize the U.S. merchant marine. The legislation had to be reintroduced to be considered by the new U.S.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) issued a detailed notice on April 17, 2025, regarding actions and proposed actions in response to China's alleged targeting of the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors for dominance. The measures, USTR argues, will “disincentivize the use of Chinese shipping and Chinese-built ships, thereby providing leverage on China to change its acts, policies, and practices, and send a critically needed demand signal for U.S.-built ships.” Below, we break down the key elements of the notice and their potential impacts.

Delfin LNG and German company Securing Energy For Europe (SEFE) have signed a 15-year agreement for 1.5 million tons of U.S. LNG per annum, the companies said on Tuesday.Under the agreement, liquefied natural gas would be exported from floating LNG (FLNG) vessels that Delfin wants to deploy off Cameron Parish, Louisiana, Delfin said in a press release.The free-on-board deliveries will commence immediately following the construction and commissioning of the FLNGs, Delfin said.It did not provide a timeline.

Crowley, the manager of oil tanker Stena Immaculate that was struck on its port side by the container ship Solong, causing a blaze, has reported that all 23 members of the ship’s crew are safe and without reported injuries, as it launches spill containment response efforts.On March 10, 2025, while stationary and anchored off the North Sea coast near Hull in the United Kingdom, the Crowley-managed tanker Stena Immaculate was struck on its port side by the container ship Solong.Crowley…

It was my pleasure on Nov. 10 to participate in the dedication of the U.S. Merchant Marine emblem alongside the emblems of the Armed Services of the United States at Veterans Memorial Plaza in Anacortes.I can’t think of a more auspicious time to have made this dedication than on Veteran’s Day weekend.We are a maritime nation.For those of you who don’t know, the U.S. Maritime Administration – MARAD for short -- is an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation. Our mission is promoting waterborne transportation.

On Nov. 10, the day before Veterans Day, I had the honor of participating in a celebration of another group of veterans whose contributions as the nation’s Fourth Arm of Defense is not widely known: The Merchant Marine.The U.S. Merchant Marine emblem was added to Veterans Memorial Plaza in Anacortes in a brief ceremony attended by Xochitl Castaneda, Pacific Northwest and Alaska Gateway director of the U.S. Maritime Administration.The contribution of the Merchant Marine to our nation’s defense is a story that is not told enough.

Don’t Overlook Shipping’s Critical Role in U.S. Sustainable Transport Future, ABS Chairman and CEO Urges Washington.“Many of our sustainable transportation programs and initiatives tend to become mode-centric, but it is critically important to optimize the overall sustainable freight transportation across modes from origin to destination, which requires a system of systems focus.”That was the message to U.S. transportation industry and Government leaders from ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher J.

Federal funds to upgrade aging docks to accommodate ultra-large vessels and expand economic benefits to region.The Port of Oakland was awarded approximately $50 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD) to modernize wharves and terminal infrastructure at the Outer Harbor. The Port’s Outer Harbor will be upgraded to accommodate Ultra Large Container Vessels, which are now a regular part of the shipping fleet calling on West Coast ports. These ships have a handling capacity of up to 24,000 TEUs (20-foot containers) but are restricted at portions of Oakland’s Outer Harbor by aging wharves which were originally designed for smaller ships.Newer, larger vessels are more efficient, cost effective and environmentally cleaner to operate than older ships.