Marine Link
Thursday, January 22, 2026

Usa News

20 Jan 2026

Swedish Exports to US Could Drop 28% Under New Tariff Threat

© Adobe Stock/matho

Swedish exports to the United States could fall by as much as 28% if President Donald Trump carries out his threat to impose additional tariffs on Sweden and some industrial sectors could see a decline of 50%, Sweden's Board of Trade said on Tuesday.Trump has threatened tariffs on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and Britain after they sent small groups of military personnel to Greenland at Copenhagen's request.Trump has said tariffs will start at 10% on February 1, rising to 25% on June 1, and would continue until a deal is reached for the U.S.

20 Jan 2026

San Diego’s Historic Ferries Added to the National Register of Historic Places

© Flagship Cruises & Events

Two of San Diego Bay’s most cherished working vessels have earned national recognition. The Silvergate (built in 1940) and the Cabrillo have been officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Both vessels are owned and operated by Flagship Cruises & Events, San Diego’s oldest family-owned maritime fleet.This designation acknowledges the cultural, architectural, and maritime significance of the vessels, which are among San Diego’s last remaining historic ferries still operating on the water.

16 Jan 2026

U.S. Coast Guard Launches RAPTOR to Identify Maritime Defense Solutions

A graphic representing the U.S. Coast Guard’s new Office of Rapid Response and Prototyping (CG-RAPTOR), launched to accelerate the development and deployment of innovative technology for enhanced maritime operations. CG-RAPTOR supports Force Design 2028, driving rapid solutions to empower Coast Guard personnel and strengthen mission success. (U.S. Coast Guard courtesy graphic)

The U.S. Coast Guard has unveiled a rapid-response approach that identifies, prototypes and delivers breakthrough technologies to meet urgent operational needs and drives accelerated transition to programs. The Office of Rapid Response and Prototyping (CG-RAPTOR) is accelerating the “idea-to-operations” cycle, rolling our solutions within 30, 60, and 90 days through collaboration with operators, industry leaders and subject matter experts.The standup of CG-RAPTOR comes amid Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s push to change how the Coast Guard operates.

15 Jan 2026

Shipbuilders Council of America Announces New Board of Directors Leadership

© Shipbuilders Council of America

The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), the national association representing the U.S. shipbuilding, maintenance and repair industry, announced its new Board of Directors leadership David Carver, President of General Dynamics NASSCO, is ascending from his position as Vice Chairman to Chairman of the Board, assuming the role from Brad Moyer, Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Planning at BAE Systems.Mr. Carver has been a dedicated member of the SCA Board of Directors and has 38 years of shipbuilding and ship repair experience, bringing leadership to his new role.

14 Jan 2026

Adm. Kevin E. Lunday to Assume Command of the U.S. Coast Guard

Credit : USCG

Adm. Kevin E. Lunday will officially be sworn in as the 28th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard during an Assumption of Command Ceremony. The ceremony will be presided over by the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.WHAT: Commandant’s assumption of command ceremonyWHEN: Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 11 a.m.WHERE: The ceremony will be streamed live for public viewing at: https://www.dvidshub.net/webcast/37352For more information, please contact the U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters media relations office at mediarelations@uscg.mil.

13 Jan 2026

PhilaPort Closes 2025 With Record Container Volume, Leading U.S. East Coast Growth

© PhilaPort

PhilaPort capped off a milestone year in 2025, posting record container throughput and outperforming national and regional trade trends to remain a leader among U.S. East Coast container ports.PhilaPort handled a record 889,268 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2025, representing a 6% year-over-year increase in container volume. This result exceeded overall U.S. trade growth projections of approximately 3%, underscoring Philadelphia’s continued strength in the container market.

12 Jan 2026

Companies Scramble to Assemble Operations for Venezuelan Crude Exports to US

© Adobe Stock/Faraways

Oil companies aiming to participate in new exports of Venezuelan crude to the U.S. following the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro are in hasty discussions to find tankers and put together operations to transfer the crude safely from vessels and dilapidated Venezuelan ports, four sources familiar with the operations said.Trading houses and oil companies, including Chevron, Vitol and Trafigura, are competing for U.S. government deals to export crude from Venezuela, sources said…

07 Jan 2026

FMC Welcomes Commissioner Laura DiBella

© FMC

On January 6, 2026, Ms. Laura DiBella of Florida was sworn in as a Commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC or Commission). Commissioner DiBella will serve for a term that expires on June 30, 2028. Commissioner DiBella was nominated by President Trump on September 3, 2025, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 18, 2025, and appointed to the Commission by the President on January 2, 2026.Commissioner DiBella previously served as Florida’s first female Secretary of Commerce and as President and CEO of Enterprise Florida.

05 Jan 2026

U.S. Coast Guard Releases Report on Spirit of Boston Vessel Fire

© Adobe Stock/romanslavik.com

On December 3, the U.S. Coast Guard released their report on the Spirit of Boston fire on March 24, 2023. The fire occurred onboard the vessel in the Boston Harbor after an evening dinner excursion. The vessel suffered extensive fire damage and was taken out of service for repairs. The cause of the casualty was determined to be a fire in the aft section of the main deck wait station, most likely started when a heating fuel canister that was still burning was inadvertently dropped…

22 Dec 2025

Oil Loading in Venezuela Crawls After New US Interceptions

© Adobe Stock/Pawinee

Tanker loading in Venezuela dwindled on Monday, with most ships moving oil cargoes only between domestic ports following U.S. action against two more ships and as state-run energy company PDVSA struggles to recover from a cyberattack, according to tracking data and sources.The U.S. Coast Guard this month seized a supertanker under sanctions carrying Venezuelan oil and tried to intercept two more Venezuela-related ships over the weekend, U.S. authorities said. One of them is an empty ship under U.S.

18 Dec 2025

Federal Maritime Commission Recognizes National Shipper Advisory Committee Members

© Federal Maritime Commission

The Federal Maritime Commission acknowledges the service of the members of the National Shipper Advisory Committee (NSAC). Since October 2021, NSAC’s members have provided information and perspectives on conditions in the ocean freight delivery system. NSAC’s meetings and recommendations have assisted the Commission on a range of matters related to international ocean transportation.NSAC will continue to focus on providing information and industry perspectives to the Commission…

15 Dec 2025

Odyssey Marine Exploration Request for Offshore Mineral Lease Sale Advances

© Odyssey Marine Exploration

Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc., a U.S.-based ocean exploration and marine resource development leader, received news that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM), a department of the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI), has initiated the formal review process for its unsolicited request for a potential marine mineral lease sale in federal waters offshore Virginia.BOEM’s action highlights the increasing federal focus on responsibly assessing domestic offshore mineral resources.

12 Dec 2025

BOEM Initiates Process for Potential Mineral Lease Sale Offshore Virginia

© BOEM

To advance President Trump’s national strategy for securing America’s critical mineral supply, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has initiated the process for a potential mineral lease sale in federal waters off the coast of Virginia. This action—only the third of its kind in over three decades—marks a step toward unlocking the vast mineral potential of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf and reinforcing the nation’s economic and strategic independence.BOEM oversees 3.2 billion acres of the Outer Continental Shelf, an offshore area that exceeds the size of the U.S. landmass.

12 Dec 2025

Boston's Cathleen Stone Island Ferry Undergoes Refit

© Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding

Boston Harbor's MV Outward Bound has returned to Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation for a mid-life refit. Redelivery is planned for spring 2026. 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, which offers experiential outdoor programs for youth and adults on the island in Boston Harbor.Along with installing a new shaft and propeller…

11 Dec 2025

US Administration Targets President Maduro's Family with New Sanctions

© Adobe Stock/alexyz3d

The United States on Thursday issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.The action came as the U.S. executes a large-scale military buildup in the southern Caribbean and as U.S. President Donald Trump campaigns for Maduro's ouster. On Wednesday, Trump said the U.S. had seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela.The U.S.

11 Dec 2025

US Prepares to Seize Additional Tankers Off Venezuela's Coast

© Dmitri / Adobe Stock

The U.S. is preparing to intercept more ships transporting Venezuelan oil following the seizure of a tanker this week, as it increases pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, six sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.The seizure was the first interdiction of an oil cargo or tanker from Venezuela, which has been under U.S. sanctions since 2019. It came as the U.S. executes a large-scale military buildup in the southern Caribbean and as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for Maduro's ouster.The latest U.S.

10 Dec 2025

Trump Administration Seizes Oil Tanker Off Venezuela Coast

© Dmitri / Adobe Stock

The U.S. has seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, a move that sent oil prices higher and sharply escalated tensions between Washington and Caracas"We've just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, large tanker, very large, largest one ever, actually, and other things are happening," said Trump, who has been pressuring Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down.Asked what would happen with the oil, Trump said: "We keep it, I guess."Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Venezuela.

10 Dec 2025

Chevron Among Top Bidders at Gulf of Mexico Oil and Gas Auction

© monticellllo - stock.adobe.com

BP, Chevron and Shell were among the top bidders on Wednesday at the U.S. government's first sale of oil and gas drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico since 2023.The auction, which ended with $279.4 million in high bids, was the first of 30 mandated by U.S. President Donald Trump's tax cut and spending bill, which he signed into law in July.His administration's plans for offshore leasing are a significant departure from that of his predecessor, President Joe Biden, which had planned…

09 Dec 2025

Oil Prices Steady with Ukraine Peace Talks, US Interest Rate Decision Looms

© Adobe Stock/Who is Danny

Oil prices steadied on Tuesday after falling 2% in the previous session, with investors keeping a close eye on peace talks to end Russia's war in Ukraine, concerns about ample supply and a looming decision on U.S. interest rates.Brent crude futures edged 3 cents higher to $62.52 a barrel at 1317 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 4 cents at $58.92 a barrel.Both contracts fell by more than $1 a barrel on Monday after Iraq restored production at Lukoil's West Qurna 2 oilfield, one of the world's largest.Ukraine will share a revised peace plan with the U.S.

21 Nov 2025

Russian Urals Discounts in India Triple Since August as US Sanctions Hit

© Adobe Stock/pdm

Discounts for Russian flagship Urals crude in Indian ports have tripled since August against dated Brent as U.S. sanctions drive key buyers away from Moscow-supplied oil, three sources involved in the trade said.The United States last month imposed its toughest sanctions yet on Russia’s energy sector, targeting oil majors Lukoil and Rosneft. Friday marks the deadline for companies to wind down all dealings with the two producers.Urals crude has been a mainstay feedstock for Indian refiners since 2023, when Moscow redirected flows to Asia after the European Union banned Russian energy.

21 Nov 2025

NOAA to Hold Keel-Laying Ceremony for New Charting, Mapping Vessel

© NOAA

NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations will celebrate the keel-laying for Navigator, the second of two new charting and mapping vessels being constructed for NOAA. The vessel is being built by Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors, LLC., in Houma, Louisiana.The keel-laying is a centuries-old maritime tradition that formally recognizes the start of a ship's construction. During the ceremony, the initials of the ship’s sponsor will be welded onto a steel plate that will be incorporated into…

20 Nov 2025

US Natural Gas Futures Ease 1% on Ample Gas in Storage

© Adobe Stock/SDF_QWE

U.S. natural gas futures eased about 1% on Thursday on near-record output and ample amounts of gas in storage despite near-historic flows to liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plants and forecasts for colder weather and higher demand over the next two weeks than previously expected.The price decline also came despite a federal storage report that showed energy firms pulled gas out of storage for the first time this winter during last week's cold weather.Front-month gas futures for December delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 3.7 cents…

19 Nov 2025

Wärtsilä Water & Waste Achieves 98.2% Compliance in Alaskan Cruise Wastewater Testing

© Wärtsilä

Wärtsilä Water & Waste, part of Wärtsilä, continues to deliver wastewater treatment performance in one of the world’s most closely monitored marine environments through their Hamworthy membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems, according to independent regulatory data from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).During the 2024 Alaska cruise season, fourteen vessels equipped with Wartsila's Hamworthy MBR systems achieved a 98.2% compliance rate under DEC’s public testing program.