Representation Image The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced the availability of $316 million to support and upgrade passenger ferry services across the country. A percentage of Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds will go towards various initiatives to build capital projects, purchase low-emission ferries, and advance ferry services in rural areas. The intent is to increase transportation options and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while offering employment opportunities. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg mentione ..read more

Image Credits: Wikipedia A US Navy ship assigned to help build a dock for transporting crucial supplies to Gaza people was forced to return due to an engine room fire, according to the US Navy. On April 11, the USNS 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo was en route to the eastern Mediterranean Sea when the fire broke out. Although the crew was able to extinguish the fire using portable extinguishers and evacuate the area, the ship was forced to return to Jacksonville, Florida, with only one engine for further inspection, according to a Navy statement issued on April 17, 2024. This setback comes as the Pentag ..read more

Representation Image In response to the recent Iranian missile strike against Israel, the Indian government has placed the country’s Navy on high alert. This approach intends to respond quickly to distress signals sent by vessels transiting the stormy Persian Gulf region, regardless of whether they fly the Indian flag or belong to a foreign flag carrier. The Indian Shipping Ministry has collaborated with the Indian Navy to set up programs to rescue distressed ships and address security concerns along critical maritime routes in sensitive locations. These regions are the Arabian Sea, the Bab-e ..read more

Screengrab from YouTube video posted by FOX 5 Washington DC The most recent incident occurred on 5 April, less than two weeks after the Baltimore catastrophe. A huge container vessel suffered propulsion failure near a bridge linking New Jersey to New York. The APL Qingdao — stretching over 1,100 feet — experienced engine failure while navigating a narrow Kill Van Kull passage underneath the Bayonne Bridge, which several thousands of commuters use daily. Maritime chatter refers to it as a “dead ship.” Three tugboats were called to guide the vessel to safety. The vessel was compelled to drop an ..read more

Representation Image The container market has suffered a substantial setback due to the COVID-19 epidemic, with 24.6 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) removed from its expected growth trajectory. Over the last four years, the industry has experienced significantly lower-than-expected global economic growth and a significant fall in the GDP multiplier, which measures market growth relative to economic growth. The International Monetary Fund initially predicted that the global economy would grow at an average annual rate of 3.5% from 2020 to 2023, similar to the pre-pandemic period. Ho ..read more

Representation Image In reaction to the escalating threats posed by the Iran-backed Houthi attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea, Rear Admiral Vasileios Gryparis, the head of a European Union force protecting these vessels, highlighted the urgent need for more warships deployment to increase freight traffic. Gryparis cited Operational Aspides’ victory in safeguarding international shipping with the successful escort of 79 vessels without any reported damage. Admiral Vasileios Gryparis pointed out the logistical challenges posed by the extensive areas that require security, emphasising the ins ..read more

Representation Image A grave incident occurred on Saturday morning, 13 April 2024, involving the seizure of MSC Aries in the Strait of Hormuz. So far, it is known that the MSC Aries, owned by Gortal Shipping Inc., was seized by Iran’s authorities in the Strait of Hormuz on 13 April as it sailed in international waters. MSC has assured that the vessel’s 25 crew members are currently safe. There are discussions ongoing with the relevant Iranian authorities to ensure their earliest release. MSC is working with the Iranian authorities to have the cargo released. MSC will continue providing regula ..read more

Image Credits: US Navy/Twitter In an attempt to counter threats, the US Navy has, so far, fired almost $1 billion in missiles from Iran and other proxy forces in the past six months, the sea service’s leading civilian official disclosed on Tuesday. The disclosure also underscores the depth — and the rising financial cost — of the US Navy’s involvement in the Middle East. American aircraft and warships operating in the waters of the Red Sea have been targeting and shooting down scores of Houthi drones and missiles since October 2023. They have also sent targeted preemptive strikes against the ..read more

Representation Image For the first time on 14 April 2024, Arleigh Burke-class missile destroyers deployed Standard Missile-3 interceptors to counter an Iranian ballistic missile attack on Israel. The operation in the Eastern Mediterranean involved the USS Carney (DDG-64) and USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), which fired four to seven SM-3s to intercept Iran’s ballistIran’ssiles. As confirmed by defence sector sources, this marks the first-ever combat use of SM-3 interceptors. The Israel Defense Force mentioned that Iran fired 350 missiles and drones targeting Israel. These were loaded with 60 tons ..read more

Representation Image Greece has become the first European nation to ban bottom trawling in its national marine parks and protected areas. The country said it will invest €780 million to safeguard the diverse and unique marine ecosystems. The Greek PM, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, informed the delegates at the Our Ocean conference in Athens on Tuesday that they have established two more marine national parks, one in the Ionian and one in the Aegean. This will boost the size of marine protected areas by almost 80% and span one-third of the country’s marine territorial waters. They plan to ban bottom tr ..read more