The US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) reported $6,790,000 in grants to three Marine Highway projects. The funding will go towards improving the already existent services in Louisiana and Virginia and also will boost the development of a new New York project.
Sentinel Midstream, a Texas-based midstream solution provider, is the latest company to present its designs for the development of a new deepwater terminal, located near Freeport, Texas. The proposed Texas Gulflink will be capable of fully loading Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) vessels.
US Maritime Administration (MARAD) noted that in 2018 there were 18 reports concerning boardings, attempted boardings, attacks, hijackings, and kidnappings in the Sulu and Celebes Seas. The recent kidnappings in the area, were linked to the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), an, allegedly, violent Islamic separatist group operating in the southern Philippines.
According to the US Maritime Administration, GPS interference has been reported near Jeddah Port, Saudi Arabia, near the position 21-29N, 039-09E on October 15th and 18th, 2018. These incidents have not been confirmed, but according to MARAD, this interference is resulting in either inaccurate positions or no position.
The US Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced $4,872,000 in grants to six Marine Highway projects. The funding aims to enhance existing marine highways serving ports in Louisiana, Virginia, New York, and Connecticut, and support the development of new container-on-barge services in Kentucky and Rhode Island.
Regional conflict and piracy threats continue to pose potential risks to commercial vessels operating in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Indian Ocean, warned the US MARAD. US flagged commercial vessels are advised to avoid entering or loitering near Yemen’s Red Sea ports.
The US Center for Disease Control issued a Travel Health Alert Notice regarding Measles outbreaks in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Pacific, noting that measles remains a common disease in these regions. CDC warned that anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk of getting infected when they travel internationally.
The US National Park Service, along with the US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration will allocate $2.6 million in maritime heritage grants to assist funding 34 preservation and education projects in 14 states and the Northern Mariana Islands. These grants aim to teach about sites related to US’s maritime history.
The US MARAD announced the availability of $19.6 million in federal funding to support capital improvements and employee training at small US shipyards. The grants are provided under the Small Shipyard Grant Program, to help eligible shipyards modernize operations and increase efficiency.
US MARAD issued an alert highlighting the need for vigilance in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, and Gulf of Oman. US flagged commercial vessels are advised to navigate at least 200nm off the Somali coast to the extent practicable and follow the BMP4 guidance.
