Tag: US

Environmental groups sued the Trump administration, on December 11, over offshore drilling tests, starting a legal fight against a plan that has drawn bipartisan opposition along the Atlantic Coast. 

US LNG export capacity will reach 8.9 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) by the end of 2019, making the country the third largest in the world behind Australia and Qatar, according to EIA forecasts. Currently, US LNG export capacity stands at 3.6 Bcf/d.

Imports at US’s major retail container ports have achieved another new record, the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates reported. Namely, they reached 2 million containers in a single month for the first time, during a time when retailers are bringing merchandise into the country ahead of the tariffs against China.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued an advisory notice concerning the risks of transporting petroleum shipments to Syria. OFAC warns that such actions could breach U.S. sanctions.

The 691-foot-long cruise ship Silver Spirit crashed into a mooring dolphin in Key West, on November 28, due to heavy winds. Because of the crash, Mallory Square will be unusable for three months. The ship was not significantly damaged, while no injuries were reported.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani made a threat earlier this week, to disrupt other countries’ oil shipments through the Gulf, in case the US proceeds with efforts to stop Iranian oil exports. Mr. Rouhani specifically said if the US decides to eventually prevent the export of Iran’s oil, 'then no oil will be exported from the Persian Gulf'.

On December 4, 2018, US President Trump signed the USCG Authorization Act, S. 140, a new bill which includes measures for USCG operations while incorporates the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act. Namely, with this act, USCG is required to draft a policy letter for testing BWMS within 180 days, followed by a 90 day comment period. Totally, the USCG has 360 days after the date of enactment of the Act to come up with a final policy. What is more, this bill has wide implications on US EPA VGP, due in March 2019.

President Trump signed on December 4 the law S. 140, the “Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018”. This law authorizes appropriations for the USCG and for the Federal Maritime Commission through Fiscal Year 2019, reauthorizes the Department of Commerce’s hydrographic services program administered by NOAA through Fiscal Year 2023, and establishes uniform standards for the management of vessel discharge.

NAVCEN, in collaboration with the Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance, developed a program to identify vessels that have not reported their Long Range Identification and Tracking status and are not in compliance with 33 CFR §169.230. Once notified, the USCG will enforce the LRIT reporting requirement.

US NTSB published its report on the allision of the container ship 'Helsinki Bridge', with the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal on December 6, 2017. According to the report, the Massachusetts Port Authority did not provide proper berthing arrangements during ongoing construction at the Conley Container Terminal.