Tirrenia Negotiating A Sale And Charter Back For Three Ferries, According To Sardinia Region’s Former President Mauro Pili

Tirrenia is reported to be in negotiation with a Japanese counterpart, for a sale and charter back deal regarding its three most modern ferries SHARDEN, BITHIA and JANA. Source: Mauro Pili, Sardinia region’s former president, in a post on Facebook. Mauro Pili also said that the price for the three...

https://www.ferryshippingnews.com/tirrenia-negotiating-a-sale-and-charter-back-for-three-ferries-according-to-sardinia-regions-former-president-mauro-pili/

Port of St. Helens adopts new name — Port of Columbia County — and new logo

Port of Columbia County's new logo

From The Chronicle:

Port of Columbia County’s new logo

The Port of St. Helens adopted a new name “Port of Columbia County” on July. At its Sept. 12 meeting, the commissioners adopted a new logo reflecting the name change.

Last April, the Port of St. Helens set out to rebrand itself to reflect its mission and operations across all of Columbia County. In July, the commissioners of the port district formally adopted a new name, “Port of Columbia County.” The name, currently “Port of St. Helens,” is...

http://www.longshoreshippingnews.com/2018/09/port-of-st-helens-adopts-new-name-port-of-columbia-county-and-new-logo/

Coast Guard, Florida captains discuss illegal charter boat operations

A Coast Guard crew boarded a vessel near Miami during a sweep to check for illegal charter operations Sept. 1, 2018. Coast Guard photo/ PO3 Brandon Murray.

Fresh off a multistate enforcement blitz, Coast Guard officers met Wednesday with Florida passenger vessel operators to discuss how to stop illegal charter boats.

Prevention officers from Coast Guard sectors Tampa, Jacksonville and Miami met in Clearwater, Fla., with more than 40 members of the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) to talk about combined efforts to stop illegal passenger vessel operations.

“These conversations with legal operators are critical to keeping our waterways safe,” said...

https://www.workboat.com/news/passenger-vessels/coast-guard-florida-captains-meet-on-illegal-charter-boat-operations/

Halter to build accommodations barges for the Navy

New accommodations barges for the Navy are scheduled for delivery by July 2020. U.S. Navy photo

VT Halter Marine, Pascagoula, Miss., has signed a $78 million contract to build barges for Navy crews to live aboard when their ships are laid up for repair, being overhauled or involved in Inter-Deployment Cycles (IDTC). The first two are scheduled for delivery by July 2020, according to published reports.

The agreement includes an option to buy four more barges and other services from Halter, which would put the overall worth of the contract in the $240 million range.

Basic specifications have...

https://www.workboat.com/news/shipbuilding/halter-build-accommodations-barges-navy/

Report to Congress on U.S.-Turkey Relations

The following is the Aug. 31, 2018 Congressional Research Service report Turkey: Background and U.S. Relations.

From the report

Turkey, a NATO ally since 1952, significantly affects a number of key U.S. national security issues in the Middle East and Europe. U.S.-Turkey relations have worsened throughout this decade over several matters, including Syria’s civil war, Turkey-Israel tensions, Turkey-Russia cooperation, and various Turkish domestic developments. The United States and NATO have...

https://news.usni.org/2018/09/20/report-congress-u-s-turkey-relations-2

Pentagon Task Force Looks to Revamp Close-Combat Infantry Training, Lethality

Marines in the Infantry Officer Course fire at an enemy trench during a live fire training exercise at Range 410A aboard the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., June 9, 2018. US Marine Corps

A Pentagon-directed group tasked with making close-combat infantry more lethal and effective has its sights on getting troops into more realistic, immersive training as soon as possible.

At the same time, the joint-service Close Combat Lethality Task Force identified the need to...

https://news.usni.org/2018/09/20/pentagon-task-force-looks-revamp-close-combat-infantry-training-lethality