President Joe Biden

Top US container ports awarded $1.6B to electrify

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration has released $3 billion in funding aimed at cutting pollution at U.S. ports, with roughly half of that going to electrify some of the country’s largest container operations.

Of the 55 grant applicants across 27 states that were awarded money from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Ports Program, the top five winners – the ports of Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey, Virginia, Baltimore and Oakland, California – received $1.6 billion.

Biden speaking at...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/top-us-container-ports-awarded-1-6b-to-electrify

Biden scolds ocean carriers for not paying dockworkers ‘fair’ wages

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden broke his silence on the labor dispute between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) by accusing employers of hoarding profits.

“Ocean carriers have made record profits since the pandemic and in some cases profits grew in excess of 800 percent compared to their profits prior to the pandemic,” Biden said in a statement issued by the White House on Tuesday, after the ILA went on strike at 14 ports on the...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/biden-scolds-ocean-carriers-for-not-paying-dockworkers-fair-wages

Poll by US Chamber finds voters want Biden to halt potential port strike

WASHINGTON — A national poll conducted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce suggests that a majority of American voters want the federal government to intervene if dockworkers go on strike starting Tuesday.

According to the chamber’s poll, which surveyed 1,467 voters in September, 57% support action on the part of the administration “to keep the ports open and operating while negotiations continue,” while roughly 20% were opposed to federal intervention. The chamber said the poll’s margin of error is...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/poll-by-us-chamber-finds-voters-want-biden-to-halt-potential-port-strike

Republicans push Biden to intervene if dockworkers strike

WASHINGTON — Republicans lawmakers are warning President Joe Biden to get more involved in the dispute between waterfront labor and container terminal operators at East Coast ports or risk a major supply chain disruption starting at the end of the month.

“Given the devastating economic consequences of a potential strike and the Administration’s lack of engagement to date, we urge you to give immediate attention to this matter, to aid in these negotiations, and find a reasonable resolution to...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/republicans-push-biden-to-intervene-if-dockworkers-strike

Report: Biden won’t block dock strike

President Joe Biden won’t intervene to prevent a strike at East and Gulf Coast ports by union longshore workers, according to a published report.

The federal Taft-Hartley Act grants presidents powers to intervene in labor disputes that threaten national security or safety by imposing an 80-day cooling-off period, and forcing employees back to work while negotiations continue.

“We’ve never invoked Taft-Hartley to break a strike and are not considering doing so now,” a Biden administration official...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/report-biden-wont-block-dock-strike

Biden: US will pay to rebuild Francis Scott Key Bridge

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday called for an all-out federal effort to respond to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, including paying to get it rebuilt.

“It’s my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstructing that bridge, and I expect Congress to support my effort,” he said at a White House media briefing. “This is going to take some time; we’re not leaving until this job is done.”

Asked if companies affiliated with the ship that...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/biden-us-will-pay-to-rebuild-francis-scott-key-bridge

White House: U.S. military to build port on Gaza coast

In a White House background briefing this morning on the delivery of humanitarian aid for Gaza, senior officials said that, in his State of the Union speech this evening, President Joe Biden “will announce that he’s directing the U.S. military to lead an emergency mission to establish a port in the Mediterranean, on the Gaza coast, that can receive large ships carrying food, water, medicine, and temporary shelters.”

“This port, the main feature of which is a temporary pier, will provide the...

https://www.marinelog.com/legal/safety-and-security/white-house-u-s-military-to-build-port-on-gaza-coast/

US targets Chinese-made container cranes in spy crackdown

Owners and operators of over 200 Chinese-made container cranes at U.S. ports will be subject to new cyber-risk management requirements aimed at reducing China’s ability to spy on America’s domestic supply chains.

The U.S. Coast Guard on Wednesday announced that owners or operators of Chinese manufactured ship-to-shore (STS) container gantry cranes may now obtain copies of Maritime Security Directive 105-4, which spells out required cyber-risk management actions related to the cranes.

The...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/us-targets-chinese-made-container-cranes-in-spy-crackdown

Biden hails ratification of West Coast dockworker contract

WASHINGTON — Recent success by maritime and trucking labor unions is contributing to lower inflation and making the U.S. economy stronger, according to President Joe Biden.

Biden made that case on Wednesday in remarks delivered in the State Dining Room at the White House.

“I want to thank both sides for working through this and getting it done,” Biden said, referring to the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), whose tentative six-year...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/biden-hails-ratification-of-west-coast-dockworker-contract

VCNO Franchetti Set to be Interim Navy Head as White House Stays Silent on CNO Nominee

Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, speaks to the crew of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) over the ship’s public address system on Feb. 25, 2023. US Navy Photo

However, since news broke that Paparo was the pick following a report from NBC, there has been no official nomination or intent to nominate announcement from the White House.

A Wednesday request for comment from USNI News to the National Security Council on the status of the nomination was not immediately returned.

Ad...

https://news.usni.org/2023/07/12/vcno-franchetti-set-to-be-interim-navy-head-as-white-house-stays-silent-on-cno-nominee

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