U.S. Maritime Administration

Security specialist nominated to lead US maritime agency

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has nominated an ex-naval officer and staunch advocate for rebuilding the country’s maritime capabilities to be administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration, according to Senate documents filed on Monday.

Maritime Administration nominee Brent Sadler. Credit: Heritage Foundation

Brent Sadler, a senior fellow at the conservative-leaning Heritage Foundation, has been chosen to head the agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation responsible for...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/security-specialist-nominated-to-lead-us-maritime-agency

FMC investigating Spain’s alleged blocking of US ships

WASHINGTON — The Federal Maritime Commission has launched an investigation into allegations that Spain has been denying certain U.S-flagged vessels entry to its ports. Separately, Spanish authorities say a Danish-flagged ship was denied entry because it was carrying military weapons to Israel.

The FMC was informed Nov. 19 that Spain had denied entry to at least three vessels, including some that are participants in the U.S. Maritime Administration’s (MarAd) Maritime Security Program (MSP), the...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmc-investigating-spains-alleged-blocking-of-us-ships

DOT pumping more truck capacity into US ports

WASHINGTON — About $290 million of $653 million in new federal grants awarded by the Biden administration will be used to improve truck capacity at U.S. ports.

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Friday the winners of the latest annual round of funding under the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), administered by DOT’s Maritime Administration.

Of the 41 port projects receiving money through the program in 2023, 11 feature significant improvements aimed at speeding truck...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/dot-pumping-more-truck-capacity-into-us-ports

Feds call attention to maritime ‘near misses’

WASHINGTON — Federal officials are pushing the U.S. maritime industry to submit to the government information on incidents that had nearly resulted in vessel collisions as a way to improve safety.

The Safe Maritime Transportation System (SafeMTS), a database that will store voluntary “near-miss” incidents, is being developed through an interagency agreement between the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) and the U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd).

SafeMT...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/feds-call-attention-to-maritime-near-misses

Feds dodging US-flag ship cargo rules, GAO reveals

US aid cargo being unloaded

Government watchdogs have found that a lack of oversight by maritime regulators is allowing federal agencies to evade laws requiring that certain amounts of international cargoes move on U.S.-flag ships.

A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, “Actions Needed to Enhance Cargo Preference Oversight,” which will be the focus of a congressional hearing Wednesday, concluded that without additional efforts by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) to develop regulations and enforce...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/feds-dodging-us-flag-ship-cargo-rules-gao-reveals

Jaxport ready for larger container ships

Jaxport on Monday celebrated the completion of the deepening of 11 miles of the federal shipping channel to 47 feet. 

The St. Johns River shipping channel from Mayport Naval Station to Jacksonville, Florida’s, Blount Island had been 40 feet deep. 

Port authority officials were joined by local, state and federal leaders as well as representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District in a ribbon-cutting Monday.

“Florida’s seaports are economic drivers for our state and serve as...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/jaxport-ready-for-larger-container-ships

Senate confirms Phillips to lead Maritime Administration

Marad Administrator nominee Ann Phillips and container shipPhillips

The Senate voted 75-22 on Tuesday to confirm Ann Phillips to lead the U.S. Maritime Administration as pressure builds to ensure historic levels of funding for port infrastructure are used to help speed cargo through supply chains.

After she is sworn in, Phillips will replace Lucinda Lessley, who has been serving as the agency’s acting administrator. Lessley was named to lead Marad after Administrator Mark Buzby stepped down in the wake of the U.S. Capitol riots in January 2021.

Phillips, who...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/senate-confirms-phillips-to-lead-maritime-administration

Port of Long Beach on-dock rail facility moves closer to construction

A photograph of a port near a body of water.

The U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd) has issued a final environmental impact statement for the Port of Long Beach’s Pier B on-dock rail facility, bringing the planned project one step closer to fruition.

MarAd released the 382-page statement with its approval for the $1.5 billion project, which the Port of Long Beach describes as the centerpiece of its rail improvement program, on Friday.

“Simply put, the Pier B on-dock rail support facility will move cargo faster and with fewer environmental...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/port-of-long-beach-on-dock-rail-facility-moves-closer-to-construction

DOT seeks staff increases to help issue new trucking regulations

Federal agencies responsible for truck safety are requesting significant staffing level increases to help issue and oversee new regulations in fiscal year 2023.

According to the FY23 budget request released by the White House on Monday, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will look to boost full-time staffing levels from 1,186 positions that were part of the agency’s 2022 budget estimate to 1,285 in the FY23 request, an 8.3% increase. The National Highway Traffic Safety...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/dot-seeks-staff-increases-to-help-issue-new-trucking-regulations

$450 million in port grants aimed at cutting consumer costs

The U.S. Maritime Administration announced on Wednesday nearly $450 million in FY22 competitive grant funding for projects to help ports speed cargo flows and ultimately lower costs for consumers.

That amount, to be made available through MARAD’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), nearly doubles the amount released late last year in FY21 grants.

Under the $1.2 trillion infrastructure law, the $2.25 billion in total funds allocated for the program for fiscal years 2022 through 2026...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/450-million-in-port-grants-aimed-at-cutting-consumer-costs

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