[The following are exerpts and paraphrasing from testimony given by Matthew O. Paxton, President of the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), to Congress on the morning of February 26, 2025.]While maritime strength and shipbuilding historically have been a cornerstone of global power, shifting times and geopolitical pressures impact readiness and output.
The United States' first Jones Act-compliant offshore wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV), Charybdis, has started sea trials ahead of delivery to Dominion Energy planned for later in 2025.The Seatrium AmFELS shipyard in Bronsville, Texas, has been in charge of the construction of the WTIV vessel, the first of its kind to be build in the United States.
Manson Construction has long been a pillar of the U.S. maritime industry, rooted in a tradition of U.S.-built, U.S.-owned, and U.S.-operated vessels. The company was founded in 1905 by Peter Manson, when he dug up a jar of gold coins [because he didn’t trust the banks] and purchased a winch, a winch that was then put on a barge and that became Manson's first pile driver.
Canada’s Marine Communications and Traffic Services received a MAYDAY on Saturday from the MSC Baltic III as it ran aground located approximately 12 nautical miles outside the entrance to Bay of Islands, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.The vessel reported a loss of power, and unable to secure an anchor in the adverse conditions, grounded in Wild Cove west of Lark Harbour.
President James Earl "Jimmy" Carter passed away on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100.President Carter graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946 with distinction, after which he was assigned to USS Wyoming (E-AG 17) as an ensign. After completing two years of surface ship duty, Carter applied for submarine duty.
Yemen's Houthis said on Sunday they would maintain their maritime blockade against Israeli vessels in response to "intelligence information" regarding Israeli shipping companies selling their assets to other companies.The Iran-aligned Houthis have said they are intensifying their attacks to support Hamas and Hezbollah in their resistance against Israeli actions in the region.
At least seven people were killed after part of a boat dock collapsed, sending at least 20 into the Atlantic waters off the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia.U.S. Coast Guard ships were searching on Saturday night for missing people.The accident, which also caused multiple injuries, happened during a celebration of Sapelo Island's tiny Gullah-Geechee community of Black slave descendants
More than a dozen former U.S. Coast Guard Academy students who say they were victims of sexual assault filed complaints on Thursday seeking $130 million in damages, accusing the school of allowing sexual violence to go unchecked.The former students filed administrative claims with the U.S.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on Thursday that it had received a report of a merchant vessel being boarded 420 nautical miles southeast of Merca, Somalia.UKMTO said in a statement that an unknown number of unauthorized people from two small craft were reported to have boarded the vessel.
Yemen's Houthis said on Wednesday that they had targeted a U.S. warship and a vessel called "Destiny" in the Red Sea, part of an ongoing campaign of attacks that the Iran-backed group says is designed to show solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.In a televised speech, the Houthis' military spokesman Yahya Sarea said they had targeted an American destroyer called "Maysun" in the Red Sea with
New York-based Kalypso Offshore Energy on Monday announced it is teaming up with Dutch marine technology group and shipbuilder Royal IHC to design and construct a Jones Act compliant cable lay vessel (CLV)—the first purpose-built for the U.S. offshore wind market.Under a newly signed letter of intent (LOI), the partners are working together to finalize contract
As Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi once said, “Growth in commercial shipbuilding facilitates growth in the battle fleet.” Sen. Wicker shrewdly recognizes that America’s manufacturing capacity and national security are deeply intertwined. A robust commercial shipbuilding and repair industry is a critical cornerstone of this capacity.