The barge Defiant was refloated from the Castillo San Felipe del Morro shoreline in San Juan Harbor, Wednesday at approximately 2:22 a.m., just before high tide.Salvage crews and tugboat operators prepositioned three tugboats and completed all the preparations, including the pressurization of all cargo tanks, voids and compartments in the barge.
HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division is marking 140 years of service to the US today, January 28, 2026.On Jan. 28, 1886, Collis P. Huntington, a businessman whose investments enabled completion of the U.S. transcontinental railroad, turned his focus to shipbuilding, establishing what was first chartered as Chesapeake Dry Dock and Construction Co.
The ABS Board of Directors has elected John McDonald as the new Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ABS at a board meeting on November 11.In the culmination of a well-planned succession process, McDonald, the serving ABS President and Chief Operating Officer, will take over on January 1, 2026, when present ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki retires.
The impact of software on the performance of vessels and fleets was described by ABS Chairman and Chief Executive Christopher J. Wiernicki at a launch event in Greece for ABS Wavesight Advantage, a new intelligent platform.“In an industry where every ton and every ton-mile counts, ABS Wavesight Advantage puts the Power of One in your corner.
Colonna’s Shipyard is a fifth-generation, family-owned medium-sized shipbuilder, led by Randall Crutchfield, Chairman & CEO, today. Founded in 1875 by 26-year-old ship carpenter Charles J. Colonna with a $2,000 loan from his brother, he founded a company that has not only withstood the test of time
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has announced that the Maritime Administration (MARAD) has awarded $8.75 million in grants to revitalize U.S. shipyards and advance America’s maritime dominance.The funding is part of the Small Shipyard Grant program, which supports advanced training, workforce development and new technologies that strengthen U.S. shipbuilding and repair capabilities.
At the 163rd ABS Annual Members Meeting, the classification society says it has never been stronger, with substantial growth and leading safety performance reported. Key numbers in 2004 included the fleet growing to 300 million gross tons, giving it pole position in global class in global new order share with 22 percent.
Performance Shipping reported its third-quarter financial results for 2025, highlighting solid fleet performance amidst softer market conditions.For the three months ending September 30, 2025, the company posted net income of $3.9 million, a decrease from $12.4 million in the same period in 2024.
The International Propeller Club announced its newly elected officers for 2025–2027. Members elected Costis J. Frangoulis, President of the Propeller Club of Piraeus, Greece, as International President at the Club’s 98th Annual International Convention in Lyon, France—a milestone that also marks the first non-American to hold the presidency in the organization’s 98-year history.
The United Seamen’s Service (USS) announced that the 56th annual Admiral of the Ocean Sea (AOTOS) Awards will honor three champions of American maritime: Captain Willie Barrere, National President of American Maritime Officers; Edward F. Hanley, Chief Operating Officer of Maersk Line, Limited and Vincent J. Marino, Chief Executive Officer of CMC-ITI-CCS.
On July 4, the NYK-TDG Maritime Academy (NTMA), a merchant marine academy jointly operated by NYK and the Transnational Diversified Group (TDG) near Manila, Philippines, held a commencement ceremony for 80 students, the academy’s 14th batch of graduates.The ceremony was attended by many distinguished guests, including Kazuya Endo
ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki was honored by The Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI), receiving the 2025 Silver Bell Award for lifelong service and outstanding leadership in the maritime industry.SCI is a nearly 200-year-old charity headquartered in New York that serves and protects the personal and professional lives of mariners and seafarers, both internationally and domestically