Usa News

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the American Waterways Operators (AWO) announced the renewal of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that reaffirms a shared commitment between the chemical industry and the U.S. tugboat, towboat, and barge industry to enhance safety, environmental protection, and security through Responsible Care and AWO’s Responsible Carrier Program (RCP).The agreement renews a streamlined approach that enables Responsible Care Partner companies in the marine…

The Port of Virginia is using a layered approach to strengthen safety throughout its operation by identifying the most common critical risks at its terminals and offices, emphasize safety as a core value and creation of an internal safety brand that serves as a continual reminder for everyone on port property.The effort was recently recognized by Signal Mutual, the insurance carrier for The Port of Virginia, which presented its Executive Leadership Award to Virginia International Terminals Chief Operating Officer Joseph P. “Joe” Ruddy.

U.S. refiners Phillips 66 and Citgo Petroleum are seeking to buy heavy crude directly from Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA starting in April to maximize profits, rather than purchasing through trading houses and U.S. oil major Chevron, according to sources familiar with the efforts.Trading houses Trafigura and Vitol in January secured the first U.S. licenses to export Venezuelan oil as part of a $2 billion deal between Caracas and Washington. Chevron has held an authorization to operate there and ship crude since last year.Refiners in the U.S.

Oil prices edged up on Monday as investors weighed the market implications of upcoming U.S.-Iran talks aimed at de-escalating tensions against a backdrop of expected OPEC+ supply increases.Brent crude futures settled 90 cents, or 1.33%, higher at $68.65 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $63.75 a barrel, up 86 cents, or 1.37% at 2:14 p.m. EST (GMT 1914). The contract did not have settlement on Monday because of the U.S. Presidents Day holiday.Fears of supply disruption from the U.S.-Iran tensions have helped keep oil prices stable…

President Donald Trump denounced a clean energy agreement between the United Kingdom and California Governor Gavin Newsom hours after it was signed on Monday, Politico reported.In an interview with the outlet, Trump said it was "inappropriate" for Britain to be dealing with the Democratic governor. Trump, a Republican, also branded Newsom "a loser," saying "his state has gone to hell, and his environmental work is a disaster.”Newsom is an outspoken Trump critic and has publicly…

A U.S. warship and a Navy supply vessel collided during refueling Wednesday afternoon, the U.S. Southern Command told Reuters in an emailed statement on Thursday.The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Truxtun and the Supply-class fast combat support ship USNS Supply collided during a replenishment at sea, said the statement from the Southern Command, whose areas of responsibility include Central and South America and the Caribbean.

The Panama Canal and the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) designed to strengthen their collaboration through the enhancement of global trade with U.S. agricultural products. Under the terms of the MOU, the Panama Canal and USGBC will collaborate on joint market efforts like economic analysis, as well as sharing trade and logistical data. Through this type of cooperation, the partnership will support an increasing international demand for U.S.

Kuwait Oil Company is in talks with some U.S. firms including Devon Energy and EOG on potential cooperation to develop its shale oil and gas resources, its CEO said on Thursday.KOC is "engaging with some U.S. operators to explore how their expertise can support the development of Kuwait’s shale oil and shale gas resources", Ahmad Al-Eidan said on the sidelines of the Kuwait Oil & Gas Show.This would be the first time Kuwait has sought to develop its shale oil and shale gas resources…

U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (lakers) carried 71.3 million tons of cargo in 2025, an 8.9 percent decrease from a year ago. 2025 cargo movement on the Great Lakes was 8.1 percent below the fleet’s 5-year average.Except for salt shipments, which increased by 4.1 percent, all commodity shipments decreased in 2025. Iron ore shipments were down 10.8 percent from 2024 to 39.1 million tons. Coal cargos declined to 6.5 million tons, a decrease of 12 percent. Limestone shipments of 20.1 million tons were below last year’s shipments by 4.7 percent.

The Port of Virginia is continuing to modernize and expand its operations and recently debuted additional capacity to safely handle simultaneous calls of ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs).In late January, the port put four new, all-electric, Suez-class ship-to-shore container cranes into service at Norfolk International Terminals (NIT). With the expanded crane fleet at NIT, the port now has the capacity to accommodate four ULCVs at once. Today, the port has 29 ship-to-shore…

Venezuelan oil exports rose to some 800,000 barrels per day (bpd) in January, from 498,000 bpd in December, after the U.S. capture of Nicolas Maduro and the ending of an oil blockade which has let traders carry most exports, shipping data showed.Washington imposed an oil embargo on the U.S.-sanctioned country in December to pressure Maduro and seized seven tankers.The blockade led to the accumulation of more than 40 million barrels of crude and fuel in onshore tanks and vessels…

As part of a broader effort to unleash American energy by encouraging oil and gas exploration and production on federal lands and waters, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced the Final Notice of Sale for the Cook Inlet Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sale 1. Officially authorized under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” and commonly known as BBC1, this marks the first of six lease sales in Alaska’s Cook Inlet required by the legislation.“Regular and predictable federal leasing is the minimum standard for maintaining domestic energy production…

Lady Kailani, a new 20-meter (65 foot) luxury catamaran designed by Incat Crowther for Kauai Sea Tours in Hawai'i, is now in service offering tours along Kauai’s Nā Pali Coast.The successful delivery of Lady Kailani by south Louisiana shipyard Breaux Brothers Enterprises has allowed the tourism operator to expand to year-round tourism experiences in Kauai, Hawai'i.The multifunctional vessel has been designed to provide a luxurious and immersive tourism experience. Lady Kailani has a custom hydraulic swim platform providing snorkeling and ocean access.

Oil producer Chevron is set to boost exports of Venezuelan crude to the U.S. to some 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) in March, from 100,000 bpd in December and some 230,000 bpd so far this month, two sources with knowledge of the plans said on Wednesday.The U.S. company, which is the main partner of Venezuela's state-run energy firm PDVSA, has chartered about a dozen tankers to increase shipments and drain inventories accumulated at its projects since December, when a U.S. blockade hit the OPEC country's exports…

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. and was then renamed Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company.Several years later, the shipyard delivered its first vessel, the tugboat Dorothy, named for the daughter of William C. Whitney, the 31st Secretary of the Navy.

Pole Star Defense closed Q4 2025 with two federal wins: a $36 million, three-year renewal with the U.S. Coast Guard and a new five-year contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Together, the awards extend the company’s role as a provider of maritime domain awareness to U.S. government customers. The Coast Guard renewal builds on a partnership first established in 2020 with a $50 million award. Under the extended agreement, Pole Star Defense continues to deliver vessel tracking, system modernization, and cloud-based analytics that support Coast Guard operations nationwide.

Family members of two men killed in a U.S. missile strike against a suspected drug boat near Venezuela filed a wrongful death lawsuit on Tuesday, alleging the pair were murdered in a "manifestly unlawful" military campaign targeting civilian vessels.Civil rights lawyers filed the lawsuit in Boston's federal court, marking the first court challenge to one of the 36 U.S. missile strikes on vessels in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean authorized by President Donald Trump's administration…

The militaries of the Philippines and the United States sailed together this week at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, Manila's armed forces said on Tuesday, in joint exercises aimed at easing cooperation between the treaty allies.Military engagements between them have soared under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has pivoted closer to Washington in response to China's growing presence in the South China Sea.The 11th such drill between the United States and…

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) began icebreaking operations in the Southern Ocean in support of Operation Deep Freeze 2026 and marked its 50th year of commissioned service Saturday by freeing and escorting a cruise ship trapped in pack ice.The Australian-owned cruise ship Scenic Eclipse II contacted Polar Star at approximately 11 p.m., local time Friday after becoming beset in pack ice roughly eight nautical miles from McMurdo Sound. Polar Star’s crew conducted two close passes to break the vessel free…

Swedish exports to the United States could fall by as much as 28% if President Donald Trump carries out his threat to impose additional tariffs on Sweden and some industrial sectors could see a decline of 50%, Sweden's Board of Trade said on Tuesday.Trump has threatened tariffs on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and Britain after they sent small groups of military personnel to Greenland at Copenhagen's request.Trump has said tariffs will start at 10% on February 1, rising to 25% on June 1, and would continue until a deal is reached for the U.S.

Two of San Diego Bay’s most cherished working vessels have earned national recognition. The Silvergate (built in 1940) and the Cabrillo have been officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Both vessels are owned and operated by Flagship Cruises & Events, San Diego’s oldest family-owned maritime fleet.This designation acknowledges the cultural, architectural, and maritime significance of the vessels, which are among San Diego’s last remaining historic ferries still operating on the water.

The U.S. Coast Guard has unveiled a rapid-response approach that identifies, prototypes and delivers breakthrough technologies to meet urgent operational needs and drives accelerated transition to programs. The Office of Rapid Response and Prototyping (CG-RAPTOR) is accelerating the “idea-to-operations” cycle, rolling our solutions within 30, 60, and 90 days through collaboration with operators, industry leaders and subject matter experts.The standup of CG-RAPTOR comes amid Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s push to change how the Coast Guard operates.

The Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), the national association representing the U.S. shipbuilding, maintenance and repair industry, announced its new Board of Directors leadership David Carver, President of General Dynamics NASSCO, is ascending from his position as Vice Chairman to Chairman of the Board, assuming the role from Brad Moyer, Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Planning at BAE Systems.Mr. Carver has been a dedicated member of the SCA Board of Directors and has 38 years of shipbuilding and ship repair experience, bringing leadership to his new role.