Topic Links Maritime trade is essential to America's economic viability and national security interests. The U.S. Marine Transportation System (MTS) – comprising an intricate system of ports, terminals, vessels, waterways and...more
3/21/2024
/ Biden Administration ,
Coast Guard ,
Cyber Espionage ,
Cybersecurity ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Espionage ,
Executive Orders ,
Maritime Transport ,
Ports ,
Risk Mitigation ,
Vessels
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails. – William Arthur Ward The U.S. maritime industry is much like a great ship: It is subject to unforeseen forces, and it...more
1/12/2024
/ China ,
Climate Change ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Federal Maritime Commission ,
Geopolitical Risks ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Greenwashing ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
Iran ,
Maritime Transport ,
Military Conflict ,
Oil Prices ,
Popular ,
Presidential Elections ,
Russia ,
Shipping ,
Shipping Cargo ,
Vessels
The U.S. maritime industry is steeped in tradition and sometimes takes a conservative approach to change. Even when the industry has protocols in place to ensure safety of mariners, in some cases it takes an act of...more
11/30/2023
/ Coast Guard ,
Compliance ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Maritime Transport ,
New Guidance ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Policy Statement ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Safety Standards ,
Sexual Assault ,
Sexual Harassment ,
Statutory Requirements ,
Surveillance ,
Vessels
The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Oct. 12, 2023, designated two tank vessels and their registered owners as Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) for allegedly transporting...more
Many legal questions have been raised during the last 120 hours; initially when communications had been lost with Titan, a submersible operated by OceanGate Inc., a corporation based in Everett, Washington, and then on the...more
As an update to an earlier Holland & Knight alert on the same topic, the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) has published another determination pursuant to Executive Order 14071 expanding...more
2/8/2023
/ Australia ,
Biden Administration ,
Crude Oil ,
Economic Sanctions ,
EU ,
Executive Orders ,
Exports ,
G7 ,
Maritime Transport ,
Military Conflict ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Oil & Gas ,
Oil Prices ,
Petroleum ,
Russia ,
Tariffs ,
Ukraine
The U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) on Nov. 21, 2022, published a determination pursuant to E.O. 14071 prohibiting U.S. persons from providing certain services related to the maritime...more
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) announced on Sept. 13, 2022, that it is seeking public comment on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) addressing what constitutes an unreasonable refusal to deal or negotiate with...more
Commissioner Rebecca F. Dye of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC or the Commission) has released her Final Report for Fact Finding 29 titled "The Effects of COVID-19 on the U.S. International Ocean Transportation Supply...more
The Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) has released SHIPSALE 22, a new standard contract form for use by commercial sellers and purchasers of vessels. SHIPSALE 22 is intended to replace the popular SALEFORM...more
In the past week, the White House has launched additional salvos of sanctions against the Russian Federation in response to its continued efforts to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. This Holland...more
3/15/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Energy Sector ,
Executive Orders ,
General Licenses ,
Imports ,
Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ,
Russia ,
Shipping ,
Trade Restrictions ,
Ukraine
As sanctions continue to ratchet up in response to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, global responses in the maritime sector are moving at breakneck speed. Indeed, several governments are taking steps to block vessels...more
3/4/2022
/ Asset Seizure ,
Biden Administration ,
Canada ,
Coast Guard ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Foreign Policy ,
Ports ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Russia ,
UK ,
Ukraine ,
Vessels
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC or the Commission) met during both open and closed session on Jan. 27, 2022, to discuss the Commission's efforts to address ocean carriers' detention and demurrage practices, as well as...more
2/8/2022
/ Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) ,
Antitrust Division ,
Biden Administration ,
Common Carriers ,
Competition ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Maritime Commission ,
Maritime Transport ,
Memorandum of Understanding ,
Shipping ,
Shipping Cargo ,
Vessels
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) announced on Sept. 15, 2021, that it would move forward with two demurrage-and-detention related initiatives proposed by Commissioner Rebecca F. Dye as part of Fact Finding 29.
The...more
While the United States continues to assess the full scope of the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Ida on the U.S. Gulf Coast, national media have already reported shortages of oil and fuel supplies, as well as food and...more
Cargo congestion has reached historic proportions during the COVID-19 pandemic as the demand for imports by U.S. consumers and businesses has skyrocketed combined with an increase in operational disruptions. The effect has...more
With President Joe Biden's 100th-day milestone approaching on April 30, 2021, the U.S. Coast Guard is holding a steady course on its expectations, including those related to environmental stewardship, innovation and...more
4/30/2021
/ Automation Systems ,
Biden Administration ,
Biofuel ,
Coast Guard ,
Cyber Threats ,
Cybersecurity ,
Environmental Policies ,
Infrastructure ,
Innovation ,
Maritime Transport ,
Natural Gas ,
Renewable Energy ,
Technology ,
Transportation Industry
Under the Biden Administration, environmental sustainability as a means to combat climate change has been thrust into the spotlight as an emerging national imperative. This was made clear through President Joe Biden's...more
4/21/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Biofuel ,
Climate Change ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Executive Orders ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
International Maritime Organization (IMO) ,
Paris Agreement ,
Renewable Energy ,
Sustainability
International seaborne transportation is a primary driver of international trade and the global economy, with approximately 80 percent of global trade by volume carried by ships at sea. The shipping sector has experienced...more
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) earlier this year for the first time expressly found that the Jones Act applies to transportation of merchandise from a U.S. port to a location on the U.S. outer continental shelf...more
In a ruling dated Jan. 27, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for the first time expressly found that the Jones Act applies to transportation of merchandise from a U.S. port to a location on the outer continental...more
Daily life has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many expect that some of these changes will become part of the "new normal" when the pandemic is over. The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has gotten a head start on this...more
As the new Biden Administration takes the helm in January 2021, there are great expectations for the next year in terms of consistency and stability at the federal level. Generally, industry can expect the U.S. Coast Guard...more
1/11/2021
/ Ballast Water Management ,
Biden Administration ,
Clean Energy ,
Coast Guard ,
Compliance ,
Cybersecurity ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Green Deal ,
IMO Sulfur Cap ,
International Maritime Organization (IMO) ,
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) ,
Offshore Wind ,
Paris Agreement ,
Popular