Maritime and Ports

THE AMERICASGuyana’s Ferry Tragedy Exposes Fault Lines in an Oil-Rich Nation
The capsizing of a state-run ferry off Guyana’s coast this month has become more than a maritime disaster. In a country where the state’s capacity is already under scrutiny, the disaster has struck a painful nerve.
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MARITIME CYBERSECURITYResearchers Find Training Gaps Impacting Maritime Cybersecurity Readiness
Whether it’s a fire or a flood, a ship’s crew can only rely on itself and its training in emergencies at sea. The same is true for crews facing digital threats on oil tankers, cargo ships, and other commercial vessels.
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SHIPBUILDINGCollaborating Toward a Shipbuilding Renaissance
By Daniel Justice, Miyeon Oh, Brian Persons
America is a maritime nation, and its security and prosperity are inexorably linked to the sea. Yet the United States has let its ability to design, build, and sustain the fleet of ships that are the backbone of this prosperity atrophy. A maritime nation that cannot build ships cannot long thrive.
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BAD LAWSHow Special Interests Keep Bad Laws on the Books: The Case of the Jones Act
By Colin Grabow
The 1920 Jones Act restricts intra-U.S. water transport to vessels that are U.S.-flagged, U.S.-owned, and built in U.S. shipyards The law serves as a tribute to how entrenched interests can hijack public policy and make the repeal of failed, costly laws among the heaviest of political lifts.
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CHINA WATCHCalls Grow for U.S. to Counter Chinese Control, Influence in Western Ports
By Bing X
Experts say Washington should consider buying back some ports, offer incentives to allies to decouple from China.
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SUPPLY-CHAIN SECURITYThe Great Ripple - How a Tsunami Can Disrupt Global Trade
Shipping facilitates more than 80% of global trade, meaning disruptions to the global port network can have severe consequences for global commerce. Port disruptions are thus costly, very costly.
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CHINA WATCHDownsides of China’s Port Investments Go Beyond Immediate Security Risks
By Raelene Lockhorst
Chinese companies own or operate at least one port on every continent. These investments present more than immediate security concerns; they position China to fully exploit the economic potential of ports at the expense of other countries.
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CHEMICAL SECURITYPreparing our Ports for the Future of Alternative Maritime Fuels
Fuels like ammonia will greatly reduce carbon emissions—better for the environment, but are they safe for our infrastructure? The Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently conducted a market research survey to assess hazards associated with alternative fuel production, storage, and transport at U.S. ports. High-risk ports could be the sites for future ammonia release tests that will inform preparedness and response.
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RADIATION DETECTIONA New Way to Detect Radiation Involving Cheap Ceramics
By Elizabeth A. Thomson
The radiation detectors used today for applications like inspecting cargo ships for smuggled nuclear materials are expensive and cannot operate in harsh environments, among other disadvantages. Work by MIT engineers could lead to plethora of new applications, including better detectors for nuclear materials at ports.
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BALTIMORE BRIDGE ACCIDENTI’ve Captained Ships into Tight Ports Like Baltimore, and This Is How Captains Like Me Work with Harbor Pilots to Avoid Deadly Collisions
By Allan Post
The accident which caused the collapse of the bridge in Baltimore is the third such accident in as many months, with big ships hitting, and causing the collapse, of bridges in China and Argentina. These incidents have highlighted what engineering experts say is the urgent need to improve or protect old bridges to accommodate larger modern vessels – and what maritime experts say is the growing difficulty ship pilots face when helping navigate big ships through tight places.
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PORT SECURITYShoring Up Ports to Withstand Cyberattacks
By Jeff Seldin
There are more than 300 ports in the United States, employing an estimated 31 million Americans, and contributing about $5.4 trillion to the country’s economy The White House is moving forward with reforms aimed at shoring up cybersecurity at U.S. ports, some of which may already be in danger of falling under the sway of hackers linked to China.
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SUPPLY-CHAIN SECURITY5 Technologies Keeping Cargo Ships Safe in Turbulent Times
By Abigail Klein Leichman
Due to Houthi attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea, worldwide shipping is in trouble and the global supply chain faltering. These technologies can help.
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SUPPLY-CHAIN SECURITY'Separate' They Stand: Despite Iran's Support, Houthi Rebels' Independence Gives Tehran Cover
By Michael Scollon
While the Huthis are using an arsenal of Iranian weapons to wreak havoc in the Red Sea and are considered part of Tehran’s “axis of resistance,” the Yemen-based rebel group does not necessarily follow Iran’s commands.
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AFRICAN SECURITYEthiopia and Somalia: Conflict Intensifies Over Port Deal
By David Ehl
Ethiopia’s agreement with breakaway region Somaliland, seeking port access in exchange for potential sovereignty recognition, could cause upheaval in the Horn of Africa. Somalia views it as an attack on its sovereignty.
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CYBERSECURITYBringing Better IT Security on Board
Cyberattacks on industry and critical infrastructure are on the rise across the globe. Targets also include ships, which, by transporting billions of tons of goods around the world each year, form part of international supply chains — yet their on-board IT systems often lack secure protection.
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