MILWAUKEE (AP) — Two members of the Marquette men’s lacrosse team were killed in a car wreck Friday night near the school’s campus in downtown Milwaukee. Marquette officials confirmed that […]
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A sign is seen outside the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center at Weaverville Town Hall on March 29, 2025 in Weaverville, North Carolina. (Photo by Allison Joyce/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON — A broadly bipartisan bill to overhaul and elevate the Federal Emergency Management Agency is heading toward the U.S. House floor after a key committee approved the legislation.
The Transportation and Infrastructure panel voted 57-3 Sept. 3 to advance the measure, which would make dozens of changes to how the federal government prepares for and responds to natural disasters.
“FEMA is where Americans look for help after what is the worst day in their lives, so it is critical that the agency be postured to respond at all times,” said Arizona Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton, one of the co-sponsors. “This bill gives FEMA independence and tools it needs to respond to disaster.”
Republican Reps. Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Eric Burlison of Missouri and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania voted against reporting the bill to the House floor. Their offices didn’t respond to requests for comment asking why they opposed the legislation.
The 207-page measure, formally called the Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act of 2025, would remove FEMA from the Department of Homeland Security and make it a Cabinet-level agency.
The legislation would create one application for federal natural disaster assistance from FEMA, the Department of Agriculture, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Small Business Administration.
It would also give local and state governments more flexibility in deciding which types of emergency housing best meet the needs of their residents following different natural disasters.
Republicans and Democrats on the committee praised the various changes the measure would make during a two-hour markup that offered an increasingly rare example of bipartisanship on Capitol Hill.
North Carolina Republican Rep. David Rouzer and California Democratic Rep. Laura Friedman both spoke in support of a provision reversing a policy that they said penalized people who received assistance from charities following a natural disaster.
“Too many families who accept a donation from a charity or take an SBA loan to keep the lights on find out later that accepting those essential resources prevents them from receiving other assistance later for which they otherwise would be eligible,” Rouzer said. “This bill makes clear that SBA loans and private charitable donations are not considered duplicative for FEMA individual assistance.”
Friedman said she was shocked to learn that FEMA counted charitable donations against disaster survivors following the Los Angeles wildfires.
That led her to introduce the Don’t Penalize Victims Act with Mississippi Republican Rep. Mike Ezell, which was rolled into the FEMA overhaul bill.
“I want to thank all the members of this committee, and particularly Chair (Sam) Graves and ranking member (Rick) Larsen, for their understanding of the importance of this measure to victims, who were seeing the charity that their churches, that their friends are raising for them be counted as income and deducted from the amount they were getting from FEMA,” Friedman said.
Oregon Democratic Rep. Val Hoyle spoke in support of making FEMA a Cabinet-level department, saying that it’s been bogged down in the Department of Homeland Security since just after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
“After being folded into the Department of Homeland Security, it became buried in layers of bureaucracy,” Hoyle said. “DHS’s sprawling mission — cybersecurity, counterterrorism, immigration enforcement, transportation security and more — has left FEMA less able to act with the speed and agility disaster-stricken communities need.”
Hoyle said the legislation restoring FEMA’s “independence will help insulate disaster relief from” the types of “political pressures” that exist throughout the Homeland Security Department.
Despite the broadly bipartisan support for the legislation within the committee, it will likely undergo some changes in the weeks and months ahead.
House Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., and ranking member Jared Huffman, D-Calif., who both sit on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, raised concerns with elements in the FEMA overhaul bill during the markup.
Westerman said he voted for the bill but expected the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s leadership to work with him to address concerns over “permitting reform issues” that fall under his panel’s jurisdiction.
“There is one provision on the Endangered Species Act that we have concerns with actually being executable the way it’s written,” Westerman said. “Again, that’s something that’s fixable, and we look forward to working with you as we move forward on the bill.”
Huffman said he had concerns about how the FEMA overhaul bill addresses “environmental review statutes,” which fall under the Natural Resources Committee’s purview.
“I, of course, share the goal of cutting red tape. We want disaster-stricken families to be able to rebuild faster. There are ways to do that that also ensure that recovery is durable, resilient and sustainable. That we rebuild once. These are things that (the National Environmental Policy Act) helps to ensure. So I look forward to continuing to work with the committee on this as the bill advances. This is a problem that can be fixed, and I hope it will,” Huffman said.
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee members offered just two amendments to the bill — one adopted by voice vote and one withdrawn.
Indiana Democratic Rep. André Carson received broad support for his amendment to require FEMA to inform members of Congress about grants within their districts, a practice he said has changed during the Trump administration.
“We should not need to mandate transparency and accountability, but if FEMA fails to provide this information, my amendment codifies the traditional notifications to Congress,” Carson said.
Democratic Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, who represents the District of Columbia, offered and then withdrew an amendment that would have required FEMA “to submit to Congress a plan to supply emergency drinking water to the nation’s capital region during any period the Potomac River becomes unusable.”
Offering and then withdrawing an amendment is a common way for members to highlight issues without forcing a vote.
Norton said the Army Corps of Engineers, which is responsible for the city’s water supply, only has sufficient reserves for one day should something happen.
“If the Potomac River becomes unusable, which could happen at any moment whether through manmade or natural events, it would pose a significant risk to the residents of the nation’s capital, the operations of the federal government, national security and the region’s economy,” Norton said.
Congress has partially funded a study to identify a backup drinking water supply and additional water storage facilities. But, Norton said, “any solution is years away.”
A pharmacy advertises COVID-19 testing and vaccinations on Sept. 4 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Several states, including New York, are breaking with restrictive eligibility policies the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has imposed on newly approved COVID-19 vaccines for the fall season. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Several states, including Colorado, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York and Pennsylvania, announced this week that they would be breaking with restrictive eligibility policies unveiled last week by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the newly approved COVID-19 vaccines for the fall season.
In New York, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order Friday morning to authorize pharmacists to provide the shot to anyone who desires it for the next 30 days, which can be renewed.
“When they said that they are not going to be requiring COVID shots and other vaccinations for our families, I said, ‘No, here in New York we will make parents have the option.’ If you want your child to have a COVID shot, it should be available to you and it should be covered by insurance,” Hochul said during a news conference Friday morning, where she signed the order.
“So what I’m doing now is signing an executive order, because extreme times call for extreme measures. And this is the power I have to use in the interim until we are able to have the legislature get back in January and pass legislation that mandates this.”
Previous FDA policy recommended that COVID-19 vaccine booster shots be made available to anyone 6 months or older regardless of their health status. But in August, the federal agency announced restrictions for the new shot.
The FDA limited access to the vaccines to people who are 65 and older and to younger people with at least one underlying health condition, such as asthma or obesity, that would put them at risk of developing a severe illness without a booster shot. Children are eligible only if a medical provider is consulted. Additionally, the Pfizer vaccine, one of the three that were approved, will no longer be available for any child under 5.
“The American people demanded science, safety, and common sense. This framework delivers all three,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote on social media platform X on Aug. 27.
Other states are also taking measures to ensure more people can get access to the vaccines.
On Thursday, Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey ordered health insurers in the state to continue covering the vaccine. The state also issued an order to allow pharmacies to continue providing shots to residents above the age of 5.
Massachusetts is “leading efforts to create a public health collaboration with states in New England and across the Northeast committed to safeguarding public health as the federal government backs away from its responsibilities,” the governor’s office said in a release.
This week, the State Board of Pharmacy in Pennsylvania held a special meeting to vote to bypass federal vaccine recommendations and allow pharmacists to continue administering COVID-19 vaccines.
“Health care decisions should be up to individuals — not the federal government and certainly not RFK Jr. My Administration will continue to protect health care access for all Pennsylvanians,” Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro said.
Colorado and New Mexico took similar steps this week, with state officials signing public health orders asking state agencies to take steps necessary to require insurers to cover the vaccines and instructing pharmacists to provide the shots without a doctor’s note.
Stateline reporter Shalina Chatlani can be reached at schatlani@stateline.org.
This story was originally produced by Stateline, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Wisconsin Examiner, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.
Jimmy Novy, 77, hangs onto a canopy to hold himself up July 29, 2025, in Hillsboro, Wis. Novy is one of 312 permanently and totally disabled individuals in Wisconsin and has been collecting worker’s comp checks from the state since his injury in his late 20s. (Photo by Joe Timmerman/Wisconsin Watch)
Jimmy Novy grew up on a farm with corn, cattle and chickens in Wisconsin’s smallest municipality. Yuba, in the Driftless Area northwest of Madison, covers a third of a square mile. Novy correctly quotes its population in the last census: 53.
In 1967, at age 19, married with a child, Novy got a job at the Rayovac plant in nearby Wonewoc. It made batteries used in walkie-talkies in the Vietnam War.
In his late 20s, Novy learned he had been exposed to manganese, a key component in batteries. He suffered neurological problems that affected his left leg, severely limiting his ability to walk or even maintain his balance.
“The nerves from the brain to my leg, they can’t do nothing about that,” he said.
With four children to raise, Novy turned to Wisconsin’s first-in-the-nation worker’s compensation system. After three years of legal back-and-forth, the state agreed that Novy was permanently and totally disabled (PTD), meaning he was among the worst-off of Wisconsin workers injured on the job. As a result, he qualified for worker’s comp checks for life.
But there was no guarantee of how often those checks would increase.
Now 77, widowed, remarried and using hearing aids and a cane, Novy hasn’t seen an increase in his $1,575 monthly worker’s compensation check — nor have the other more than 300 other PTD recipients — since 2016.
“I can’t make it,” Novy told Wisconsin Watch in mid-July. “I got $8 left in my checkbook right now to last me through the last week of the month.”
“The wife buys food and stuff, otherwise I’d be starving to death,” he added.
Had Novy’s worker’s comp payment kept pace with inflation, which rose 34%, he would have received nearly $21,000 more over the past nine years, according to calculations by University of Wisconsin-Madison economist Menzie Chinn.
Meanwhile, Wisconsin employers have seen their premiums for worker’s compensation insurance decrease 10 years in a row, saving them $206 million in the past year and over $1 billion since 2017, according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association, which is part of the state Worker’s Compensation Advisory Council.
Twenty-three states, including Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota, provide automatic cost-of-living raises for PTD recipients. In Wisconsin, raises have been provided only when they are included in a wide-ranging worker’s compensation “agreed bill,” proposed every two years, and only if the bill becomes law.
That moment might be at hand.
The advisory council has recommended raises for PTD recipients in the next agreed bill, which is being drafted.
The bill still has to be approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature and signed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.
In 1911, Wisconsin became the first state to adopt a comprehensive worker’s compensation law that was upheld as constitutional. Before that, the burden was on the worker to prove that a job injury was the employer’s fault. Now it’s a no-fault system. Workers injured on the job can receive regular payments based on their salary, plus coverage of medical bills to treat their injuries.
Wisconsin’s system has received high marks for getting injured workers back on the job quickly and for worker satisfaction in health care for their injuries.
The money for worker’s compensation checks comes from worker’s compensation insurance companies and from employers who are self-insured for worker’s comp. No tax dollars are involved.
About 21,000 people annually receive Wisconsin worker’s comp checks, the vast majority of them for a temporary period. Only about 500 people receive PTD benefits, and only 300 of them, like Novy, are eligible for raises.
That’s because the 2016 agreed bill limits raises, known as supplementary benefits, only to PTD recipients injured before Jan. 1, 2003.
The process that determines whether PTD raises are granted is not unlike the bargaining that an employer and a union do to reach a contract. Both sides have priorities, and there is horse trading and eventually compromise, at least on some issues.
The Worker’s Compensation Advisory Council is composed mainly of five representatives from management and five from organized labor, though it also includes nonvoting members representing insurance, health care and the Legislature.
Every odd year, the council develops a bill proposing multiple changes to worker’s comp. The process typically takes months of negotiations, said John Dipko, the council’s non-voting chair and administrator of worker’s compensation for the state Department of Workforce Development.
If approved by the Legislature and the governor, the bill becomes law the next year.
That process has produced 11 PTD raises since 1972. The 2016 raise put the maximum PTD payment at $669 per week.
Circumstances have left PTD recipient Scott Meyer better off financially than Novy, but delays in raises have forced Meyer to dip into savings and, as his health conditions worsen, worry about the future.
Meyer grew up outside of Milwaukee, playing in the woods and farm fields of rural Washington County. He was a member of the hockey team at West Bend West High School.
In 1993, at age 19, Meyer was working on a loading dock when a co-worker backing a semi-trailer pinned Meyer between the trailer and the dock. Meyer closed his eyes and tried to remain calm, thinking his right leg was broken.
“One of the paramedics in the ambulance thought that I was unconscious and said to the other paramedic that this was going to be his first fatality call,” Meyer recalled. “And I immediately then knew that something more major had happened.”
Meyer underwent multiple surgeries, spent more than a year in the hospital and dropped to under 100 pounds. He was left a paraplegic.
Though unable to work, Meyer became an Alpine skier in Colorado, where he now lives, competing in the 2014 Paralympics in Sochi, Russia.
Meyer, 51, said he receives about $2,300 per month from worker’s compensation – nearly $370 per month less than what he was paid on the job in 1993.
Meyer, who owns a condominium with his wife, a mental health therapist, said he has been able to live comfortably only by preserving savings, including from a one-time payout he received from his former employer for his injury. But with no raises in nine years, he has had to dip into savings to get by.
Earlier this year, both Novy in an email and Meyer in a video asked the Worker’s Compensation Advisory Council to recommend raises for PTD recipients.
“These are people whose lives are the most severely changed and are legitimately dependent upon these funds,” Meyer told Wisconsin Watch. “We’re talking about pennies on the dollar to the kind of money that is in the system.”
The process that results in PTD raises involves negotiations on a variety of worker’s compensation issues. That has made the road to another raise rocky in recent years.
The Worker’s Compensation Advisory Council’s agreed bill for 2018 would have raised the maximum weekly PTD payment to $711 from $669 and made more PTD people eligible for raises. But the bill also proposed a “fee schedule,” generally opposed by health care organizations, to limit how much health care providers can charge for worker’s comp care. The bill did not pass the Legislature.
Since then, the labor side of the advisory council continued to propose PTD raises, while the management side continued to seek a fee schedule. Wisconsin is one of only a handful of states without one. The two sides did not agree to include PTD raises in their 2020, 2022 and 2024 agreed bills.
A key barrier was cleared when a fee schedule for worker’s comp was included in the 2025-27 state budget adopted in July.
Days later, the advisory council proposed raises for current PTD recipients and made more PTD recipients eligible for raises.
Under the 2026 agreed bill, the injury date for PTD recipients to be eligible for raises would change from Jan. 1, 2003, to Jan. 1, 2020 — making an estimated 210 more people eligible for raises.
The bill would also raise the maximum weekly benefit for PTD recipients to $1,051 from $669 effective Jan. 1, 2026.
And it would add raises each Jan. 1, though those amounts would not be set until shortly before they become effective.
For individuals, the raise amounts would vary based on when they were injured.
For example, a PTD recipient injured in 1985 and receiving $535 a week would get a 57% increase to $840. The increase would amount to nearly $16,000 per year.
Once it’s drafted, the new agreed bill would need a final vote from the advisory council, which is expected in September. Then the bill would be submitted to the labor committees of the state Senate and Assembly.
Council management representatives didn’t reply to calls and emails requesting comment. Wisconsin AFL-CIO President Stephanie Bloomingdale, the lead labor representative, said she understands the frustration over delayed raises. But she said the advisory council system, with management and labor hashing out worker’s compensation issues, provides stability.
Without it, “it would be up to the Legislature, and the whims of the political winds would determine the policy,” she said.
Dipko, the DWD administrator, said the department is sympathetic.
“We agreed that an increase is overdue,” he said.
After waiting this long, Novy isn’t sure what to think. He’s happy he and wife share a $125,000 brick house they own “with the bank,” as he puts it, and for his monthly $1,635 Social Security check, which increases each year. But he has filed for bankruptcy three times, most recently in 2020. He feels that at this stage of his life, he should be more secure, and a raise in worker’s comp would help.
“The Legislature should be — forget Republican, Democrat — just vote for what’s good,” he said.
“I can’t see how come they can’t give us a little raise every year,” he added.
To comment on this story, or to suggest other stories to Wisconsin Watch, contact reporter Tom Kertscher: tkertscher@wisconsinwatch.org.
This article first appeared on Wisconsin Watch and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. To republish, go to the original and consult the Wisconsin Watch republishing guidelines.
Electric vehicles are often celebrated as a glimpse of the future, but real-world ownership can sometimes deliver a harsher reality. While the Rivian R1T has earned plenty of praise since its release, there have been recurring stories about reliability issues and inconsistent service experiences.
A recent account from one Rivian owner in the United States highlights the kind of breakdown that could make potential buyers pause before signing on the dotted line.
Read: Bricked Screens, Greasy Fingerprints – A Rivian Driver’s Frustrating Service Journey
According to this driver, his nine-month old R1T abruptly locked up while he was cruising through his neighborhood, leaving him no choice but to call for a tow. He shared the experience on Reddit, where he expressed doubts about the truck’s reliability and Rivian’s response in situations like this.
A Sudden Breakdown
The owner says that while he was slowing to a stop in the green R1T, the vehicle seized up, the wheels skidded, and the entire EV shuddered. Moments later, it randomly shifted into neutral, and every warning light was illuminated on the instrument cluster. The issues didn’t stop there as a “terrible smelling smoke” then started to enter the cabin from under the center console.
To make matters worse, he says he had to stay inside the pickup as smoke filled the cabin because if he dared to lift his foot off the brake pedal, he says the Rivian would roll have backward.
Understandably, the incident has left the owner rather shaken. In the past, he questioned what could have happened had the alleged catastrophic failure occurred while he was driving on the highway, or if there were other cars nearby. “I could have slammed into someone! I can’t trust this vehicle ever again. I wouldn’t let my family be in it,” he wrote in the post.
The Towing Headache
The process of towing the vehicle also proved to be quite a headache for the owner. He says he decided to use his roadside insurance to get the R1T towed to a local Rivian service center, but was then given a “five-minute lecture” from a Rivian representative for not calling the carmaker directly.
“When I called Rivian support to confirm that my tow truck could just take it straight to the service center I had to listen to the rep lecture me on how I should have called Rivian first and not have used my roadside insurance,” he said.
“Seriously a five minute lecture while my foot was on the brake, my hand was propping the door slightly ajar so I could air out the cabin, all the while trying to signal to traffic to go around (people were nicely stopping and asking if I was alright),” the owner added.
Also: Rivian Owner’s Quality And Service Nightmares Expose The Pain Of Being A ‘Beta Tester’
At the time of writing, the owner hadn’t provided any updates about their electric pickup, and didn’t mention if Rivian had looked at the EV to determine what the problem was. If the incident unfolded as the owner claims, then it seems likely the R1T suffered either a serious mechanical or electrical malfunction, which left it stranded.
Rough R1T Experience – Will never go Rivian again
byu/lekun inRivian
Love’ em or hate’ em, electric vehicles are, on average, pricier to buy than their ICE counterparts. A new study suggests that they’re more expensive to insure as well – and we’re not talking about a few basis points. However, after digging into the details, the results are not as clear-cut as they seem.
More: Filing A $100K Insurance Claim For A Crash Works Better If You’re Actually In Your Porsche
The data in question comes from a study by Insurify. It leveraged over 97 million insurance quotes to determine the average rate for gas-powered and electric cars. Rates reflect full coverage on a 2020 model year or newer. In most cases, the quoted figures reflect a driver with a clean record and good or better credit. Overall, it says that EV owners pay 49 percent more to insure their cars.
Why Rates Run Higher
The explanation seems straightforward enough. EVs come with higher costs to start with, even when compared directly with gas-powered competitors and they’re typically more expensive to repair when they’re damaged. Parts are harder to come by and a damaged battery, for instance, can write off a car faster than an average engine failure.
On top of all this, keep in mind that EVs are often very new models with little to no aftermarket or junkyard support. It’s no wonder that insurance companies might build in a buffer for that risk.
Question Marks in the Data
Despite that, there are some questionable bits with the study. Some of the matchups mentioned raise eyebrows. For example, it directly compares the Tesla Model X to the Audi Q3 and the Mercedes A-Class goes up against the Tesla Model 3. These, however, aren’t really apples-to-apples comparisons, as some on Reddit pointed out. As one commenter put it, “Some of these comparisons make genuinely zero sense.”
What is important to note is the fact that ignoring certain factors like real-world repairability, warranty coverage, or depreciation curves, could tilt the figures against EVs quickly. In addition, each repair case is, to one degree or another, unique.
For example, while engine replacement typically isn’t as costly as a battery replacement, the true cost depends entirely on the car in question. On top of that, the federally mandated 8-year/100,000-mile EV battery warranty offered on every new EV reduces risk for owners, a factor that insurers might not fully weigh.
A Few Useful Takeaways
Even with the caveats, the study did highlight which EVs are cheapest to insure. Models like the Chevrolet Blazer, Nissan Leaf, Kia Niro EV, Hyundai Ioniq lineup, Ford F-150 Lightning, and the Subaru Solterra/Toyota bZ4X twins all made the list.
Still, whether the numbers are genuinely meaningful is up for debate. Insurance for EVs might trend higher for the time being, but with questionable methodology and comparisons, this study might say more about how we measure costs than it does about EV ownership.
Technology advances at such a rapid pace that sometimes it creates more problems than it solves. China’s regulators are preparing to crack down on what they see as a great example of that: fully retractable door handles. A new set of standards could explicitly prohibit hidden handles on new vehicles. If these become law, it could have ripples across the globe.
The proposed regulation, reported by Mingjing Pro, comes from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. It would ban fully retractable handles while still allowing semi-retractable versions. A key requirement is that all vehicles must include a mechanical backup system so doors can be opened during emergencies.
More: New Lawsuit Might Force Ford To Change Mustang Mach-E Door Handles
According to Car News China, the final rules could come out by the end of September. Enforcement wouldn’t start until 2027, so manufacturers would have a little time to get their production in order. Evidently, many automakers already know about this potential change, so they might already be working on a solution.
The Problem With Flush Handles
Flush door handles have been a hallmark of modern EVs, touted not just for their futuristic look but also their aerodynamic gains. Real-world data appears to throw a wrench in that latter point, though.
Engineers say that drag reduction due to flush handles amounts to just 0.005-0.01 Cd, saving about 0.6 kWh per 100 km. That’s a very small amount and even more negligible for those who charge at home. At the same time, adding the motors and mechanisms that make these doors work can add 7-8 kg of weight.
On top of that, we’ve reported on countless examples of door handles like this failing. Frozen motors can leave motorists stranded with no quick way into their car. Crash data indicates that handles can fail more than 30 percent of the time after side impacts. When it comes time for replacement, they’re far more expensive, too.
What Happens If China Bans Them?
If China does move forward with this ban, it could actually affect handles everywhere. Many automakers see the world’s biggest car market as a huge part of their own business plan. Changing their design to conform to such rules would likely mean keeping that same non-flush design in other markets as well.
Again, that wouldn’t stop automakers from using semi-flush handles, but it could stop fully flush ones from popping up in the future.
[By: ABB]
ABB and shipping company Wallenius Marine have formally established a new joint venture based in Stockholm, Sweden, to expand their OVERSEA™ collaboration and ensure customers will fully benefit from future-proof vessel performance management capabilities.
Launched in September 2022 as a collaboration between ABB and Wallenius Marine, OVERSEA™ is a combined digital solution and ‘fleet-support-center-as-a-
The solution collects and analyzes data on board of several vessels worldwide, with shore-based experts providing advanced decision-making support and tailored recommendations from the OVERSEA™ Fleet Support Center in Stockholm. As a result, operators are able to propose operational changes that can reduce fuel consumption and emissions while optimizing safety and reliability across their fleets.
“Our long-standing tradition of innovation and pioneering spirit is built on many years of experience in ship operations and advanced technical expertise. This makes us well equipped to quickly identify and respond to industry needs. Through our partnership and close collaboration with ABB, we can now bring our innovative fleet support service to a global market, and we look forward to continuing to drive maritime development together," says Johan Mattsson, CEO of Wallenius Marine.
“The establishment of the OVERSEA™ joint venture marks a significant milestone for us, solidifying the successful collaboration between ABB and Wallenius Marine over the past few years,” said Tomas Arhippainen, Business Line Manager, Marine Service & Digital, ABB Marine & Ports. “With OVERSEA™, customers can transform data into actionable insights, enabling them to not only improve their performance but also sustain it over time. Consequently, both vessels and customer offices can adopt sustainable improvements, enhancing energy efficiency, safety, and reliability.”
Austal Limited announces that the United States Coast Guard has exercised options worth US$314 million (A$480 million) with Austal USA for the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) program.
The contract options approve Austal to order long lead time materials (LLTM) for another three OPCs, Austal USA’s 4th, 5th, and 6th cutters. Funds have also been provided for logistic supply items for two OPCs.
The original OPC contract was awarded to Austal USA in June 2022 for detail design and construction of up to 11 OPCs, with a potential value of US$3.3 billion. To date, two of 11 OPCs in the contract have been awarded to Austal USA, as well as LLTM for a third (see ASX announcement 6 August 2025).
“These early awards reflect the strong partnership that has quickly developed between the Coast Guard and Austal USA teams, and provide an important sign of intent for OPCs 3-6,” said Austal CEO Paddy Gregg.
Work on Austal USA’s first OPC, Pickering (WMSMS 919), is well underway with the keel laying planned for December. Construction began on Icarus (WMSMS 920) in early August.
The 110 metre OPCs will support US national security strategy by maintaining the nation’s economic, social, environmental and military security mission areas. The OPC will typically conduct its primary missions beyond 12 nautical miles from shore and will be employed anywhere US national interests require the Coast Guard’s unique blend of authorities and capabilities. OPC will provide the majority of the Coast Guard’s offshore presence conducting a variety of missions including law enforcement, drug and migrant interdiction, and search and rescue.
With a range of 10,200 nautical miles at 14 knots and a 60-day endurance period, each OPC will be capable of deploying independently or as part of task groups, serving as a mobile command and control platform for surge operations such as hurricane response, mass migration incidents and other events. The cutters will also support Arctic objectives by helping regulate and protect emerging commerce and energy exploration in Alaska.
[By: Metal Shark]
The Dominican Navy has received its second 85’ x 19.5’ welded aluminum Near Coastal Patrol Vessel (NCPV), built by Louisiana, USA-based boat builder Metal Shark.
Christened ARCTURUS CG-114 in keeping with the Dominican tradition of naming military vessels after constellations and celestial bodies, the new patrol craft was built at Metal Shark’s Franklin, Louisiana shipyard and officially incorporated into the Dominican Navy during a ceremony at the Port of Sans Soucí on August 31st. The delivery of ARCTURUS CG-114 follows the delivery of the Dominican Navy’s BETELGEUSE CG-102 in 2020.
The vessel was acquired by the Dominican Republic under a $54 million U.S. Navy Foreign Military Sales contract awarded to Metal Shark to produce up to thirteen 85-foot Defiant-class patrol craft for U.S. partner nations in support of regional defense initiatives. ARCTURUS CG-114 is the seventh NCPV to be delivered.
The NCPV is a monohull vessel utilizing the parent-craft hull form of Damen Shipyards’ 2606 Standardized Patrol vessel, which has been significantly optimized by Metal Shark to suit the requirements of the NCPV mission.
The ARCTURUS CG-114 will strengthen maritime surveillance and control of the Dominican Republic’s jurisdictional waters, expanding its response capacity to combat drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal fishing, and transnational organized crime, while also conducting search and rescue operations at sea.
Powered by twin 1,600-horsepower Caterpillar C-32 marine diesel engines turning fixed-pitch Michigan Wheel propellers through Twin Disc MGX-6599 transmissions, the NCPV achieves speeds in excess of 25 knots. The vessel has been designed for missions of up to six days at sea, supporting an operating crew of ten.
To maximize versatility, the NCPV carries a 5.6-meter Metal Shark-built aluminum RIB, powered by twin 50-horsepower Mercury four-stroke outboards. The RIB may be quickly deployed and recovered via an integrated stern slipway in support of missions.
“Metal Shark is honored to deliver the second Near Coastal Patrol Vessel (NCPV) to the Dominican Republic,” said Henry Irizarry, Senior Vice President of International Business Development at Metal Shark. “This delivery represents a strategic milestone in strengthening the Dominican Navy’s ability to protect its maritime domain, counter illicit trafficking, and ensure regional security. The NCPV reflects Metal Shark’s enduring partnership and commitment to advancing shared defense and security interests, reinforcing the strong ties between our nations as we work together to safeguard critical coastal and economic resources.”
“The NCPV program is a testament to Metal Shark’s ability to consistently produce rugged and reliable offshore military platforms designed to meet a complex set of mission requirements and built to rigorous NAVSEA standards,” said Metal Shark CEO Chris Allard. “With multiple NCPVs now patrolling the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Central America and additional units under construction, Metal Shark is proudly supporting those who serve and protect across the entire region.” Metal Shark specializes in the design and construction of welded aluminum vessels from 16’ to over 200’ for military, law enforcement, and commercial operators. Key customers include US and foreign militaries, law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and other clients worldwide. With two fully self- contained production facilities and an unmanned systems development facility in Louisiana, USA; a research, design, and testing facility in Alabama, USA; and a dedicated engineering facility in Croatia, Metal Shark’s 400+ employees produce over 200 vessels per year with a proud and proven track record of high quality, on-time deliveries.
[By: National Association of Waterfront Employers]
The National Association of Waterfront Employers (NAWE) is calling on Congress to include the bipartisan “Strengthening American Maritime Dominance Act” (H.R. 3842) in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This critical measure would expand the Capital Construction Fund (CCF) to allow U.S. marine terminal operators (MTOs) to upgrade critical cargo handling equipment—modernizing port infrastructure at no cost to taxpayers.
With operations at 16 of the 17 U.S. defense strategic seaports, NAWE member companies are vital to the nation’s strategic sealift. Including this proposal in the NDAA will not only modernize critical port infrastructure but also allow the industry to safely and securely transition away from cargo handling equipment produced in China.
“Ports and the marine terminal companies that operate at our ports are the backbone of our supply chain and economy. Expanding the CCF will ensure that private marine terminal operators can reinvest in safer, cleaner, and more efficient equipment—strengthening America’s ports, boosting domestic manufacturing, and enhancing national security,” said NAWE President Carl Bentzel.
Under the proposed expansion, private MTOs could defer taxes and reinvest those funds into new or replacement cargo handling equipment. The legislation includes strong Buy America provisions and bans the purchase of equipment manufactured in China using CCF funds, ensuring investments support U.S. jobs, industry, and workforce safety.
Modernizing port infrastructure is critical to preventing future supply chain disruptions–like those seen during the COVID-19 crisis—and to ensuring a responsive delivery system that sustains U.S. military operations abroad. Allowing private reinvestment through the CCF will stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and support resilient trade operations without additional taxpayer burden.
NAWE recently outlined its support for the legislation in a letter to House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee leaders. That letter can be found here.
Germany’s Ernst Russ is moving forward with its first newbuild orders in years, an innovative pair of feeder containerships specially designed for Iceland’s Eimskip and the challenges of the North Atlantic. The companies report that the design incorporates future technology while also being specifically designed with customer service needs in mind.
The project builds on a partnership between the companies and provides a financial structure to support the newbuild effort. The joint-venture company ElbFeeder, majority owned by Ernst Russ, has signed the contract to build the two vessels with China Merchants Jin Ling Shipyard (Nanjing), while the board of Eimskip approved a 10-year time-charter.
“This investment will be a milestone for Ernst Russ, marking our first newbuild investment in decades,” said Joseph Schuchmann, Co-CEO and Chief Commercial Officer of Ernst Russ. “We are delighted to be able to implement it together with our long-standing partner Eimskip, who will also function as the initial long-term charterer and thus contributes significantly to the financial viability of the project.”
Due for delivery in the second half of 2028, the vessels will be 185 meters (607 feet) in length with a capacity of 2,280 TEU. They will be the largest vessels in Eimskip’s operation and will be used on the company’s Blue Line sailing between Reykjavik and Rotterdam as well as Teesport in the UK.
“We see great opportunities with the delivery of these new vessels, especially considering the ambitious plans to increase exports of fresh seafood and salmon,” said Vilhelm Mar Thorsteinsson, CEO of Eimskip. He notes that the time-charter in combination with the newbuilding contract enables Eimskip to future-proof its Iceland-Europe trade, while ElbFeer secures long-term revenues.
The new ships use advanced designs suited to the North Atlantic (Eimskip)
The vessels were designed for the demanding conditions of North Atlantic routes in collaboration with the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI). Their optimized hull structure has been engineered to enhance hydrodynamic performance, enabling higher service speeds and maneuverability while maintaining fuel efficiency and operational reliability, ideal for the conditions in the North Atlantic.
In addition to the design supporting service speed in an efficient way, they report that the focus is also on optimal energy utilization, including hull design, silicone coating, shore power connection, and other equipment selection. The vessels will also feature a dual-fuel propulsion system, methanol- and LNG-ready.
ElbFeeder currently operates a fleet of seven container vessels. The newbuilds will increase the fleet to nine, and options for two additional vessels were negotiated. Eimskip operates a total fleet of 14 vessels, while Ernst Russ manages a fleet of 26 vessels with a focus on smaller containerships, as well as bulkers and multipurpose vessels.
[By: Höegh Autoliners]
Höegh Autoliners today celebrated the naming of its sixth Aurora-Class vessel in commercial operation at Sweden’s leading port and the largest in the Nordic region. The vessel was sponsored by Jenny Westermark, Senior Vice President, GTO Production Logistics at Volvo Group, who performed the traditional bottle-breaking. An array of sustainable Volvo Group cargo provided a spectacular showpiece for the proceedings.
With a capacity of 9,100 car equivalent units (CEU), the Höegh Moonlight joins Höegh Autoliners’ flagship series of 12 next-generation pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs). The Aurora Class plays a central role in the company's ambition to reach zero emissions by 2040. All are classed by DNV and fly the Norwegian flag. The fifth sister vessel, the Höegh Sunrise, was named at Omaezaki Port in Japan in June this year.
CEO of Höegh Autoliners, Andreas Enger, commented: “The naming of Höegh Moonlight demonstrates our strong commitment to decarbonising deep-sea shipping – not in the future, but right now, today. These vessels are not concepts; they are working, sailing answers to one of the most urgent challenges in our industry. I would like to thank Jenny Westermark for graciously sponsoring the vessel.”
“The partnership between Höegh Autoliners and Volvo Group is not just a business alliance. It’s a shared commitment – a joint force – to drive real, lasting change in our industries,” Westermark added.
SETTING INDUSTRY STANDARD
Built for a low-carbon future, the Aurora Class is the most technically advanced and environmentally friendly series of car carriers ever constructed. All 12 vessels are designed from the keel up to transition to clean fuels, with the first eight powered by LNG via dual-fuel engines. They are also “ammonia-ready” with reinforced decks and an integrated tank developed by TGE Marine at the heart of the design, allowing for straightforward conversion to be able to run on clean ammonia in the future. The final four units in the Aurora newbuilding programme, scheduled for delivery from 2027, are dual-fuel vessels able to operate on ammonia from day one. The eight first dual-fuel LNG powered vessels are estimated to deliver 58% lower emissions per transported car compared to the industry average.
Höegh Autoliners COO Sebjørn Dahl said: “The Höegh Moonlight reflects the transformation we are leading across the maritime sector. From the speed of delivery to the scale of innovation onboard, these vessels demonstrate what can be achieved when ambition meets action. We are grateful to our partners, crew and global team for making this possible – together, we're building more than vessels, we're helping to shape a cleaner, smarter future for global trade.”
Oskar Orstadius, CSO at Höegh Autoliners, added: “The naming of the Höegh Moonlight marks more than the arrival of a vessel; it's a celebration of our close collaboration with key customers and our shared commitment to sustainable, high-quality transport solutions. We are proud to strengthen these partnerships in a port that plays an important role in our global network, and we would also like to express our sincere appreciation to our agent in Sweden, Scandinavian Shipping and Logistics, who has represented Höegh Autoliners with dedication for more than 20 years.”
GREEN PORT STRATEGY
Port of Gothenburg CEO Göran Eriksson notes that Höegh Autoliners' traffic at the port plays a vital role in enabling Swedish industry to access global markets. "With the introduction of these new Höegh vessels, that connection can now be made in an even more efficient and climate-smart way than before. The Port of Gothenburg is committed to becoming a leading bunkering hub for alternative fuels in Northern Europe, and Höegh stands as a strong example of a frontrunner showing that our initiatives as a port are moves in the right direction.”
By 2030, the port aims to reduce carbon emissions by 70%, at sea, in the terminal areas and on land. The transition is being carried out in close collaboration with industry, policymakers and academia, with a strong focus on creating sustainable value chains for a thriving society and strengthening business access to global markets. Key components of this effort include investments in shoreside power, green shipping corridors, electrification and the fuels of the future, all driven by close cooperation with stakeholders across the entire transport chain.
Höegh Moonlight key facts
YEAR BUILT: 2025
DWT: 25,200
GT: 83,687
CARGO CAPACITY: 9,100 CEU
FLAG: NORWEGIAN
MAX DECK HEIGHT: 6.5 M
MAX DOOR WIDTH: 19 M
MAX RAMP: 375 MT
LENGTH OVER ALL: 199.90 M
BREADTH (MLD): 37.8 M
[By: Med Marine]
Turkey’s leading shipbuilder and tug operator, MED MARINE, proudly announces the successful launch of the MED-A2800SD tug on August 23, marking the third vessel in the six-unit RAmparts 2800 series ASD (Azimuth Stern Drive) fleet being built for Tunisia’s renowned port authority, OMMP. The launch, held at MED MARINE’s EREGLI SHIPYARD, underscores the steady progress of this fleet project and further strengthens the partnership established under the prestigious contract signed between OMMP and MED MARINE.
Measuring 28.20 meters in length and delivering a forward bollard pull of 60 tonnes, the MED-A2800SD tug has been engineered by the internationally renowned naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd. to meet the rigorous demands of modern port operations. Powered by twin medium-speed diesel engines and fully compliant with Class FIFI-E standards, the tug ensures both operational excellence and safety.
Thanks to its optimized hull design, the MED-A2800SD tug delivers exceptional manoeuvrability, stability, and fuel efficiency, even under the most demanding harbour conditions. Capable of performing a wide range of operations—including towing, mooring, escorting, firefighting, pollution control, and coastal support—this vessel exemplifies MED MARINE’s commitment to providing reliable and versatile assets for international operators.
This milestone represents a key advancement in the six-vessel fleet program, reaffirming MED MARINE’s ability to deliver world-class tugboats on schedule while maintaining the highest standards of quality. The launch of the RAmparts 2800 series tug highlights the ongoing progress of the project and OMMP’s strategic vision to strengthen its towing capabilities with future-ready assets.
Technical specifications of the tugboat:
Length: 28.20 m
Beam: 11.50 m
Depth: 5.49 m
Draft: 5.40 m
Gross Tonnage: 428
Bollard Pull: 60 tons
Speed: 12 knots @ 80% MCR
Crew: 8
[By: Panama Maritime Authority]
President José Raúl Mulino met with more than 40 representatives of shipping companies from Japan’s Kanto region, where he presented Panama’s new ship registry strategy aimed at safeguarding its global leadership through enhanced safety standards and fully digitalized processes.
Mulino emphasized that Panama’s registry is positioning itself as the flag of the future, driven by new policies aligned with international benchmarks for safety, efficiency, and environmental protection.
The stakes are high for Japan: 7 out of 10 Japanese shipowners already fly the Panamanian flag, and 41% of Japan’s total tonnage is registered under Panama. For Panama, consolidating its role as Japan’s preferred registry is vital, as 66% of new shipbuilding comes from the Japanese market.
Reflecting on the registry’s long history dating back to the 1920s, Mulino stressed that unlike other registries, Panama’s flag is not a maritime franchise but a national emblem backed by the full weight of the state. He also revealed that his administration is pushing forward a comprehensive modernization plan for the registry, framed within a broader maritime and logistics strategy that integrates the Canal and Panama’s port system. “This plan will bring together our entire maritime cluster under what we now call the National Maritime Strategy—the future of our country,” Mulino declared, pledging to see this project through during his presidency. He underscored his vision of a more flexible Maritime Authority and registry that provides streamlined, user-friendly services. “You can count on Panama’s registry to continue working in favor of the global maritime community, especially Japan,” Mulino told the gathered shipowners.
Joining him were Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) Administrator Luis Roquebert and Merchant Marine Director Ramón Franco, both of whom reinforced the president’s message.
“Panama has been the world’s natural bridge since ancient times. The creation of our Ship Registry in the early 20th century, alongside the construction of the Canal, positioned the Isthmus as a global benchmark in ship registration—changing the course of maritime history,” Roquebert noted.
He highlighted that the PMA has successfully diversified its services, now offering integrated solutions in over 50 countries. “Thanks to our broad network of partners and our expertise, we provide unmatched technical, legal, and diplomatic support,” Roquebert said.
For his part, Merchant Marine Director Ramon Franco presented “The Panamanian Ship Registry: Renewing Our Strategy for a New Era,” outlining Panama’s new direction and the competitive advantages it offers.
He explained that the Mulino administration’s guiding principle is quality over quantity,
focusing on:
Franco also underlined Panama’s pioneering role as the first registry to enforce mandatory traceability for ship-to-ship (STS) transfers, part of a strategy to modernize the fleet by gradually phasing out older tonnage and aligning with the IMO’s decarbonization goals for 2050.
As of August 25, 2025, Panama’s ship registry includes 8,812 vessels totaling 241.5 million gross tons (GT), according to IHS Markit—representing 14% of the global fleet, based on Clarksons Research’s World Fleet Monitor.
Franco reported that the new strategy is already delivering results: fewer accidents and a 13% increase in newbuilding registrations compared to the previous year. He closed by reminding Japanese shipowners that Panama’s registry offers more than just a flag—it comes with the full backing of a country that provides political and economic stability, a robust banking system, special economic zones, investment incentives, world-class logistics hubs, and, of course, the Panama Canal.
Nearly two years after the project was unveiled, construction started today in China for what is likely to become the world’s first ammonia-fueled containership. The project, which is being led by CMB.TECH, as part of its efforts to accelerate the transition in the shipping industry, will launch a vessel that they report will transform short-sea shipping and demonstrate the potential of ammonia as a low-emission fuel.
The vessel, which is named Yara Eyde, is being built in China the Qingdao Yangfang Shipbuilding and will be a 1,400 TEU ice-class containership optimized for operations between Norway and Germany. The vessel will be owned by Delphis, the container division of CMB.TECH and operated by NCL Oslofjord, a joint venture between North Sea Container Line and Yara Clean Ammonia. The Norwegian Government, through its Enova Investment Fund, provided approximately $3.6 million in grants to the project.
Today, September 5, marked the first day of steel cutting for the vessel. The companies previously said delivery is scheduled for mid-2026.
“This is more than the start of a ship – it is the start of a new chapter in maritime decarbonization,” said Hans Olav Raen, CEO of Yara Clean Ammonia. “Yara Eyde embodies our ambition to make low-emission ammonia a reality for shipping and to inspire the industry toward solutions that reduce emissions.”
So far, ammonia-fueled shipping has mostly been a few pilot projects as the leading engine manufacturers work to perfect their first offerings and complete certification. The industry is also awaiting the finalization of regulations and is still working to develop the fueling infrastructure and safety protocols for ammonia, which is highly toxic.
The potential for ammonia as one of the fuels to address decarbonization, however, has created strong anticipation in the shipping industry. While there are only three vessels currently in service with ammonia as their primary fuel, an offshore supply vessel and two tugboats, there are now 39 ammonia-fueled vessels on order for delivery over the next four years, according to data from DNV.
Yara Eyde is set to operate on a route between Oslo, Porsgrunn, Bremerhaven, and Rotterdam. NCL will manage the commercial operations. Yara Clean Ammonia will deliver ammonia fuel to the vessel, while Yara International has entered into a contract for shipping containers between Yara’s fertilizer plant in Porsgrunn, Norway, and Hamburg and Bremerhaven in Germany.
In addition to being a demonstration of the potential for ammonia-fueled operations, the goal is to use the ship to drive investment and build industry support for the infrastructure and adoption of ammonia technology.
“Yara, NCL, and CMB.TECH are walking the talk to decarbonise shipping by combining our know-how on clean ammonia, operational excellence in the North Sea, and state-of-the-art low-carbon ships,” said Alexander Saverys, CEO of CMB.TECH in 2023, announcing the project. “We want to prove to the world that we can decarbonise today to navigate tomorrow.”
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