WESTERN TOWBOAT CO.

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.  Duffy said the program will help America counter Chinese competition and maintain freedom on the seas.“Unleashing the full power of America's shipyards will boost our economic strength and national security,” said Acting Maritime Administrator Sang Yi.

On July 10, 2025, the electric solar passenger ship "Insel Mainau," designed and built by Ampereship GmbH, completed a range test on Lake Constance. During a 19-hour continuous journey, the all-electric catamaran covered exactly 211.3 kilometers on the lake, with a remaining battery capacity of 20 percent. The ship was back in regular operation the very next day.The 300-kilometers mark would have been possible in a test designed exclusively for range. Another record journey is already planned for next year in order to be able to implement the data obtained on the currents in Lake Constance and the maximum energy efficiency of the ship.

Dozens of rescuers were scrambling in Vietnam on Sunday to trace four missing people after retrieving the bodies of dozens killed when a thunderstorm capsized a boat in the top tourist destination of Halong Bay, authorities said.Despite a calm sea, rescuers, from police and border guards to divers and navy personnel, were battling limited visibility hours before the expected landfall in northern Vietnam of Typhoon Wipha, which is now approaching Hong Kong.The government said rescuers had managed to retrieve the sunken boat and revised down the death toll to 35 from an initial 38 on Saturday, while cutting an estimate of those aboard to 49 from 53

A tow pilot’s distraction caused by personal cellphone use resulted in a collision last year with moored barges on the lower Mississippi River, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.The towing vessel William B Klunk was pushing 22 loaded hopper barges on April 17, 2024, when the tow collided with moored barges at a fleeting area near Baton Rouge. Thirteen barges broke away from the William B Klunk tow and three barges broke away from the fleeting area, resulting in damage to the barges, a fleet crew boat and two mooring dolphins. The collision resulted in one minor injury and estimated damages of $810,000.The pilot reported using his personal cell phone during the transit.

Chevron will proceed with its $53 billion acquisition of Hess, after it prevailed in a landmark legal battle against larger rival Exxon Mobil to gain access to the largest oil discovery in decades.Shares of Chevron were up 3.6% in premarket trading, with Hess gaining nearly 7.4%. Exxon shares were up 0.3%.CNBC first reported the arbitration outcome. An Exxon Mobil spokesperson confirmed to Reuters that Chevron prevailed in the mediation over Guyana oil assets.Chevron and Hess did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.