EXPRESS

The Canadian government on Thursday promised to build two Arctic icebreakers and create hundreds of jobs in two politically influential provinces that will help decide an election considered likely this year.The ruling Liberals, citing the need to boost Canada's Arctic footprint as global warming opens up the region, said at least one ship would be ready by 2030 when Canada's sole existing icebreaker CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent will be 62 years old."As northern waterways become more accessible, some countries are trying to encroach on our sovereignty by signaling their economic interest in a region that is rich in untapped natural resources

Foss Maritime’s newest vessel will be the first U.S.-flag harbor tug to integrate autonomous systems in real-world commercial operations.Launched on April 29 and scheduled for delivery in May 2021, the newly built 90-ton bollard pull Rachael Allen—the fourth in a series of ASD-90 Z-drive tractor tugs being built at Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, in Freeland, Wash.—will feature Sea Machines Robotics’ SM300 autonomous-command and -control system. The system's capabilities include transit autonomy, as well as remote access of the tugboat’s onboard machinery, a feature that allows personnel to manage and support operations from anywhere on board the vessel or from shore.

A group of maritime industry and technology experts in Germany is working on a project to unlock remote control capabilities for safer and more efficient harbor tug operations.Backed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), the project is being led by Voith in partnership with the Hamburg University of Technology, the Fraunhofer Center for Maritime Logistics and Services, the Federal Office for Hydraulic Engineering, winch and crane manufacturer McGregor, the Marine Training Center (MTC) Hamburg and communication specialists from MediaMobil.

In 1875, the General Moultrie was the first suction dredge built in the United States and was used in the Charleston River — until it sank within a year. During the same era, the city of Houston and other port towns formed companies like the Buffalo Bayou Ship Channel Company to build special-purpose vessels to clear and connect waterways for commercial vessel traffic. Toward the end of the 19th century, the cutter suction dredge made its appearance and effectively dug and maintained water channels. The Foreign Dredge Act of 1906 prohibited foreign-built or chartered vessels from dredging in U.S. waters.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd said its plans for resuming mid-summer U.S. sailings could be in jeopardy, a day after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) laid out new technical instructions for the cruise industry.The health agency, which recently said it was "committed" to the resumption of passenger operations, on Wednesday issued requirements for starting simulated trips and applying for a COVID-19 conditional sailing certificate to begin sailing with restricted passenger voyages.The new guidance also includes CDC cruise ship inspections during simulated and restricted passenger voyages.