U.S. LIBERATOR

The 110th session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 110) was held from June 18 to 27, with significant progress on a new non-mandatory code of safety for autonomous ships (MASS Code).The code addresses the emerging need for a regulatory framework to ensure the safe, secure and environmentally sound operation of autonomous and remote-controlled key functions.DNV reports that MSC 110 made significant progress, finalizing 18 chapters in the MASS Code, leaving mainly the chapter on the human element to be finalized.A key decision made was that unmanned MASS should be capable of assisting persons in distress.

Rates for shipping cargo containers from China to the U.S. have dropped by more than half since earlier this month, as imports rebounded less than expected after the slump that followed President Donald Trump slapping 145% tariffs on China.Trump quickly reversed course by lowering the rate to 30%. That cost increase on goods from the nation's No. 1 ocean trading partner remains significant, especially at a time when U.S. economic data is signaling weakness.Rates on the closely watched Shanghai-to-U.S.

Viking Vesta, the second of a new series of cruise ships that Fincantieri is building for the shipowner Viking, was delivered today at the Ancona shipyard.The ceremony was attended by Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking, and Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager of the Merchant Ships Business Unit of Fincantieri.The vessel belongs to the segment of small cruise ships. With a gross tonnage of approximately 54,300 tons, Viking Vesta has 499 cabins and can accommodate 998 passengers on board. The vessel is the 14th ship delivered by Fincantieri to Viking, including the two expedition units built by the Norwegian subsidiary Vard.

“As the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (Hong Kong Convention) enters into force we have updated our estimate for the ship recycling potential over the next 10 years. We now estimate the potential to be 16,000 ships, or 700m deadweight tonnes (DWT), from previously 15,000. The new estimate equals twice the number of ships, and nearly triple the DWT, recycled over the last 10 years and highlights the need for investments in compliant recycling facilities,” says Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.

U.S. President Donald Trump wants a pay raise for troops, more high-tech missiles and drones in next year's defense budget, while cutting Navy jobs, and buying fewer ships and fighter jets to save money, according to budget materials posted Wednesday.At $892.6 billion, the defense and national security budget request is flat compared with this year.The budget, which also includes nuclear weapons-related activities carried out by the Department of Energy and increases funding for homeland security, puts Trump's mark on the military by pulling funds away from weaponry and services to fund his priorities.