1/The @Heritage has released Project 2025 which is entitled Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise. Basically it would be the next Trump administration policy guide. In it is a section on Maritime Policy (p.637-638). Let's take a moment and digest it. 2/A little short on history as MARAD came from the US Shipping Board created in 1916 and then via the US Maritime Commission.

What is also omitted is that MARAD was originally under the Commerce Dept and included @FMC_gov it is purview.

1/The latest on the #GazaPier.

A temporary jetty was constructed from concrete and landfill to extend out from the shore.

It was done under the supervision of the IDF. 2/The Spanish-flagged tug Echo 1 Open Arms delivered the barge of 200 tons of food from @WCKitchen via Cyprus.

Due to the shallow draft off the jetty the tug could not push the barge alongside.

This is why the US Army Trident pier will extend approximately 1800 feet out.

1/So the winner is the least efficient means possible to move cargo.

1,000 soldiers of @USArmy 7th Transportation Group will construct either an elevated or floating causeway pier.

https://twitter.com/mercoglianos/status/1766181775821197388

2/According to the @DeptofDefense spokesperson it will take two weeks to construct.

Okay...but where are the causeways?

They are either in Virginia or onboard prepositioning ships at Diego Garcia or in the western Pacific.

These will need to be shipped and this takes time?

1/ Why is the concept of a #Gaza #pier not a viable option?

First, Gaza is a flat strip of coast with no protected harbors or coves. Thus means that any 'pier' would be completely open to the elements and seas.

Second, there are two ports just a few miles away.

https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1765943705666814418

2/Ashdod in Israel is a large port and could handle the cargo, but it would require transport and delivery through Israeli territory.

1/A quick snapshot of all containerships over 16,000 TEUs (or Ultra Large Container Vessels). You can see that they are used exclusively between Europe & Asia as US ports cannot accommodate them, either due to water/air draft or crane capacity.

2/Only a few ports can handle them - Tangier in Africa; Algeciras, Genoa, Piraeus, Istanbul, Port Said & Gioia Tauro in the Med; Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Felixstowe & Antwerp in Northern Europe & in Asia, multiple ports in China, Singapore, Columbo & Khalifa.

1/MT Marlin Luanda, a 110,000 deadweight ton tanker and owned by a company in the Marshall-Is and flagged in the same, sailed from Greece after loading a cargo of Russian naphtha from tankers via the Black Sea.

The cargo was not sanctioned and sold under the price cap.



2/The ship identified its destination as Singapore but that was probably not its final one.

Over the past year, it has operated over an extensive area, typical of Suezmax/LR2 tanker.

1/The turning around of the US-flagged containerships MV Maersk Detroit and Maersk Chesapeake should be a warning sign for the @DeptofDefense.

This indicates that even ships with the 🇺🇸 flag can be thwarted by the #Houthi. 2/For context, the US has been able to run vessels through the contested seas of the #RedSea, #BabelMandeb, and #GulfofAden in the past.

The most dramatic was the attack on January 9 against four US ships.

gcaptain.com/greyhound-day-…

Quick history lesson.

1/On Feb 1, 1917, Imperial Germany announced the resumption of Undeclared Submarine war. Two days later, U-53 sank the American freighter Housatonic off the coast of England. 2/On Feb 26, following the sinking of a 2nd US ship, President Wilson requested Congress the authority to arm American merchant ships; when Congress refused to act and recessed, Wilson ordered it done on March 9.

1/Merchant ships are being attacked by an asymmetric threat. The damage to ships is threatening the global supply line & leading to economic, political, & military uncertainty. The combined navies lack the adequate forces to interdict this threat and call upon the US for aid. 2/But this is not 2023 in the Red Sea, but 1917 in the Western Approaches to the English Channel.

The threat is not the Houthi with UAVs, cruise and ballistic missiles, but Imperial German submarines, with torpedoes, deck guns, mines & bombs.

The latest @Maersk advisory announced the potential resumption of trade through the Red Sea now that @USNavy has escorted through 3 US-flagged @MaerskLineLtd ships

In the Med, several 8k+TEUs are heading for Suez:
Maersk Detroit 🇺🇸, Hidalgo, Stralsund, Londrina, Tukang, Genoa, Mary Maersk, Gjertrud Maersk, Maren Maersk & Ebba Maersk There is no indication that any of the ships from Asia, are resuming their voyage toward the Suez.

1/The Pentagon's Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder Held a Press Briefing discussing #OpProsperityGuardian

Just a few highlights.
defense.gov/News/Transcrip… 2/The @SecDef announced the establishment of #OpProsperityGuardian utilizing the leadership of CTF 153.

1/Traffic in the #RedSea is piling up between Sudan and Jeddah waiting for military action.

A few days ago I discussed an op-ed in @LloydsList that called for the use of "gunboat diplomacy."


2/We have now seen nearly all the major container lines and major oil tanker firms announce they will not transit the #BabelMandeb

LIST: Shipping Giants Pause Red Sea Voyages as Attacks Mount

gcaptain.com/shipping-giant…

1/Shipping Giants Pause Red Sea Voyages, Dealing Blow to Global Trade

Let's take a moment and break this down.

The #Houthi have stepped up attacks against ships that are not connected to #Israel.

gcaptain.com/shipping-giant… 2/The decision by @Maersk @MSCCargo @HapagLloydAG , and potentially others, will lead to longer voyages.

This equates to delays in deliveries and higher freight costs associated with longer voyages and fuel consumption. This is happening concurrently with other issues.

1/Dr. Holmes' piece highlights a perspective that needs to be corrected.

"The U.S. Sea Services need more logistics ships. A lot more. The services allowed the combat-logistics fleet to wilt during the post-Cold War interregnum."

What we need is a larger US merchant marine.

https://twitter.com/CMS_Washington/status/1724492495734640860

2/The US Navy retained a large combat-logistics fleet, their oilers, fast combat support ships and supply/ammunition ships are the largest and most sophisticated in the world.

What is lacking is the vessels that would shuttle the supplies out to them and forward bases.

A write up about the protests in @PortofOakland about the @US_TRANSCOM @DOTMARAD @MSCSealift MV #CapeOrlando.

Let's see how many things are wrong in this article by @hyphy_republic.

https://twitter.com/hyphy_republic/status/1721584764522836117

1/Okay, there is no evidence beyond heresay that the ship is going to Israel. More than likely it is involved in the routine transfer or swap put of military units and equipment in the Pacific or Middle East.

1/USS Carney Shot Down More Missiles, Drones Over Longer Period

Carney's engagement in the #RedSea highlights some issues for the @DeptofDefense & @USNavy in modern naval warfare.

thedrive.com/the-war-zone/u… 2/It is reported that Carney engaged 4 cruise missiles and up to 19 UAV drones with their SM-2 standard missiles.

Hitting Israel from Yemen is over a thousand miles and these fit the parameters of Iranian cruise missiles.

iiss.org/online-analysi…

Some key points on USS Carney engagement in the Red Sea.

1️⃣ Carney is a Ballistic Missile Defense fitted Burke class destroyer that has been assigned to Rota since 2015 (she was not part of the Ford Strike Group that deployed from US East Coast).

https://twitter.com/TomSharpe134/status/1715114138303697052

2️⃣ She had only transmitted the Suez Canal on Oct 18.

It is 1213 nautical miles from Suez to the Bab-el-Mandeb. Even at 30 knots (which is unlikely as there is no oiler in the Red Sea) this is a 40 hour transit after clearing the Suez.

1/Let's walk through Red Hill defueling and the new Tanker Security Program.

According to a @usni story, Red Hill began defuelilng on Oct 16, 2023 to clear 104M gallons and transfer them to tankers. There will then be 60-70M that will remain and need to be pumped out.

https://twitter.com/brentdsadler/status/1714262032625627208

2/Red Hill was designed to store 250M gallons; so approx 75M gallons have been consumed over the last year and not replaced.

The loss of Red Hill will leave a large void in the @DLAMIL fuel storage in the @INDOPACOM AOR.

Some quick takeaways from the new @UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport 2023 report.

1. Seaborne trade declined by 0.4 per cent in 2022, growth resumes in 2023

unctad.org/publication/re… 2. Expanding distances for oil and grain cargo

3. Container shipping connectivity remains below pre-COVID-19 levels in small island developing States

1/James Holmes of the @NavalWarCollege seems upset that the most recent amendments to the NDAA has a provision that requires @DOTMARAD to forumlate and write a national maritime strategy.

19fortyfive.com/2023/08/americ… 2/This was so upsetting that he was gobsmacked that @SecretaryPete should be the ultimate arbiter of national maritime strategy.

I have not been gobsmacked since the 19th century, myself.

Which raises the question, why shouldn't it be @DeptofDefense and @SecDef?

1/This fire occurred at 930 PM on board Grimaldi Lines Grande Costa D'Avario, a 12 year old Italian-flagged and Croatian built container/roll-on & roll-off ship.

It started with vehicles on Deck 10, then extended to decks 11 & 12. While backing out, they lost 2 firefighters. https://t.co/qZtDPyej5w

https://twitter.com/rawsalerts/status/1676808676290510848

2/The response to this fire was initially by the Newark FD, with multiple other agencies and rescue teams later dispatched.

The details are not yet clear, but what makes fire fighting on board ship different?