Replacing the legacy Special Warnings to Mariners system, MARAD Advisories system, and global maritime security-focused U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Safety Information Bulletins, the U.S. Maritime Alert and Advisory System will now serve as the consolidated U.S. government system for communication with U.S. maritime industry stakeholders regarding potential or observed maritime security threats like piracy, armed...Read More

New navigational system will improve safety in one of nation’s busiest ports The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced on February 17, 2026 the successful installation of a Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS®) in Boston Harbor.  The system includes observational equipment at MassPort’s Conley Terminal and on the Tobin Memorial Bridge. The Boston Harbor...Read More

Two next-generation satellite missions announced during early February 2025 are expected to help NASA better understand Earth and improve capabilities to foresee environmental events and mitigate disasters. Described below, these two missions were selected for continued development as part of NASA’s Earth System Explorers Program, which conducts principal investigator-led Earth science missions based on key...Read More

An annual gathering that brings together industry, academia, and government agencies for a dynamic exchange on space weather, the Space Weather Workshop began in 1996 as a forum for the space weather user community and has now grown into the nation’s premier event dedicated to all aspects of space weather. The 2026 Space Weather Workshop...Read More

On February 5, 2026, the U.S. Coast Guard Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance (CVC) published CG CVC-WI-034(1), Requests for Inspected Vessels to Participate in Disaster Relief Operations. This Work Instruction provides guidance on permitting vessels to operate beyond the scope of their Certificate of Inspection when supporting disaster relief operations. The Coast Guard recognizes that...Read More

NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) and the University of Colorado Boulder’s Cooperative Institute for Research In Environmental Science (CIRES) have released the upgraded High Definition Geomagnetic Model (HDGM) for 2026.  A global, high-resolution model of Earth’s geomagnetic field, the HDGM provides magnetic field values (total field, dip, and declination) at any point above...Read More

With the rapid growth and transformation of the marine renewable energy industry, the Oceantic Network’s 2026 International Partnering Forum (IPF) taking place February 9–12, 2026, in New York City is the best way to stay up-to-date with regulatory changes, funding opportunities, and technology developments in the industry. Produced by the Oceantic Network, the IPF is...Read More

Database to support ongoing nationwide effort to remove and prevent ADVs To report an abandoned vessel, click HERE. The non-profit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water has developed a database that will identify the locations of abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) across the U.S., as well as in freely associated states and U.S. territories,...Read More

Methanol is considered one of the leading fuel options to achieve decarbonization within the maritime industry, with many industry leaders already ordering methanol-fueled vessels as part of their decarbonization strategy.  A key component of the methanol value chain and the overall scalability of this fuel will be the ability to bunker methanol, either by truck-to-ship,...Read More

The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) is an international, coordinated effort led by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) to provide sustained, systematic observations of the world’s oceans for a deeper understanding of weather, climate, and marine ecosystems, supporting everything from weather forecasts and climate adaptation to sustainable fisheries and hazard mitigation through a network of...Read More