Reopening Hormuz Won’t End Gulf’s Kill Zone
All the middle east, geopolitics and energy experts keep talking about reopening the Strait of Hormuz as if that solves the problem. It doesn’t. The Strait is just the front door. The entire Persian Gulf is now a kill zone. 1/2 https://t.co/ZHp06lZzYS
Nicknames Define Life on Offshore Oil Rigs
On offshore oil rigs, almost everybody had a nickname. There was Tatter, because he puked up a plate of potatoes. Tiger, because he once caught an Exxon tank on fire. Stump, short, flat-top, and pushing 300 pounds. Big Country. Little Country....
Anti‑ship Drones Have Sunk only One Vessel so Far
They’re hitting land targets and some air assets. Naval assets? None. Yet the “Smartest Men in the Room™” spent years telling me drones made ships obsolete. So how many ships did the Houthis sink with thousands of anti-ship drones and missiles? One. How...
Canada Refuses Involvement in Iran, Lacks Naval Reach
“Canada can not, and will not be part of the bloodbath in Iran” Don’t worry babe, you don’t have a single warship that could make it to kharg island without sinking. Not one. https://t.co/vgxL3u1oEJ
Chinese Tech in Canadian Fisheries Raises Spy Concerns
And there is goes… all of Our North American seafood. What could possibly go wrong bringing Chinese technology and equipment into Canada? How much do you want to bet the CCP gives them free fish finding equipment that also sends submarine charts...
More Warships = More NATO Admirals and Command Power
New rule: every NATO Navy gets one admiral star per fully operational destroyer or cruiser. Two per nuclear sub, carrier, or battleship. Want more admirals so your nation can lead more NATO joint commands? Go build more warships. @USAmbNATO
NATO Praise Misplaced for Admirals Without Real Navy Experience
My top grievance at NATO conferences? MSM slobbering on European and Canadian admirals who walk around with 3 and 4 stars from nations that own a few small frigates. “Navy chief”, this guy never had a Navy. He managed a floating...
Claim Iran Pinpointed Missile Source Is False
This is dangerous fake news. We already know these people target families and friends. There is no possible way that Iran can pinpoint the exact ship a missile came from. Please community note and report this “UK journalist”
When War Stories Meet Fishing: Generational Irony
One more fishing story… Grandpa was a WW2 Vet. Dad, Vietnam. They never talked about the wars but one day we are out fishing off Seaford, Long Island. It was the height of the Cold War. Now, whenever they got one...
Video Ignores How Outdated and Broken Canadian Equipment Is
Great video but they don’t show how old or broken most of the Canadian military equipment is.
Remembering Dad’s Humor in Our Perfect Days
As a kid, when we were having a truly great day with my Vietnam vet dad. I mean a TRULY great day. Like when we drove the final nail in the porch we built together or the time I caught...
Ship Captain Outshines Experts on Persian Gulf Analysis
Go ahead MSM tell us all about how the new pentagon press corps “aren’t real journalists” ONE person on X nailed the Persian Gulf situation well over a week ago. Not some energy expert. Not a former admiral. Not a pulitzer...
Cargill’s Eco‑Ships Face Drone and Missile Threats
Quick question for @Cargill: With drones and missiles flying across major sea lanes, are you planning to keep these giant bullseyes mounted on your “eco” ships? https://t.co/BWiyOEbXKV
Still Waiting on SAVE and SHIPs Act Passage
I’ve been a little busy… Did we pass the SAVE Act yet? How about the SHIPs Act?
Decades of Navy‑Merchant Marine Split Now Costing Hormuz
"The United States has spent seven decades severing every operational link between the Navy and the Merchant Marine, and the Hormuz crisis is the bill coming due." 🎯NAILED IT 🎯 https://t.co/l9z9PP9W7P
US Apathy Sparks Panic, May Force Strait Reopening
Over the past 24 hours, I’ve talked to a number of leading shipping and energy sources in Europe and Asia. Overall mood: panic. Talked to dozens of key people in the USA. Overall mood: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Allied navies might have to reopen the strait...
Empires Rose on Ships and Salt; Britain Now Lacks Both
If you study the rise and fall of empires the two most important things are ships and salt. Now the UK barely has either.
Navy Officers Unfairly Criticize Airline Crews Aiding Military
I apologize to all my regular followers for the rants this morning. But I need someone to explain this to me with crayons. I have never once seen @RobManess or @BuzzPatterson or @MCCCANM trashing commercial airline crews who volunteer to fly soldiers...
No US Army Corps to Iran
We are not sending an army corps into Iran. Not happening. And how many Chinese soldiers did we kill in the Korean War?
Dad Worries Defense Funds Protect North From Russian, Chinese Missiles
My children live on this continent and ya’ll are failing to protect the entire top half. You know… the part facing Russian and Chinese missiles. How Carney spend your defense dollars is VERY MUCH my concern as a dad.
Debating Military Logistics with Dr. Sal Is Futile
Pro tip: arguing with Dr. Sal about military logistics is like arguing with the gate agent after the plane took off. But go ahead. Maybe you’ll win. Maybe he’ll open the door. We’ll all be pressed against the glass waiting to...
Canada’s Military: Under‑armed, Outdated, and Politically Tangled
So you’re going to arm your sea kayaks? You have: Zero carriers Zero destroyers 3 broken diesel subs 1 that kinda works maybe No navy-owned replenishment ships 2 semi-broken heavy icebreakers, built in 1966 and 1983, to patrol the longest arctic coast on earth Legacy CF-18s F-35s not coming...
Ignore Sensational News; Trust Real Shipping Experts
“Beyond what any sober mind could have envisioned” First of all I don’t drink. Second I envisioned way worse on week one. Third, my envisionment was more conservative than shipping analyst @calvinfroedge Maybe if you turned off the news and listened to...
Merchant Marine Shortage Threatens Navy, Advocates Face Attacks
TRUTH The US Merchant Marine shortage is an ENORMOUS problem for the US Navy right now. They have already laid up 17 ships and the manning numbers aren’t getting better. Meanwhile those of us advocating for them online are under constant...
From Worst to Favorite: FMC Gains Momentum
In just five years, the Federal Maritime Commission has gone from my least favorite agency in Washington and most captured by globalist garbage…. to my absolute favorite. And the best part? It’s still picking up speed. Full steam ahead 🇺🇸
Invisible Risks: Merchant Marines' Crucial Yet Unseen War Role
Ya know. I get all the Merchant Marine hate. I understand why they get so angry at us. Call is a fake service. Tell us we don’t know anything and are glorified bus drivers. I get it because all that time...
US Needs More Ships, Not Just Oil
Quick question: does the US Merchant Marine get to keep the boats? Or do we only get the oil? I ask because we already have plenty of oil but 🇺🇸 desperately needs more big boats.
Leadership Failures Delayed Baltimore Bridge, Cost American Lives
Trump 1.0 too. @MarkTEsper and General Mark Milley absolutely gutted the Army Corps of Engineers, Army Watercraft, Port Operations and Joint Logistics. That’s why the Baltimore Bridge rubble is STILL not fully cleared two years later and why the Gaza...
Western Navies Field only Three Destroyers, China Fields 40+
In fairness to her, Australia is rationing diesel too & doesn’t have a single spare destroyer to send to the Persian Gulf. Worse, all the King’s navies combined, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, can only field about 3 ready destroyers...
Secretary's Cost‑cutting Leaves Carriers Vulnerable to Drones
Let me give you a hint, Secretary: you could lose a few fingers and still have enough left to count that number. Pathetic. Not even enough escorts to protect one of your own carriers. Even worse, you cut corners so they...
Curious About Israel's Potential Deal With Iran
Ok but I’m far more interested in what deal Israel is willing to make with Iran.
Don't Deploy Destroyer Without Navy's Availability Confirmation
You tried to rush in with a Destroyer until your Navy told you it had no ships ready and available you putz.
Hormuz Optimism Overshadowed by Grim Long‑term Risks
COB Tuesday is the best weekly energy podcast. Period. Excited to join them yesterday to discuss the Persian Gulf. tl;dr There are reasons to be optimistic about Hormuz. But the worst case scenario & long term consequences are worse than anyone has...
Sources Hint Kharg Island Transfer Explains Sudden Cooperation
What of they are giving us Kharg Island? Why would they suddenly be so cooperative? There aren’t many theories out there where this makes any sense… but my sources suggest it may be true.
Revoking
YES And this is what happens when you pull their pentagon passes and security clearances…. https://t.co/oQFBy98VJw
Questioning Preferential LNG Export Priorities Over Market Bidding
Wait, why are we giving anyone special priority to our LNG exports. Why aren’t we selling it to the highest bidder?
Press Ignoring Critical US Maritime Crises and Casualties
From the 3 Americans who died because of Biden’s Gaza Pier, to the US Merchant Marine ships under a barrage of fire by Houthis in the Red Sea, to decades of under reporting the shipyard crisis. I can list dozens of...
Leadership Lessons at Sea: A Refreshing Ship Captain’s Tale
Everyone’s talking about shipping but most of the books about commercial ships are dry as dust. Once upon a time I read one that wasn’t. No acronyms. No jargon. Just stories about leadership moments at sea by @GoldenStripesLS, a ship captain...
Billions for Roads, Not Saving Children From Violence
Are you kidding me? You think I forgot about the kids brutality killed? You think I don’t remember that Congress used this CDC stat to hand @PeteButtigieg $2 TRILLION to “fix” our roads? Where did that lifesaving money go Luca? https://t.co/Fd5hnbkvGq
USS John F. Kennedy Construction Drags on 17 Years
“Can take twice as long” Are you kidding me?? We have been building the aircraft carrier USS John F Kennedy for SEVENTEEN YEARS and it’s still not completed.
US Strikes Cripple Iran; Strait Safe, Democrats Skeptical
We’ve cleaned out Iran’s nukes and drone factories, and gutted their navy. If the Strait reopens without a single U.S. naval casualty… will every Dem here finally admit @PeteHegseth is doing a good job… or just gaslight us again? https://t.co/8Fpfnm7TNh
Europe Faces Jet Fuel Shortage Amid Kuwait Strikes
Forget TSA lines, the real problem with air travel in the coming weeks is fuel. Some cargoes are already diverting toward the U.S. on a Jones Act waiver, so domestic travel might hold. Europe? Different story. About 1.77M barrels/day of jet fuel...
Canada’s
Is the Royal Canadian “navy” going to send three staff officers to help with paperwork like they did to reopen the Red Sea? Or can they not even manage that anymore?
Why Not Seize Iranian Tankers and Sell Their Oil?
Ok but I still have to ask… why don’t we just seize the Iranian tankers and sell the oil ourselves?
Kids Find Base Coordinates, Iran Gets Targeting Data
This is a joke…. right? My twelve year old could find the coordinates of every major US military base. You don’t even need GPS to hit them. This is why it’s ridiculous the Army moved prepositioned supply ashore. We can take out...
California's Gas Supply Depends on Asian Petroleum Imports
What if Asia gets worried and stops sending petroleum to California. (Where did you think Californians get their gas since @GavinNewsom started closing oil refineries?)
Higher Oil Prices Won’t Spark US Drilling Surge
“Just because oil prices have spiked higher on geopolitical risk does not mean that US oil companies will drill baby drill"
Naval Ship Shortage Roots Predate Trump, Not Just His Fault
“Yes we have fewer ships. Well we also have fewer horses and bayonets.” Everyone’s blaming Trump for not having enough Navy ships available to escort supertankers. But ask the real question: did this hull shortage start with Trump?
California's Anti‑refinery Stance Threatens Pacific Military Fuel Security
I’ve been accused of being too soft on @SecWar. Fine. Problem is his performance has been exceptional. But here’s where I’m livid: no serious DoW pressure on Newsom and the California Coastal Commission which are both getting massive support from China. Oil...
Navy Ship Costs Overstated; Protects $50B Cargo
For year the NYTimes has written hit pieces on the “ballooning cost” of Navy warships. It was a smoke screen to coverup fraud by making people think the defense budget was the cause of the debt. The truth: A $3B DDG pales...