Hornbeck Offshore pushes back against US penalties over cameras to guard against sexual assault. Offshore vessel owner says Safer Seas Act requires cameras in crew areas, not customer accommodations * TradeWinds US bureau chief Published 30 March 2026, 07:35 A unit of Hornbeck Offshore Services has launched litigation against the US Coast Guard as it battles penalties for allegedly failing to comply with measures aimed at preventing sexual assault at sea. Subsidiary Hornbeck Offshore Operators alleges the agency incorrectly penalised the company for failing to install cameras in dormitories used by its customers, in a lawsuit filed in a US federal court. The Louisiana shipowner argues the Safe Seas Act, passed in 2022 to address sexual harassment and assaults on US-flag ships, requires cameras only in passageways for crew dormitories.

HOS, Saronic link up to trial autonomous vessels offshore. Design work is under way for Port Alpha, a greenfield "next-generation shipyard". Image courtesy Saronic Technologies When we interviewed Saronic Co-Founder and CEO Dino Mavrookas late last year, he insisted that Saronic's mission was to deliver commercially viable autonomous vessels first, and in turn parlay that into a ready package for defense. That vision comes to fruition as Saronic announced a partnership with Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. (HOS), to accelerate innovation and deployment of autonomous platforms, advanced software, and maritime solutions to the markets HOS serves. Specifically, as part of the agreement, Saronic and Hornbeck intend to pursue commercial solutions to support offshore services and energy operations, including pilot projects for Marauder, Saronic's 180-foot autonomous ship. "At Saronic, we focus on building technology that improves outcomes and reduces risk in high-complexity maritime environments," said Dino Mavrookas, Co-Founder and CEO of Saronic. "Our autonomous maritime capabilities can increase the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of offshore operations. Through our partnership with Hornbeck, we will work to responsibly deploy autonomous maritime systems to improve offshore service delivery - advancing energy security, and, in turn, economic and national security." The companies will also evaluate how Saronic's technologies could support a wide spectrum of Hornbeck's operational functions - ranging from voyage planning and service delivery to fleet management and predictive maintenance - creating opportunities to streamline workflows, create safer working environments for its crews, and drive efficiencies over time. "Hornbeck Offshore has long been guided by our mission to deliver innovative, high quality, value added business solutions. Saronic is a proven leader in applying emerging autonomous technologies to marine operations. Together, our missions are aligned and we're charting a future where AI enabled capabilities can augment service-delivery across commercial and defense markets, creating safer operations for our crews, greater efficiency, and new value for our customers," said Todd Hornbeck, Chairman, President and CEO of Hornbeck Offshore.