Operating on our nation’s inland rivers, coastal waters, and Great Lakes, U.S. towing vessels and barges safely and efficiently transport energy products, agricultural commodities, building materials, manufactured, heavy equipment, and other vital cargo to communities across the country, and serve as a key component of global trade and military logistics by guiding larger ships into and out of U.S. ports.
AWO advocates for policies that are critical to maintaining a safe, reliable, and competitive marine transportation system in the United States.
The Jones Act
The Jones Act is the foundational law of the American maritime industry. It requires that vessels carrying cargo between U.S. ports must be built, owned, and crewed by Americans.
- National Security: The Jones Act acts as a "front line" for our national security by keeping America's maritime supply chain under U.S. control and free of foreign influences; and by enabling the Coast Guard to focus on its homeland security mission without the added need to track foreign vessels navigating U.S. waters.
- Economic Strength: This law supports nearly 650,000 American jobs and generates billions of dollars for our economy every year.
- Safety & Environmental Protection: Because Jones Act vessels are American-made and operated, they meet the highest safety and environmental standards in the world.
Coast Guard & Federal Agency Partnerships
We work closely with the U.S. Coast Guard and other federal government agencies to develop a safe, secure and efficient operating environment for moving the nation's maritime commerce.
- Safe, Sustainable Waterways: We work with federal agencies to inform the development of rules that keep mariners and the public safe and protect the marine environment.
- Efficient Operations: Working with federal agencies, AWO ensures its members can move cargo throughout the country without unnecessary delays and can sustain operations through evolving navigation conditions and extreme weather events.
Securing Smart Regulations
We advocate for regulations that protect people and our waterways and that promote, rather than hinder, safety, efficiency, and innovation.
- Practical Rules: We support regulations that work in the real world, not just on paper.
- Modernization: We identify outdated or dysfunctional rules that haven’t kept pace with technological or operational innovations or that add inefficiency without improving safety or environmental protection.
- Continuous Improvement: Our goal is to set a high bar for safety, environmental performance, and maritime workforce development, while cutting through red tape that slows down American commerce.
Congressional Advocacy
We are the voice of the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry on Capitol Hill. We work with Congress to draft policy that helps America’s maritime commerce grow and thrive.
- Supporting National, Economic and Homeland Security: We work to build strong, bipartisan support for the Jones Act by educating policymakers on the law's vital role in keeping our nation safe and our economy strong.
- Keeping Commerce Moving: We advocate for safe and efficient navigation and for the policies needed to maintain and modernize locks, dams, and ports.
State Advocacy
Policymaking in state capitals affects our members every day. AWO advocates for strong state policies to ensure a safe and thriving maritime industry.
- Local Impact: We support and advance our industry by tracking state laws on taxes, labor, environmental performance, and other issues affecting waterways navigation.
- Stronger Voice: We bring together local operators to speak with one united voice to governors, state agencies, and state legislators.
- Stopping Patchwork Rules: We work to prevent a "patchwork" of different state laws that make it harder for our interstate industry to move vital cargo across state lines.
