Coast Guard Authorization Conference Agreement Includes Key AWO Policy Priorities. AWO secured multiple policy wins in the final House-Senate conference agreement for the Coast Guard Authorization Act. Included in the legislation are three long-sought industry priorities: a revision to the harassment reporting provision of the 2022 Safer Seas Act; language directing the Coast Guard to issue a final rule for safe navigation fairways; and a clarification of policy regarding anchorages on the Hudson River. Congress is expected to act on the Coast Guard bill as soon as next week, as part of the annual defense authorization act. Please contact Craig Montesano for more information.

 

 

NMC to Launch Online Credentialing Improvements. The National Maritime Center (NMC) recently announced three changes to its online services that will go public beginning in January 2026. 

1. A redesigned NMC website will focus on streamlined navigation, accessing essential information in fewer clicks, and a clear "How to Apply" pathway that better guides mariners through the steps of the application process. 

2. An "Application Submission and Awaiting Information Portal" will provide mariners with a new way to directly submit merchant mariner credential applications, medical certificate applications, and supporting documents instead of using email attachments. 

3. Delivery of approved medical certificates by email will allow mariners to bypass mailing delays, save the certificate to a mobile device and print at their convenience. 

AWO is working with the NMC to fully understand these changes, their timing, and ways to maximize the efficiency they can create for mariners and companies. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Patrick Parsons.  

 

Coast Guard Streamlines Cyber Incident Reporting Guidance. The Coast Guard recently released Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 02-24, Change 1, which provides guidance for complying with security and cyber incident reporting requirements under the Maritime Transportation Security Act and other federal rules. The NVIC has been updated to reflect the Coast Guard's cybersecurity regulations that took effect in July.

The NVIC resolves the overlapping and conflicting reporting requirement created by Executive Order 14116, issued in February 2024, by harmonizing the Coast Guard regulations' term "reportable cyber incident" and the Executive Order's term "cyber incident." The NVIC also streamlines reporting procedures by clarifying that a report to the National Response Center satisfies the EO's requirement to report to the local Coast Guard Captain of the Port and the FBI. A separate report must still be made to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. AWO has advocated for simplified cyber incident reporting since publication of the EO and welcomes this step to reduce regulatory burdens.

In addition, the NVIC reiterates that "malicious but low-level events, such as routine spam, phishing attempts, and other nuisance events," as well as "accidental violations of acceptable use policies, such as plugging in an unauthorized portable hard drive or memory stick," are not considered cyber incidents.

AWO will continue to work with the Coast Guard to ensure its cybersecurity regulations are implemented practicably and informed by risk. Please contact Liam Morcroft with any questions or concerns.

 

VRP Program Backlogged after Government Shutdown

On December 4, the U.S. Coast Guard issued a message that its Vessel Response Plan (VRP) Program is experiencing a significant backlog in processing submissions due to the recent government shutdown. The Coast Guard noted that response times may be delayed and processing of plan revisions, amendments, and new submissions may take longer than usual. Submitters are encouraged to follow all applicable procedures outlined in 33 CFR 155.1070 and 155.5070.

If you are experiencing problematic delays and need help navigating the VRP approval process, please contact Lillie Wightman or Caitlyn Stewart.

 

Welcome, New Members! AWO is delighted to welcome two new affiliate members, Erben Associates and Budwine Marine.

Erben Associates, based in Austin, TX, specializes in helping private business owners develop proactive succession and exit plans. Their mission is to safeguard company value and ensure smooth leadership transitions, reducing risks like confusion, lost value, and eroded trust.

Budwine Marine, headquartered in New Orleans, LA, provides marine surveying, inspection, diving, salvage, environmental, and emergency response services. With regional offices across the inland waterways and Gulf Coast, they deliver 24/7 support and are committed to precision, safety, and rapid response.

Please join us in helping these new members feel at home in the AWO community!

 

AWO Highlights Industry Safety Progress at Shell Maritime Regional Meeting.

AWO participated in Shell Maritime's latest regional Partners in Safety meeting in Vicksburg, MS, hosted by Golding Barge Line. The session brought together vessel operators and tankering service providers in the petroleum trade for a two-day learning session focused on lessons from recent incidents and near misses.

Several AWO initiatives were recognized as positive examples of industry wide progress in safety during the meeting. Shell leadership highlighted the Falls Overboard Prevention Report, human factors linked to OCIMF, and the Safe Vessel Access Coalition, a new initiative that aims to improve access and egress practices at terminals in partnership with ILTA, TIC Council and energy majors. Please contact Michael Breslin for more information.

 

TSA Releases Technical Advisory: What You Need to Know. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) released a technical advisory (TA-2025-TWIC001) outlining updates to the CA1 and ROOT signing certificates embedded in TWIC cards, to prepare for stronger security standards required by NIST starting in 2030. These digital certificates ensure TWIC cards can be authenticated and validated by electronic readers. To accomplish this, TSA will switch to a new Certificate Authority server in early 2026. 

As a result, TWIC cards issued between November 19, 2025, and the 2026 cutover will have digital certificates that don't perfectly match the printed expiration date. However, TSA confirms: 

"TWIC cards issued during this time frame will remain valid, regardless of their certificate expiration date, until the date printed on the card or until the card is placed on the cancelled card list." 

Additionally, TSA advises:

"In the interim, it is advised to IGNORE the 'not valid after' extension of the current CA1 and ROOT certificates to avoid a possible failure in certificate validation." 

TSA will share additional guidance before the new certificates go live in early 2026. Additionally, TWIC card issuance has been paused as of November 25 and is scheduled to resume December 5. Please contact Liam Morcroft with any questions or concerns.  

 

AWO PAC and Inside Elections. AWO PAC has partnered with Inside Elections for another special edition, featuring a deep dive into Nebraska's second district, an update on the Texas redistricting situation, and a detailed analysis of the new congressional map in Utah.

AWO PAC is the connected political action committee for The American Waterways Operators and serves as the trade association's separate segregated fund. As a trade association, AWO is prohibited from using general treasury funds or membership dues to make federal contributions. AWO is one of the most effective advocacy associations in Washington, DC, and relies on voluntary personal contributions to fund AWO PAC.

AWO PAC supports federal candidates who are champions of the U.S. tugboat, towboat and barge industry and who are leaders on issues important to our industry. AWO PAC is dedicated to protecting AWO members' investments in the safest, most environmentally responsible and most economical mode of freight transportation and safeguarding the integrity of the Jones Act to protect the bottom lines of our members.

AWO PAC may solicit contributions from individuals of a member company once the member representative gives AWO written prior approval.

 

ICYMI: AWO Guest Column Highlights Industry's National Security Importance. AWO President & CEO Jennifer Carpenter recently authored a commentary piece for the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association on domestic maritime's role in U.S. national and homeland security. 

In the piece, Domestic Maritime Commerce: Safeguarding a National Security Asset, Jennifer highlights AWO's new video on our industry's contributions to national security and discusses key policy priorities to protect U.S. national security interests by positioning domestic maritime to thrive, including: strengthening support for the Jones Act; advocating for federal and state actions to facilitate safe and efficient navigation; and supporting mariner recruitment and retention by modernizing the Coast Guard's mariner credentialing system and forging partnerships with maritime educational institutions.  

The full commentary piece is available here.

 

Southern California Ports, Regulator Reach Cooperative Agreement. The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners recently approved a landmark Cooperative Agreement with the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) and the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, aimed at accelerating zero-emission infrastructure across San Pedro Bay. This deal comes in place of a rulemaking that could have led to the closure of the port complex if certain emission limits were reached, and builds on the ports' progress under the Clean Air Action Plan, which has resulted in notable emissions reductions in the region since 2006. The commission's signing marks the last step in the approval process, making the ports' zero-emission infrastructure efforts binding and enforceable. 

Under the agreement, the ports must develop zero-emission infrastructure plans for five major source categories: harbor craft, cargo-handling equipment, trucks, trains, and ocean-going vessels. These infrastructure plans will be developed in three phases, with a draft due by May 2027 and all final plans approved by the end of 2029. For more information, please contact Lillie Wightman. 

 

Court Suspends Some California Emissions Reporting Requirements. On November 18, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued an injunction halting enforcement of California Senate Bill 261, which requires companies operating in California with more than $500 million in annual revenues to publicly disclose their climate-related financial risks and mitigation strategies. The injunction will remain in place while the appeal proceeds, meaning SB 261 could be reinstated.  

The Court did not pause enforcement of Senate Bill 253 (SB 253), which requires companies with more than $1 billion in annual revenues to report their Scope 1 (direct), Scope 2 (indirect from purchased energy), and Scope 3 (value chain) emissions. Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions disclosures begin in 2026, followed by Scope 3 reporting in 2027. 

In late November, the California Air Resources Board held a workshop on both of these programs; the slides from CARB's presentation, which include information on the suspended requirements, can be found here. AWO continues to engage with the California Chamber of Commerce coalition opposing these programs and will keep members informed of further developments. For more information, please contact Lillie Wightman. 

 

California Marine Invasive Species Program Amendments Proposed. The California State Lands Commission (CSLC) recently proposed to amend the marine invasive species control fund fee and ballast water discharge performance standards under the state's Marine Invasive Species Control Program. The proposed amendments would:

• Raise the fee paid by vessels arriving at California ports from $1,000 to $1,225 per vessel voyage from a location outside of California. 

• Add a provision to automatically adjust the fee for inflation every five years. 

• Make permanent the emergency ballast water management regulations implemented on June 16, 2025.  

• Add extra management actions for certain vessels discharging ballast water in freshwater and low-salinity ports within the San Francisco Bay area. 

AWO is drafting comments on the proposal; members should contact Lillie Wightman with any feedback to inform AWO's submission.  

 

Puget Sound Tug Escort Requirements Updated. On November 20, the Washington Board of Pilotage Commissioners (BPC) established updated tug escort requirements for certain oil tankers and barges operating in Puget Sound. The rule expands tug escort requirements to oil tankers between 5,000 and 40,000 DWT, as well as barges and articulated tug-barges over 5,000 DWT when carrying oil in bulk. The tug escort area will expand by 11%, northwest toward Patos Island, and pre-escort conferences along with minimum horsepower and propulsion will be required. 

AWO has been engaged with this process since 2019, when state legislation was passed requiring the BPC and Department of Ecology to adopt tug escort rules for Puget Sound. The rule takes effect on December 21, 2025. For more information, please contact Lillie Wightman.  

 

Washington State Offers $25 Million Grant Opportunity. The Washington Department of Ecology has issued a $25 million grant opportunity to fund zero emission vehicles. The "Rails, Keels, and Wheels" grant targets equipment with large diesel engines, providing up to $9 million for a tugboat repower from diesel to all-electric. Private companies are eligible, and the deadline for application is January 8, 2026. Interested members should contact Peter Schrappen.

 

AIWA Hosts Annual Meeting in Savannah. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association (AIWA) hosted its 2025 Annual Meeting in Savannah, GA on November 18-20. AIWA was founded in 1999 to secure funding and support for the maintenance of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. The meeting included presentations from U.S. Coast Guard MSU Savannah, Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District, and AIWA industry partners. AWO Vice President -- Atlantic Region Brian Vahey participated in a panel discussing the state of play in Washington, DC. Much of the discussion focused on the growth of the Savannah Port District and opportunities to work with federal and state government partners to ensure the port's dredging needs are met so that maritime industrial and recreational activities can continue to thrive.