AWO Letter - June 11, 2026
Congressional Leaders Speak Out against Jones Act Waiver at Hearings. Over the last two weeks, Trump administration officials testified at several Congressional hearings at which Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle publicly questioned the efficacy of the Jones Act waiver.
- During a hearing of the Senate Coast Guard Subcommittee, Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) said he was troubled by the waiver and questioned its legality.
- At a House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee hearing, Transportation Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA) noted the waiver has not lowered gas prices but has halted shipbuilding and stolen jobs from American mariners.
- In a House Homeland Security Committee hearing, Representative Troy Carter (D-LA) pressed Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin about the fact that 95% of voyages under the waiver went to operators who don't pay U.S. taxes or comply with immigration laws.
- During the House Armed Services Committee's markup of the National Defense Authorization Act, Representative John Garamendi (D-CA) said legislative action may be necessary to prevent abuses of the 501(a)-waiver process. The bill reported out by the committee included two relevant provisions: a prohibition on vessels designated as foreign entities of concern from operating under a Jones Act waiver, and a requirement that the text of a Jones Act waiver be provided to Congress (which has not happened in the current situation). In addition, Rep. Garamendi filed but withdrew an amendment that would have limited the length of a 501(a) waiver to 60 days.
Taken together, these and other statements showed that lawmakers are becoming increasingly frustrated by the unprecedented, unnecessary, and harmful waiver and making their displeasure known to the administration privately and publicly, while administration officials are having a hard time defending the policy.
Carbajal Launches Oversight into Foreign Vessel Operators Benefiting from Jones Act Waiver. Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, has sent letters to vessel owners and operators that have benefited from the Trump administration's Jones Act waiver, seeking information about their use of the waiver, compliance with U.S. law, and impacts on American maritime jobs and domestic shipping capacity. His letter states: "I intend to work with relevant federal and state agencies to ensure that all operators utilizing the waiver have complied with applicable U.S. laws and regulations...Accordingly, I request that you provide detailed information regarding your compliance with all applicable federal and state laws for any vessel that has operated, is operating, or intends to operate in domestic commerce pursuant to the current Jones Act waiver. This information will assist Congress in evaluating both compliance with existing law and the broader impacts of the waiver on U.S. maritime interests."
As of June 8, MARAD has reported 95 instances of foreign operators using the Jones Act waiver since it was first issued in March.
Local Mississippi TV News Picks Up Jones Act Waiver Story. The local NBC news affiliate in Jackson, Mississippi, WLBT-3, recently aired and wrote up a story discussing local mariner concerns about the ongoing Jones Act waiver. In the story, which featured interviews with AWO member Yazoo River Towing in Vicksburg, mariners highlighted the waiver's potential impact on mariner jobs and waterways safety as the waiver enables foreign carriers to participate in domestic trade without being held to the same standards as American vessel operators. The story was also picked up by WLOX, the local ABC and CBS affiliate in Biloxi, Gulfport, and Pascagoula, MS. You can watch and read the full story here.
Nationwide End the Waiver Campaign Gains Steam. The American Maritime Partnership's recently-launched End the Waiver campaign has gotten off to a strong start with the national airing of the first in a series of television ads running on major news networks in Washington, DC. Other elements of the campaign include forthcoming local ad campaigns in key maritime states; earned media coverage at the national and state level; amplification of key opinion leaders through opEds and other platforms; development of media and advocacy collateral materials to educate policymakers and the media on the need to end the waiver; and extensive amplification on social media. The campaign directs viewers and readers to EndtheWaiver.com, where they can send customizable messages urging their congressional representatives to oppose the waiver.
AWO is working closely with AMP as a leader and partner in this integrated campaign, from collaborating in the production and amplification of media and advocacy deliverables to enlisting AWO members to help generate earned media coverage in key locations across the country.
You can help in this effort by:
- Encouraging your employees to write Congress by visiting EndtheWaiver.com. They can also write Congress through AWO's webpage featuring our video urging an end to the waiver;
- Volunteering to be featured in local press coverage in your area;
- Sending us content featuring your mariners speaking out against the waiver for us to post on social media; and
- Sharing data with us to demonstrate harm caused by the waiver (e.g, lost contracts, paused investments, etc.).
AWO Discusses Cyber Rule Implementation and New Guidance with Coast Guard. On June 5, the Coast Guard published new guidance on the cybersecurity assessment process and waivers and equivalencies under its cybersecurity regulations at 33 CFR Part 101 Subpart F. That same day, AWO met with Nick Parham, Chief of the Coast Guard Office of Maritime Cybersecurity Policy, to discuss the regulations and the agency's ongoing implementation initiatives.
The Coast Guard's cybersecurity assessment guidance outlines how regulated entities should scope their assessments, inventory and categorize their cyber-connected systems, evaluate cyber risks, and identify critical IT and OT. The waiver and equivalency guidance provides a clear framework for operators to request relief from specific requirements when supported by a completed assessment or modified assessment for vessels with minimal or no IT/OT systems.
AWO confirmed with Mr. Parham that our Cybersecurity Assessment Working Group's process to inventory and evaluate cyber risks on MTSA-regulated towing vessels and barges is consistent with the Coast Guard's new guidance and expectations. We discussed the process for developing and submitting a Cybersecurity Plan informed by the assessment as part of the AWO Alternative Security Program. We also identified opportunities for AWO to work with the Coast Guard to secure reductions in regulatory burdens for members, including by seeking waivers for tank barges and certain towing vessels with minimal IT/OT systems covered by the AWO ASP and developing a streamlined attestation process for cybersecurity training verification for contractors.
AWO will continue to build on the work already underway with our Cybersecurity Assessment Working Group and tailor our compliance tools and resources based on the new guidance and our ongoing engagement with the Coast Guard.
Coast Guard Updates Guidance for TSMS Vessel Operators and TPOs. On June 1, the Coast Guard Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance published an update to its work instruction on Towing Vessel Inspections under the TSMS Option, CVC-WI-013(8). The update provides clarity on the inspection and certification of TSMS option vessels and consolidates the work instruction with CG-CVC Policy Letter 17-10 on deficiency recording and reporting for TSMS option vessels.
The updated work instruction includes three major changes:
First, the Coast Guard has streamlined the process for reducing the scope of the fifth-year Coast Guard inspection to renew a COI. The revised work instruction offers two options: 1) if the operator chooses not to complete an annual internal or external survey, the Coast Guard will conduct a full renewal inspection (i.e., 100 percent of the CG-840 book Job Aid); or, 2) if the operator chooses to complete an annual internal or external survey, the Coast Guard will reduce the scope of the renewal inspection to essential systems to avoid duplication. Previously, operators had no ability to forgo the annual survey and were required to request Reduced Risk-Based Inspections as an equivalency. The change is consistent with prior recommendations made by AWO and the Towing Safety Advisory Committee.
Second, the Coast Guard has significantly simplified the random external vessel audit requirement. Per the revised work instruction, "[t]he regulation does not require any particular methodology for randomization or procedure for vessel selection and no CG approval of the selection process is required," and operators and TPOs "are encouraged to take the most appropriate approach for the subject fleet of vessels." The previous provision that established two planned vessel audits during the five-year validity period of the TSMS certificate as an equivalency to one random vessel audit has been eliminated. This change is also responsive to prior AWO recommendations.
Third, the Coast Guard has changed its guidance for documenting minor deficiencies. According to the revised work instruction, if the OCMI identifies minor deficiencies during inspections, investigations, or other interactions, the Coast Guard must document them in MISLE and issue a CG-835V, which will appear in PSIX. The Coast Guard has also clarified the process by which an OCMI may authorize a TPO to clear minor deficiencies with operator permission.
Additionally, the Coast Guard has converted CG-CVC Policy Letter 17-04, Change 2, on Subchapter M Third-Party Organization (TPO) Guidance, into a new CVC-WI-038(1).
Please contact Liam Morcroft or Caitlyn Stewart with any questions or concerns.
AWO Meets with NMC Leadership to Discuss Processing Timelines. AWO recently met with leadership at the National Maritime Center (NMC) to discuss the current state of application processing, impacts of processing times on mariners and vessel operations, and mitigation measures. Current application processing timelines are extended not only from the backlog created by the 76-day funding shutdown, but also from the routine "spring surge" of applications. The NMC processed a record number of applications in May and anticipates revising downward its current recommendation to apply 8-12 months in advance as processing times continue to drop.
The Coast Guard also recently announced that the first phase of the new NAVITA credential application and processing digital platform will roll out in September 2026. AWO is working with the Coast Guard as it conducts user testing to ensure this initial phase meets the needs of companies and mariners in the tugboat, towboat and barge industry.
Illinois Paid Leave Exemption Language Passes House, Awaits Senate Action. On May 31, legislation to exempt mariners from the Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act cleared the Illinois House of Representatives as part of an amendment to SB 3393, a labor omnibus bill. Unfortunately, the bill was not taken up for a final vote in the Illinois Senate before the Illinois General Assembly adjourned in the early morning hours of June 1.
Despite the unfinished business in the Illinois Senate, the House vote marks significant progress after months of work to advance AWO's mariner exemption language. AWO will continue advocating for final passage of SB 3393, either during a possible special session this summer or in the General Assembly's November veto session. For more information, please contact Kyle Burleson or Justin Lampert.
RIETF Meets in New Orleans, Hold Elections. Industry members of the River Industry Executive Task Force (RIETF) and U.S Coast Guard Heartland District met on June 3, led by RIETF Co-Chairs Russ Lampkins, Ingram Barge Company, and RDML Will Watson, U.S Coast Guard Heartland District Commander. Attendees discussed a variety of topics including bridge issues, hurricane preparedness, permitting process communication, government shutdown impacts, and buoy tender schedules and reliability concerns.
Prior to the meeting, RIETF held its annual nomination process and selected the following members for two-year terms:
- Walt Wepfer, Wepfer Marine, Inc.
- Darin Adrian, Marquette Transportation Company, LLC
- Randy Chamness, American Commercial Barge Line LLC
Russ Lampkins, Ingram Barge Company, and Walt Wepfer, Wepfer Marine, Inc., will fulfill the second year of their terms as Co-Chair and Vice Chair, respectively.
RIETF is a standing committee of AWO whose mission is to provide the opportunity for ongoing dialogue between senior decision-makers within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard, and industry to enable smooth coordination during crisis situations and to avoid future crises.
AWO Leadership and Safety Excellence on Display at IMX 2026. AWO members and staff played a prominent role throughout the 2026 Inland Marine Expo (IMX) in Nashville, highlighting the association's leadership, safety expertise, and commitment to advancing the tugboat, towboat and barge industry.
AWO Chairman Matt Woodruff, Vice President of Public and Government Affairs at Kirby Corporation, set the tone during the opening session with a strong message on the importance of the Jones Act, emphasizing its critical role in supporting America's maritime strength.
Another conference highlight was the panel discussion on Lithium-Ion Battery Risks, Controls and Lessons for Workboats, led by past AWO Chairman Kelly Teichman, Executive Chairman of T&T Group. The session featured experts Woody Collins of the American Equity Underwriters, Erik Larsen of Corvus Energy, Keegan Plaskon of ABS, and AWO Senior Director of Safety & Sustainability Michael Breslin.
The AWO booth stayed busy as well, with visits from AWO Vice Chairman Brian Hughes, President of Hughes Bros., and past chairman Clark Todd, President and CEO of Blessey Marine, and many other members and prospective members stopping by. Throughout the conference, AWO members and staff led discussions on the Jones Act, safety, security, and industry partnerships, further strengthening the association's influence and impact.
IMX concluded with a tribute to the late Joseph "Joe" Tyson, who posthumously received the 2026 Mike Rushing Legacy Service Award. A 41-year veteran of Canal Barge Company and a champion of the AWO Responsible Carrier Program, Joe's legacy lives on through the people he mentored, the programs he strengthened, and the industry's continued pursuit of safer operations.
AWO Supports Modernized Approach to Right Whale Conservation. AWO recently worked with members to provide feedback to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in response to its request for information on potential changes to the North Atlantic Right Whale vessel speed rule. Our comments called for a more technology-driven approach to conservation and outlined ways the rule could be updated to better reflect real-world vessel operations, improve the safety deviation framework, and support a more practical and effective conservation program.
CARB Responds to AWO Comments on Carl Moyer Program Guidelines. The California Air Resources Board has responded to AWO's February comments on its proposed revisions to the Carl Moyer Program. While several of our requested changes are constrained by statute or regulation, CARB's reply offers helpful clarity for operators navigating the intersection of the Commercial Harbor Craft (CHC) rule and the Carl Moyer Program.
CARB's response confirms that key constraints in the program, including surplus requirements, cost-effectiveness limits, and maximum project life, are set in statute and cannot be modified through guideline updates. The agency also reaffirmed existing flexibilities, including the ability for air districts to fund Tier 3 repowers when Tier 4 engines are infeasible and to approve projects without DPFs when no commercially available marine DPF exists.
For more information on the Carl Moyer Program, please contact Lillie Wightman.
AWO Secures Support for Waterfront Industrial Land Modernization in San Francisco. AWO members scored an important win for the working waterfront as the Port of Richmond Planning Commission voted 5-0 to support the TransMontaigne Richmond Terminal Modernization Project. The unanimous vote affirms the value of maintaining and modernizing legacy industrial waterfront sites that are essential to safe, efficient marine transportation in Richmond, CA. AWO's comments underscored the facility's role serving tug, barge, and ship calls that keep Northern California's supply chain moving. Our coalition's unified engagement, including member comment letters and in-person testimony, was cited by project partners as a meaningful factor in the Commission's decision.
Summary of NTZ - May 2026: In the latest edition of AWO's Navigating to Zero Safety and Sustainability Newsletter, we shared updates about AWO's partnership with OCIMF and program schedules; celebrated Wear Your Lifejacket At Work Day; reported on NOAA's new hurricane prediction tools and the forecast for an active Pacific Hurricane Season; highlighted a new Heat Stress App; interviewed Mike Blaske, General Manager of Illinois Marine Towing (IMT); summarized recent Coast Guard and NTSB Casualty Reports, Coast Guard and BSEE Safety Alerts, and Member Near Misses; and more!
See these stories in the May NTZ and don't forget to send in your SSRP data, High Value Near Misses, and HERO Award nominations to promote continuous improvement. Email Liam Morcroft to set up delivery or explore past editions on the AWO NTZ on your iPhone or Android AWO app!
Registration Continues for AWO Summer Safety Meeting. Join like-minded safety professionals from across the industry in Chicago on July 21-22 for AWO's Summer Safety Meeting. This year's program will explore how strong safety cultures, effective leadership, and operational excellence work together to protect mariners and strengthen our industry. Register today!