House Won't Take Up Senate Coast Guard Bill, Leader Says. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) informed Transportation & Infrastructure Committee leaders that S. 524, the Senate-passed Coast Guard authorization bill, would not be considered on the House floor, allowing Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) to continue his efforts to advance a new authorization bill. The Senate measure, drafted at the end of the 118th Congress, was notable for the absence of AWO-supported legislative priorities and one provision--a prohibition on new anchorages on the Hudson River--harmful to navigation. AWO is working extensively with Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA), Coast Guard Subcommittee Chairman Mike Ezell (R-MS) and Ranking Member Salud Carbajal (D-CA) on a bill that advances industry priorities.

 

 

Trump Administration Names Acting MARAD Administrator. Sang H. Yi, a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy with 15 years of experience as a staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives, was named Acting Administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) while the nomination of Steven Carmel awaits Senate confirmation.  Yi, a strong supporter of the domestic maritime industry, takes leadership of MARAD at a critical time, with the agency responsible for leading several Administration efforts to restore American maritime dominance and revitalize domestic shipbuilding.  AWO congratulates Yi on his appointment and looks forward to working together toward his goal to "secure a resilient and strong maritime future" through industry partnerships.

 

 

ACBL Authors Letter-to-the-Editor Defending Jones Act. Captain Jason Siglar, who works for American Commercial Barge Line in Iowa, authored a Letter-to-the-Editor on the Jones Act that was published June 9 in the Iowa Standard. The letter, titled "Jones Act repeal would lead to higher costs in long run," was written in response to a previously published opinion piece that had argued for repealing the Jones Act. 

In the letter, Capt. Siglar observes: "The Jones Act is a convenient punching bag to blame for all that ails us, but without the Jones Act, we would end up paying foreign competitors, including our Chinese adversaries, to ship our own goods within our own country. This would be a disgrace, and we should never allow it to happen."

You can read the full letter here.

 

Update on OCIMF SIRE 2.0 and Barge Inspection Questionnaire Revisions. AWO continues to work closely with the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) on updates to the Barge Inspection Questionnaire (BIQ) and Barge Particulars Questionnaire (BPQ) as part of the broader SIRE 2.0 implementation plan. Since our last opportunity to comment in October 2024, the revised question set has been submitted to OCIMF's technical committee. Once that review is complete, stakeholders like AWO will be invited to provide further feedback, likely through an OCIMF-hosted in-person session.

Notably, OCIMF has confirmed that these updates, expected in 2026, will be limited to revisions of the BIQ/BPQ and may not incorporate human element factors. Additionally, OCIMF has shared plans to develop a single global framework with filters for vessel types and regions (e.g., North America, South America, Asia, Europe). This global framework will precede the launch of SIRE 2.0 (Cat 3), which is now expected no earlier than 2027.

AWO remains actively engaged and will continue to represent members' interests as this process unfolds. Please contact Michael Breslin with any questions or feedback.

 

Lower Mississippi Comprehensive Management Study on Hold. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently announced that the Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study project team has suspended work due to a lack funding in the FY2025 Workplan. The 5-year study kicked off last year and was directed by Congress to identify actionable recommendations for the management of the Lower Mississippi River from Cape Girardeau, Missouri to the Gulf of America.

Through comments submitted and during meetings with the project team, AWO provided input on a variety of recommendations that should be included in the study, including the benefits of maintaining a 12-foot navigation channel from Cairo to the Gulf. AWO was informed by the Corps that the 12-foot navigation channel would be included as part of the study and that the final actionable recommendations of the study would enhance and strengthen navigation on the Lower Mississippi River. AWO will continue to work with the Corps and the project team to ensure navigation is at the forefront of the study once additional funding is received and the study resumes.

 

AWO Holds Sector Luncheon in St. Louis. On June 11, AWO members including Ingram Barge Company, ARTCO, Osage Marine Services, ACBL, Brennan Marine, Inc., and Marquette Transportation Company engaged in a luncheon discussion with Coast Guard Sector Upper Mississippi River. Topics discussed included buoy needs, Missouri River challenges, Subchapter M perspectives, and Coast Guard personnel changes.

 

CARB to Develop California Corporate Greenhouse Gas and Financial Risk Disclosure Programs. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is developing two new major regulatory programs: the Corporate Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program and the Climate-Related Financial Risk Disclosure Program.

Under Senate Bill 253, the Corporate Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program requires business entities that "are doing business in California" with total annual revenues over $1 billion to annually disclose their Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. Under Senate Bill 261, the Climate-Related Financial Risk Disclosure Program requires U.S. companies that conduct business in California with annual revenues over $500 million to release biennial disclosures of the entity's climate-related financial risk.  

CARB is still in the process of defining key regulatory terms, including what constitutes "doing business in California" and "revenue," and how to handle requirements between parent companies and subsidiaries. Although the agency is currently aiming to adopt final regulations by July 1, 2025, that timeline may be extended. Scope 1 emissions and Scope 2 emissions from 2025 would be required to be reported beginning in 2026, and 2026 emissions for Scope 3 would be reported in 2027. The climate-related financial risk disclosure would first be required on January 1, 2026, and biennially thereafter.

AWO is monitoring the programs' development and continues to work alongside our industry partners to provide feedback. If you have any questions or want additional information, please contact Lillie Wightman.

 

New Washington State Rule Would Expand Tug Escort Requirements. The Washington State Board of Pilotage Commissioners and Department of Ecology are proposing new rules to provide tug escorts for oil tankers between 5,000 and 40,000 deadweight tons (DWT) and articulated tug-barge units (ATBs) over 5,000 DWT. Escort requirements already in place for oil tankers over 40,000 DWT would not change. The escort zone would also expand by nearly 29 square miles, including Rosario Strait and connecting waterways to the east, extending northwest toward Patos Island. These rules stem from the Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1578, passed in Washington state in 2019. The public comment period runs until August 1, 2025.

AWO continues to engage in the pre-rulemaking process to ensure that the models used in the rulemaking are accurate and with the goal of minimizing impact on members. For more information, please contact Lillie Wightman.

 

Federal Government Withdraws from MOU on Breaching Lower Snake River Dams. President Trump has withdrawn the U.S. from a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Biden Administration to lay the foundation to breach the four lower Snake River Dams with the goal of restoring fish populations along the Columbia River. Signed in 2023, the agreement between Washington, Oregon, and four Native American tribes looked to restore salmon runs populations without consideration of navigation on the system.  AWO coalition partners Pacific Northwest Waterways Association and Inland Ports and Navigation Group praised the decision as important to a balanced approach to protecting the economy and environment of the region.

 

AWO Convenes Sector Columbia River Discussion. AWO convened a meeting last week with U.S. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River's new Captain of the Port, CAPT Tony Migliorini, on the eve of his change of command ceremony. CAPT Migliorini served most recently as Commanding Officer of the Marine Safety Unit in Port Arthur, TX. AWO Board members Craig Nelson of Tidewater Barge Lines and Jon Hellberg of Shaver Transportation participated in the discussion, which included a briefing on the industry with special emphasis on the Columbia-Snake River System. Earlier in the day, Tidewater hosted a towboat tour with staffers from the offices of Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA).

 

AWO Welcomes CBCI Summer Fellow Tadrian Taylor. AWO is pleased to welcome Tadrian Taylor to the AWO team as a Congressional Black Caucus Institute Summer Fellow for the summer of 2025. Tadrian began his fellowship this week in AWO's Arlington, Virginia office, where he will be working as a government affairs intern for the next six weeks. He is a Juris Doctor candidate at Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and has previously worked as a Law Clerk at John Jewell Pace Law in Baton Rouge and South Louisiana Legal Services in New Orleans.

AWO has been a longtime member and supporter of CBCI, an important U.S. House caucus whose members represent many states and districts with substantial tugboat, towboat and barge industry activity.  

 

AWO Partnering with PIANC for Smart Rivers 2025. AWO is serving as an Organizational Partner for Smart Rivers 2025, a global conference led by the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure (PIANC) focused on inland navigation topics including waterways infrastructure, resilience, river system management, smart shipping and waterways, logistics, and more. The program includes panels, technical sessions, site tours and field trips, and will feature Jill Bessetti, AWO's Vice President - Southern Region, on the panel, Navigating Disruptions: Continuity of Operations During Disruptions.

Smart Rivers 2025 will take place in Memphis on September 8-12, with Early Bird registration closing on June 30. You can register for the conference here. Limited exhibitor/sponsor opportunities are still available.