AWO Letter - May 18, 2026

AWO Members Gather in DC for High-Impact Spring Convention. On May 12-13, AWO held its annual Spring Convention and Barge-In in Washington, DC at a pivotal time for our industry as we work to end the Jones Act waiver and intensify efforts to work with the Coast Guard to strengthen the safety and efficiency of our waterways system.

The meeting began with the enrollment of newly elected and returning Directors and the election of a new member leadership slate: Matt Woodruff of Kirby Corporation as Chairman, Brian Hughes of Hughes Bros. as Vice Chairman, and Angela Grett of Ingram Barge Company as Treasurer. After opening remarks from outgoing Chairman Patrick Sutton of American Commercial Barge Line and new Chairman Woodruff calling on members across the country to mobilize in opposition to the Jones Act waiver, members were treated to an insightful midterm elections forecast from The Cook Political Report's David Wasserman.

Members also heard from Maritime Administrator Capt. Steve Carmel on the vision and implementation of the Trump administration's Maritime Action Plan; from Admiral Tom Allan, U.S. Coast Guard Vice Commandant, who discussed the impact of the government shutdown on the Coast Guard, early progress in resuming operations and services, and his perspective on the Coast Guard-AWO partnership as domestic waterways commerce evolves; and from Capt. Rob Compher, Chief of Inspections and Compliance, and Capt. Cory Heard, Chief of the Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance, on Coast Guard efforts to improve flexibility and consistency in the implementation of vessel inspection requirements.

The discussion session wrapped up with a panel discussion on the current state of play on the Jones Act waiver within the Trump administration, in Congress, and in the media, to give members valuable context as they prepared to take our case directly to Capitol Hill during the annual Barge-In.

 

AWO Defends Jones Act During Capitol Hill Barge-In. AWO members took to Capitol Hill to champion the Jones Act and urge Members of Congress to mobilize opposition to the Trump administration's broad and unprecedented waiver that is threatening the future of the domestic maritime industry. In nearly 250 meetings with lawmakers and staff, our key message was that the negative impacts of the waiver on U.S. tugboat and barge operators will worsen absent a clear and unequivocal response by Congress. The historically long 150-day Jones Act waiver made this Barge-In both crucial and timely, and this vital member advocacy effort has now laid the groundwork for the next phase of AWO's response strategy.

 

AWO Launches New Video, Targeted Digital Campaign on Jones Act Waiver. On May 7, AWO launched a Washington, DC-focused video and digital ad campaign calling for ending the Jones Act waiver. Throughout May, policymakers in Washington, DC, along with their circles of associates within DC and across the country, will see the latest AWO video and several digital ads on their devices, all linking back to AWO's new webpage where viewers can learn more about the dangers of the waiver and write to Congress to urge strong opposition to it.  

The AWO webpage and full 30-second video can be viewed here. The campaign is also utilizing 15-second and 6-second versions of the video in reaching target audiences.

 

Latest MARAD Reporting Identifies 48 Foreign Cargo Movements under Jones Act Waiver. In its May 13, 2006 - 2:00 pm report, the U.S. Maritime Administration disclosed 49 cargo movements within the U.S. completed by foreign-flag vessels. Each voyage represents a concrete outsourcing of domestic commerce to foreign companies and non-U.S. mariners. This disclosure also continues to demonstrate the questionable national security justifications for utilizing foreign ships, like the four different cargo moves completed by the Marshall Islands-flagged M/V Cabo Deseado that merely moved gas oil and heavy crude oil between PBF Energy's facilities within California or the transport of anhydrous ammonia including a roughly 45-mile transport down the Mississippi River in Louisiana completed by a Japanese trading firm and a Koch Industries-affiliated transport between Texas and Louisiana. 

 

AWO, Members Join Letter to Congress Opposing Jones Act Waiver. Joining a broad coalition of domestic maritime industry executives, AWO and numerous AWO members wrote to Congress urging "in the strongest possible terms, to reject any extension of the blanket Jones Act waiver..." The letter demonstrates why the waiver has not lowered consumer fuel prices, has increased security risks, and has benefited foreign-operated and Chinese-connected entities at the expense of America's maritime dominance. 

Didn't sign on when the letter was first circulated? It's not too late -- the coalition will continue to add signatures on a rolling basis. To sign on, please contact Patrick Parsons and provide the name of your CEO or other senior executive signatory, company name, and headquarters location.

 

Congressional Labor Caucus Pushes Back on Jones Act Waiver Extension. The Congressional Labor Caucus recently issued a statement opposing the Trump Administration's 90-day extension of the Jones Act waiver. The lawmakers argued that repeated Jones Act waivers undermine the domestic maritime workforce and U.S. flag shipping capacity, raising concerns about the waiver's economic and national security impacts. The caucus also questioned whether the waiver has delivered on its intended benefits, noting that fuel prices continue to rise. The co-chairs called on the Administration to reverse course and reaffirm its support for the U.S. maritime industry and American mariners. 

 

AWO OpEds Highlight Dangers of Jones Act Waiver. AWO President & CEO Jennifer Carpenter authored an OpEd for the DC Journal earlier this month, highlighting data showing that the Jones Act waiver has not advanced the Trump administration's stated objectives of increasing domestic fuel flows and lowering the price of gasoline. The OpEd, which was picked up by the Paducah Sun, Seattle Times, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Orlando Sentinel, and other publications throughout the country, also underscores the Jones Act fleet's vital role in providing the reliability and capacity that drives the American supply chain and prevents reliance on foreign vessels to move commerce within our borders.  

Jennifer also authored an OpEd recently published by Marine News, where she underscored the harm the overly broad and historically long Jones Act waiver is inflicting on American maritime and on our homeland security, and emphasized the importance of continued investment in our domestic waterways system alongside a regulatory environment that encourages safety, efficiency, and innovation.    

 

Coast Guard Issues Work Instruction on ATB Engine Room Crewing. CVC-WI-037(1), Articulated Tug-Barge (ATB) Vessel Manning, provides implementation guidance for Sec. 11508 of H.R. 7776, the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023. The statutory provision, which was enacted with AWO support in 2022, authorized the Coast Guard to issue amended Certificates of Inspection for certain ATB tugs with certificated engine room automation. The work instruction affirms that ATB tugs may qualify for a reduction in licensed engineers from 3 to 2 for domestic voyages or international voyages to Canada if the tug: 1) is inspected under 46 CFR Subchapter M; 2) is between 200 to 300 GT; 3) has a Periodically Unmanned Machinery Space (PUMS) endorsement; and 4) was issued a COI or Safe Manning Document (SMD) prior to July 19, 2022, that authorized reduced engine room manning. AWO is reviewing the work instruction with members to ensure it provides the intended relief and will engage the Coast Guard to discuss options for similarly situated tugs not covered by the work instruction. For more information, please contact Caitlyn Stewart. 

 

Share Your Voice: National Maritime Day. The Trump Administration's extension of the Jones Act waiver is a bitter irony as we approach National Maritime Day on May 22, which honors the sacrifices made by U.S. Merchant Mariners in the service of our nation's security.  

To help commemorate National Maritime Day and highlight the harm this waiver causes, we are asking members to submit short videos of: 

• Maritime Day celebrations 

• Member vessels and other maritime imagery 

• Mariners discussing why the Jones Act waiver undermines U.S. maritime  

If you would like to submit, please follow these guidelines:  

• Videos can be informal--authentic and personal is best. 

• If submitting video, include any speakers' names, roles, and companies. 

• Aim for 30-60 seconds with clear audio and lighting. 

Submitted videos will be shared across AWO's advocacy and social media channels, with contributors tagged, on May 22. Please submit all content by Thursday, May 21, and direct submissions and any questions to Lillie Wightman.  

 

NMC Processing Resumes; Extensions Remain in Place. With Congressional funding for the Coast Guard restored, the National Maritime Center (NMC) announced it is resuming normal operations in a phased approach. The Coast Guard reports that more than 19,000 application submissions accrued during the shutdown and will continue to cause extended processing timelines. Operations are also resuming at Regional Examination Centers (RECs), but walk-in services are currently suspended to focus services on application processing backlogs and examination rescheduling. 

The NMC also advised that with current extended timelines, mariners should seek alternatives to expedited USPS shipping labels because USPS will not honor labels older than 30 days. 

 

Coast Guard Announces Revised Fairways NPRM. The U.S. Coast Guard announced earlier this month the publication of its revised proposed rulemaking to establish shipping safety fairways off the Atlantic Coast.  The revised proposal incorporates the results of recently-completed Coast Guard environmental assessments and offers industry stakeholders another opportunity to provide comment on this important rulemaking.  AWO will be using this opportunity to again make our case for additional fairway space for navigation. Comments are due June 22.  To find out how you can help, please contact Brian Vahey.

 

Towboat and Harbor Carriers Hold Annual Meeting in New York. The Towboat and Harbor Carriers Association for the Port of NY/NJ held its Annual Meeting on May 6 on Staten Island. Chairman Nathan Hauser, Moran Towing Corporation, and Executive Director Eric Johansson led attendees through a slate of discussions ranging from ongoing port studies in New York and New Jersey, to U.S. Coast Guard regulatory initiatives around the Sail 4th 250 celebrations, to recreational boating safety.  Harbor Carriers members have identified the need for more maritime representation in New York State government and AWO looks forward to assisting in these efforts.

 

AWO Members Discuss Duwamish Waterways with Sector Puget Sound. Joined by Captain of the Port CAPT Mark McDonnell and his team, Pacific Region Vice President Peter Schrappen convened towing industry operators to share first-hand experiences with tribal gillnet activity in the waterway and its impacts on safe navigation. More than 20 operators participated, underscoring the importance of continued collaboration with the Coast Guard to ensure the Duwamish remains a safe and reliable corridor for commercial traffic. 

 

AWO Celebrates Chamber of Shipping of America Safety Awardees in New Orleans. Senior Director of Safety & Sustainability Mike Breslin and Southern Region Vice President Jill Bessetti recently attended the CSA Jones F. Devlin and Safety Awards dinner as guests of Chevron Shipping. The Jones F. Devlin Safety award and the Ship Safety Achievement award recognizes members of the maritime industry for their skills and dedication to safe vessel operations. Many AWO members were separately recognized for their commitment to safety and to the maritime community.

 

AWO Joins Joint Hurricane Team to Review 2026 Storm Response Coordination. The annual 2026 review of the Gulf Inland Waterways Joint Hurricane Team (JHT) Response Protocol met May 14 at the Port of New Orleans to review hurricane season coordination and waterway restoration in the Gulf along the Intracoastal Waterway. Led by the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association, representatives from AWO, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, and industry stakeholders discussed communication protocols, port condition triggers, survey and imagery data resources, waterways preparations and recovery protocols that should be followed before, during, and after storms. For more details on the JHT, contact Jill Bessetti or visit the GICA JHT website.

 

AWO Launches Second Advocacy MasterClass Cohort. Join us at noon on May 27th to learn more about the tools needed to become a more effective advocate for the tugboat, towboat and barge industry. The May 27 session will provide an overview of the course, with Module One beginning on June 3rd. If you are interested in joining us, please contact Kyle Burleson  to get on the list.  

 

Looking Ahead -- AWO Summer Safety Meeting. Thank you to everyone who participated in the Spring Convention & Barge-In! It was another successful year advocating for our industry. Next up: the Summer Safety Meeting, Safe for Work: Moving Us Forward, in Chicago on July 21-22. Register today and book your hotel room!