AWO Letter - July 27, 2026
AWO, AMP Push Back on Jones Act Waiver Extension Plan. AWO and the American Maritime Partnership continue an intense advocacy and public affairs campaign to prevent extension of the current broad, blanket waiver of the Jones Act past its mid-August expiration date. While the White House was on the verge of announcing an extension two weeks ago, the intensity of the negative reaction from industry and Members of Congress, and the continuing public affairs campaign, have delayed an announcement. AWO President & CEO and AMP President Jennifer Carpenter met July 24 with Russ Vought, Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, to emphasize the incompatibility of a waiver extension with the Administration's Maritime Action Plan and America First policy principles.
AWO encourages members to keep the pressure on. If you have not already done so, please contact your Representative and Senators and urge them to weigh in quickly with the White House opposing an extension of the waiver, and encourage your shoreside employees and mariners to do the same.
Jones Act Waiver Public Affairs Campaign Continues Momentum. The American Maritime Partnership, with which AWO has been working closely on the national End the Waiver campaign, recently released the campaign's latest ad, highlighting the waiver's failure to address high gas prices; the harm the waiver is doing to American maritime; and the recent letter led by Rep. James Comer (R-KY) and signed by over 50 congressional Republicans including House Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and numerous committee chairs, calling on President Trump to end the waiver.
The campaign has also generated significant media attention in the Gulf, with AWO President & CEO Jennifer Carpenter appearing as a guest on the Newell Normand Show on WWL 870 AM, based in New Orleans and widely broadcast throughout the region; and AWO featured alongside Blessey Marine Services in Biz New Orleans discussing the waiver's impact on maritime investment and the importance of the Jones Act to Louisiana's economy.
Jennifer observed during her conversation with Newell Normand: "You want to know who's making money off [the Jones Act waiver]? Oil traders -- big time. Watch this space . . . next week, we're going to see a wave of earnings reports from major oil companies, and those numbers are going to be eye-popping. So, at the same time Americans are seeing no relief at the pump -- they're paying way more to fill up their vehicles than they were a few months ago -- and American mariners are sitting on the dock while some Chinese vessel gets the work, oil traders are making record profits . . . . Somebody's making money off this, but it's the American taxpayer who's getting scammed. American mariners are losing out. Americans who expect that if you operate in this country, competing with American businesses, you're going to play by the same rules -- that's who's losing."
More Waiver Abuses Unveiled in Latest MARAD Reporting: 181 Foreign Cargo Movements under Jones Act Waiver. In its July 20, 2026 - 2:00 pm report, the U.S. Maritime Administration disclosed 181 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, with no benefit to America's security and no impact on the prices Americans pay for fuel, fertilizer, and other goods covered under the waiver--and AWO continues to make that clear to the Administration and Congress. Two foreign vessels have drawn particular scrutiny for their danger to American security:
- The Chinese-flagged tanker Jin Zhou Wan has completed multiple voyages transporting asphalt cargoes that domestic barge operators previously transported and have existing capacity and capability to move. The Jin Zhou Wan is linked to COSCO Shipping, which is a U.S. Department of War-designated Chinese military company.
- Industry reporting also indicates the Malta-flagged tanker Pyxis Lamda that has completed at least one waiver voyage operates with an all-Russian officer corps and includes Russian merchant marine cadets.
AWO Speaks at Congressional Maritime Safety Roundtable. AWO President & CEO Jennifer Carpenter participated in a maritime safety roundtable convened by the House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee July 21. Eight Members of the subcommittee attended the roundtable, including Chairman Mike Ezell (R-MS), Ranking Member Salud Carbajal (D-CA), and full Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA); other participants included the U.S. Coast Guard and representatives from the passenger vessel, offshore supply, commercial and charter fishing industries, and maritime labor.
Jennifer thanked subcommittee members for their bipartisan support for ending the Jones Act waiver and noted that the most impactful action Congress can take to support marine safety is to protect the Jones Act. She also emphasized the criticality of consistent funding for the U.S. Coast Guard, pointing out that appropriations lapses undermine safety not only by straining Coast Guard resources, but also by preventing qualified mariners from obtaining new licenses or raises in grade. Jennifer also noted the importance of Congressional oversight to ensure that Coast Guard regulations support safety, security, and environmental protection, while facilitating efficient maritime commerce.
New Commanding Officer Takes Helm of NMC. In a July 17 ceremony attended by AWO, Captain James Suffern took command of the National Maritime Center (NMC) from Captain Patrick Drayer, who retired after more than 30 years of service to the U.S. Coast Guard and a year in command of the NMC. CAPT Suffern, who most recently served as Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Activities Far East, spoke of his goal to build on the work of his predecessors to innovate and improve operations at the NMC, including the forthcoming initial phase of NAVITA. AWO thanks CAPT Drayer for his service and looks forward to working closely with CAPT Suffern to improve mariner credentialing services.
NMC Reports Additional Improvement to Processing Times. The National Maritime Center (NMC) recently issued updated guidance that it expects complete credential applications to be processed within 4 months from the date received, excluding any time necessary for submitting additional information responses. This is a reduction from the mid-June announced estimate of 8 months and the 8-12 month estimate announced following the reopening of the NMC. AWO continues to work with the Coast Guard to improve mariner credentialing processes and welcomes the NMC's efforts to surge resources and deliver continued progress in reducing processing times.
Report Inspection Issues Through AWO's Vessel Inspection Feedback Tracker. AWO recently launched the Vessel Inspection Feedback Tracker to capture member experiences with Coast Guard inspection scheduling difficulties, delays, and inconsistent practices across units. This information allows AWO to identify trends, quantify operational and economic impacts, and engage Coast Guard leadership with clear, data-driven examples--and the Coast Guard has expressed strong interest in what members are experiencing. AWO will share an update on the data collected thus far at the August meeting of the Coast Guard-AWO Quality Partnership.
In the interim, AWO's regional team is working to address individual reports with the appropriate Coast Guard units. In response to several submissions related to wait times for inspection services in Sector New Orleans, AWO is in dialogue with the Coast Guard about better communicating scheduling impacts to operators due to transfer season or influxes of trainees, and the unit's Chief, Inspections Division, CDR Scott Arbeiter, has encouraged companies experiencing issues to contact him directly at 571-608-6906.
The Tracker is available through the AWO Member Portal and the AWO App. To coordinate company submissions or facilitate entries by employees without Portal credentials, please contact Liam Morcroft.
Deck Barge Wear and Tear Standards Published. AWO's Deck Barge Working Group has developed a set of standards to establish what constitutes normal wear and tear during the operation of a deck barge. These Wear and Tear Standards are intended to help barge owners and charterers determine vessel conditions during on and off charter surveys. The Deck Barge Working Group is a member-led working group made up of AWO members who own, operate, or have related interests in deck barges. Please contact Bradley Trammel if you are interested in joining AWO's Deck Barge Working Group.
WorkBoat Article on Offshore Space Operations Features AWO, Crowley. WorkBoat magazine recently published an article on the then-Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's (BOEM, now the Marine Minerals Administration) July 7 Request for Information on the potential use of the Outer Continental Shelf for offshore space launch and reentry operations, and what opportunities and questions those operations would present for the American maritime industry.
The article, which featured comment from AWO, Crowley Corporation, and other maritime stakeholders, includes discussion of the role of the Jones Act in offshore space infrastructure development; the need to preserve fairways and maintain necessary sea space for safe and efficient maritime operations; and the range of support services that the American maritime industry provides to help advance offshore space activity. Read the full article here.
National Freight Strategic Plan Updated. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has released its updated National Freight Strategic Plan (NFSP). The NFSP serves as a road map for government action to modernize freight transportation. The plan highlights the importance of the waterways to the national freight network and includes several options to improve maritime transportation. Many of these are in line with recommendations AWO made during the plan's development, including better coordination with regional stakeholders, better alignment between federal agencies, studying existing statutory and regulatory barriers, utilizing the U.S. Center for Maritime Innovation, and more.
Marine Highway Funding Opportunity Announced for 2026. The Maritime Administration recently announced the availability of $14 million in funding from the U.S. Marine Highway Program. These grants are intended to relieve landside congestion and increase the efficiency of surface transportation by shifting cargo onto the waterways. The notice of funding opportunity details the grant application process. The deadline for applications is August 31.
COMMENT OPPORTUNITY: Still Time to Comment on Hudson River Anchorage Ban. The U.S. Coast Guard is soliciting comments by August 7 on its regulatory project to amend its Hudson River anchoring regulations to align with the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The law bans anchoring outside officially designated anchorage areas for vessels operating between Yonkers and Kingston, except when necessary to maintain the safety of the vessel.
AWO encourages members to comment to ensure that the Coast Guard upholds the NDAA's allowance for vessels to anchor as needed in an emergency, and to emphasize the importance of anchoring as a safety practice. AWO will circulate our comments once drafted. For more information, please contact Liam Morcroft.
AWO Hosts Industry Training, Luncheon with Sector Corpus Christi. AWO Southern Region Vice President Jill Bessetti recently met with members and U.S. Coast Guard personnel in Corpus Christi, Texas, for an industry training program and Sector luncheon. The training provided an opportunity for industry representatives and Coast Guard personnel to discuss key AWO initiatives that promote safety and operational excellence, including the Coast Guard-AWO Quality Partnership, Responsible Carrier Program (RCP), Alternative Security Program (ASP), industry working groups, and other valuable resources. The importance of the Coast Guard-AWO safety partnership was reinforced by Sector Commander Captain Torrey Bertheau, who participated in the Sector luncheon and contributed to discussions on shared priorities and opportunities for continued collaboration.
COMMENT OPPORTUNITY: Corps Releases Final IHNC Lock Replacement Environmental Report. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released the Final General Reevaluation Report and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC) Lock Replacement Project in New Orleans. The report recommends replacing the existing century-old lock with a new 900-foot by 110-foot lock designed to improve reliability, reduce delays, and better accommodate modern inland navigation traffic between the Mississippi River and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
AWO is reviewing the final report and plans to submit comments. Members are encouraged to review the document and share any feedback with the Corps and AWO, particularly on issues affecting navigation, vessel operations, and construction impacts. Feedback is due August 25. Additional information, including the full report, is available on the Corps' IHNC Lock Replacement project webpage. Please reach out to Liam Morcroft with any comments or concerns about the final report.
AWO Holds Key Meetings in California. Peter Schrappen, AWO Vice President -- Pacific Region and Regional Team Lead, and Kyle Burleson, Director of State Advocacy, recently met with members and Coast Guard partners at Sectors Los Angeles/Long Beach and San Francisco as part of our ongoing Sector Lunch program. AWO also convened revamped member roundtable discussions in both locations, giving members a forum to hear from each other, staff, and industry professionals while comparing notes on shared priorities.
Peter and Kyle also met with members at their facilities, gaining firsthand insight into operational realities and emerging challenges, including the implications of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and continued concerns around CARB's Commercial Harbor Craft rule. The week concluded with a Pacific Region Quality Partnership meeting with the Coast Guard, reinforcing collaboration on safety, consistency, and communication.
2026 Summer Safety Meeting Convenes in Chicago. AWO members gathered in Chicago July 21-22 for the 2026 Summer Safety Meeting, bringing safety experts together from across the industry. Day one featured focused sessions with AWO's Safety Committees, RCP Standards Board, and Tankering and Barge Operations Subcommittee, capped off by a reception and Cubs game at Wrigley Field. Day two opened with a robust education session covering key industry safety and sustainability issues with presentations by the Coast Guard, Seamen's Church Institute, National Safety Council, AWO members, and special guests. Following the education session, attendees celebrated the recipients of AWO's Honor & Excellence in Rescue Operations (HERO) Award, and closed the meeting with a lively social dinner. Look out for the July and August AWO Navigating to Zero Safety Newsletter to learn more about the session content.
A big thank you to all the speakers, committee leaders, and members who made the trip--it was a fantastic couple of days in Chicago and a powerful reminder of the strength and commitment of AWO's membership and safety community.
Please contact Michael Breslin for more information.
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AWO PAC and Inside Elections. AWO PAC has partnered with Inside Elections for another special edition, featuring a deep dive into Florida's 14th Congressional District and key updates on more than a dozen Senate and House races as well as tables of Senate and House open seats, incumbents defeated in primaries and likely new members.
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.