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Category: American Maritime

MV Jean Anne Makes History as First U.S. Ro-Ro to Plug Into Shore Power

By VOICES Staff. The United States just hit a major clean-maritime milestone at the Port of San Diego, where Pasha Hawaii’s MV Jean Anne became the first roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) vessel in the nation to connect to shore power. This achievement also marks the first-ever shore-powered pure car/truck carrier (PCTC) in America, setting a new standard […]

Automation Serves as a Workforce Multiplier for Maritime

"Automation isn’t just a response to labor challenges; it’s a catalyst for growth across the entire supply chain, helping people work smarter and safer as global trade accelerates. The maritime industry has the opportunity not just to keep up when it comes to automating, but to lead." - Brooklyn Kiso. (Image Credit: Formic).

By Brooklyn Kiosow, Marketing Communications Manager at Formic. Across the U.S., manufacturers are racing to meet growing demand for products. But with too few people to fill critical production roles, many are turning to temporary labor, overtime, and outsourcing just to keep up. On the production floor, employees are feeling the physical toll: lifting, stacking, […]

WWII Merchant Mariners Recognized Nationwide During Veterans Day 2025

American merchant marine veterans and families attended the National ceremony on Veterans Day at the Arlington National Cemetery for the third consecutive year. (Image Credit: AMMV)

By VOICES Staff. Across the United States this Veterans Day, Americans honored the extraordinary service and sacrifice of our warfighters—especially the World War II merchant mariners who helped win the war at sea. From solemn national ceremonies in Washington, DC, to parade routes in New York City, to hometown remembrances, the 2025 commemorations underscored a […]

Matson Partners with WhaleSpotter to Commercialize Breakthrough Whale Detection Technology

Humpback whale breaching. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

HONOLULU, Nov. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Matson, Inc. (“Matson”) today announced a product agreement with WhaleSpotter Corp. (“WhaleSpotter”) to purchase and deploy a groundbreaking whale detection system developed by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), making Matson the first container shipping company to deploy this advanced marine protection technology. Developed at WHOI with support from […]

Around the World, Nations Are Adopting Their Own Jones Acts

Map of 105 nations across the world that have cabotage laws, as recorded by the Seafarers’ Rights International (Credit: SRI)

By VOICES Staff. A new study by Seafarers’ Rights International (SRI), commissioned by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), finds that 105 nations now have cabotage laws — up from 91 in 2018 — covering 85 percent of the world’s coastlines. These are laws that reserve a nation’s domestic shipping routes for its own vessels, […]

For America’s Economy and Health, Alaska Seafood is the Answer

Alaska pollock, shown here from a harvest, make up the nation’s top-volume single-species commercial seafood catch. Alaska pollock, harvested mostly in the Bering Sea but also in the Gulf of Alaska, are processed into fish sticks, fish burgers, imitation crab

by Matt Alward, Alaska Beacon. October 27, 2025 As food prices rise and federal leaders revisit trade and nutrition policies, one solution has quietly been working for decades: Alaska’s commercial seafood industry. It is not only a pillar of our state’s economy, but also a strategic asset in strengthening America’s food security, trade competitiveness, and […]

The Tugboat, Towboat and Barge Industry’s Importance to National and Homeland Security

ACBL Mariner - AWO National Security Video

By American Waterways Operators. The American Waterways Operators, the trade association of the American tugboat,  towboat and barge industry, has released a new video on the industry’s contributions to  U.S. national and homeland security.   The two-minute video, The Tugboat, Towboat and Barge Industry: Supplying America,  Securing America, notes that while the mariners who transport cargo […]

Alabama Port Authority celebrates completion of Mobile Harbor Modernization Project

By Alabama Political Reporter Staff. The Alabama Port Authority on Monday celebrated the completion of the Mobile Harbor Modernization Project, marking the achievement of a 50-foot channel depth that officially makes the Port of Mobile the deepest container terminal in the Gulf of America. The event, held at APM Terminals Mobile, drew hundreds of customers […]

Colonna’s Shipyard Recognizes 2025 Apprentice Graduates

Colonna’s Shipyard Inc. honored its 2024 Apprentice Graduates in September, recognizing their completion of over 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and 576 hours of technical instruction. [Pictured from left to right]: Jason McManes, Charles Mooring, Montrez Frost, and Steven Mitchell

By Colonna’s Shipyard Inc.  NORFOLK, VA — OCT. 1, 2025 – Colonna’s Shipyard Inc. proudly recognized four Apprentice Graduates in September. Graduates of Colonna’s Apprenticeship embody the company’s values of Respect, Pride, Truth, and Family and have completed more than 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and 576 hours of related technical instruction. “These graduate apprentices […]

VOGEL: Want More Ships? Fix How Washington Builds Them

By Jeff Vogel, TOTE Services. President Donald Trump’s call for new investment in U.S. shipbuilding comes at a pivotal moment. From icebreakers to training ships, America faces rising demand for vessels even as foreign competitors pour billions into their own yards. But there has been significant concern about how America can keep up. Government shipbuilding programs have fallen behind due […]