More Help Than Ever for Veterans — and More Need Than Ever, Leaders Say
By Michael Graham, InsideSources. Ask Vincent Morales, who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq, if America supports its veterans, and he’ll tell you, “Everybody loves a warrior when the enemy is at the gate.” But what about when that warrior comes home and needs healthcare, or housing, or help navigating the VA system? The good […]
Around the World, Nations Are Adopting Their Own Jones Acts
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, […]
Get a First Look at a New Book on PR for the American Maritime Industry
The following piece is an excerpt from the second edition of Making Waves: PR Strategies to Transform Your Maritime Business by Ben Pinnington, founder of Chicago-based maritime specialist international PR firm Polaris Media and VP of the Chicago Propeller Club. The second edition is scheduled for release on November 4, 2025, through Rethink Press. This […]
Jennifer Carpenter: America First Requires the Jones Act
By Jennifer Carpenter, President of the American Maritime Partnership. It comes as no surprise that President Donald Trump is building a legacy as a consequential maritime president. After all, there are few areas of our economy that are more America First than the U.S. maritime industry. We have been a maritime nation since our founding, […]
How This Shipyard is Training America’s Next Generation of Shipbuilders
By VOICES Staff. As the Trump administration’s focus on domestic energy production drives new opportunities in American shipbuilding, the Jones Act remains critical to workforce development initiatives across the maritime industry. Eastern Shipbuilding Group recently launched an innovative Marine Electrician Apprenticeship Program to grow Florida’s 65,900-strong maritime workforce—but warns that any Jones Act repeal would […]
America’s Shipyards Are Working — and Winning
By VOICES Staff. Across the United States, the shipbuilding industry is booming. According to WorkBoat’s 2024 Construction Survey, more than 925 vessels were either delivered, under construction, or on order in the past year alone. That includes everything from tugboats and training ships to advanced subsea installation vessels and LNG-ready containerships. Recent milestones in Pennsylvania […]
‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ bolsters Coast Guard shipbuilding programs
By Steve Wilson. (The Center Square) — Passage of the “Big, Beautiful Bill” this summer has provided a jolt to the U.S. Coast Guard’s shipbuilding program as it seeks to replace most of its aging fleet. The service’s most important shipbuilding program, the Heritage class Offshore Patrol Cutter, is years behind schedule and its cost […]
Scholarships expand opportunities for prospective mariners
By Patricia McCarthy, Professional Mariner. Offering scholarships to students interested in maritime careers has become a major component of workforce development efforts by industry organizations, private companies and others trying to address the maritime workforce shortage. The American Maritime Partnership (AMP) — a coalition that represents the U.S. domestic maritime industry, including shipping companies, mariners, […]
The Impact of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” on the Jones Act and U.S. Maritime Growth
By VOICES Staff. On July 4th, 2025, President Donald Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBB), a massive reconciliation package that includes significant provisions for the maritime industry. The bill delivers critical funding to enhance U.S. maritime security, shipbuilding, and defense capabilities, while fostering economic growth and job creation in maritime-related sectors. The […]
USACE Navigation mission critical to Armed Forces’ strategic readiness
By Kathryne Gest. WASHINGTON – When the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) needs to move over 1,000 trucks, trailers, and tons of equipment for a large training exercise, they rely on the cost-effectiveness and convenience of the nation’s waterways. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains an extensive network of inland and intracoastal […]