Cleveland’s MarineLINE completes first Jones Act application on ATB barge conversion

The MAM 141 (formerly the Double Skin 141) is a double-hulled Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) with a liquid cargo capacity of 137,500 barrels (bbl). It has a deadweight tonnage (DWT) of approximately 21,940 tonnes. (Image Credit: Advanced Polymer Coatings)

By Advanced Polymer Coatings. Ohio headquartered manufacturer Advanced Polymer Coatings (APC) has completed the first ever application of its MarineLINE coating system on a Jones Act vessel in a US yard. The project was further the first conversion of an ATB petroleum barge to a chemical barge in the United States including a fully redesigned […]

U.S. Great Lakes Shipping at a Standstill

Sault Ste Marie, Mich. (Jan. 23, 2004) - The Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw clears a shipping track through the ice of the St. Marys River Jan. 23, 2004. USCG photo by PAC Jeff Hall.

By Lake Carriers’ Association. CLEVELAND, OHIO (March 26, 2026) – A little over a day and half since the Soo Locks opened providing access to Lake Superior and critical raw materials like iron ore, and the U.S.-flagged Great Lakes commercial fleet is at a standstill in the St. Marys River and Whitefish Bay, the critical […]

Second U.S. Gulf oil & gas lease sale generates $47 million

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum tours an offshore oil rig during a visit to the Gulf of America to discuss energy policy, May 1, 2025. Photo: U.S. Department of the Interior via Flickr / Public Domain

By Alton Wallace, Energy Industry Reporter. (The Center Square) – The second auction of oil and gas leases in the Gulf of America since President Donald Trump’s election in 2024 drew almost $47 million in high bids, with 98% of the activity in offshore areas deeper than 800 meters, according to sales results released by […]

America’s Inland Waterways Drive American Agricultural Dominance

The last tow of the 2025 Upper Mississippi River navigation season departed St. Paul, Minnesota, Tuesday, Nov. 25. The Motor Vessel Sierra Dawn departed late afternoon enroute to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, Lock and Dam 2, near Hastings, Minnesota, with 12 barges. (Image Credit: USACE)

By VOICES Staff. America’s barges quietly sustain farmers’ ability to compete, and dominate, in global markets — a reality underscored by a new 2026 federal study on the economic importance of inland waterways to U.S. agriculture. The report, prepared for the U.S. Department of Agriculture by the Department of Transportation’s Volpe Center, finds that the […]

Hackathon Delivers Next-Gen Ice Forecasting for the U.S. Coast Guard

Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw (WLBB 30), a Great Lakes District ice-breaking cutter, arrives on scene to assist the motor vessel Wilfred Sykes, a lake freighter, beset by ice on Lake Huron Jan. 21, 2026. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. j.g. William Erekson).

By VOICES Staff.  Winter on the Great Lakes is not simply a seasonal challenge. It is an operational test for one of the most economically vital corridors in the United States. Each year, ice cover threatens the flow of commerce across a multibillion-dollar shipping system that moves roughly 130 million tons of cargo — including […]

Investing in America’s Maritime Future: Crowley Awards 2025 Scholarships

In December 2025, Crowley awarded the Thomas B. Crowley Sr. Memorial Scholarship to outstanding American students pursuing careers that will sustain and strengthen the nation’s maritime workforce at our nation’s maritime academies. The scholarship, established in 1994 to honor the legacy of Thomas B. Crowley Sr., recognizes exceptional academic achievement and dedication to maritime careers. […]

Florida AI Developer Says Its Platform Can Save Shipyards from Aging Workforce ‘Cliff Edge’

New Kort Nozzle installation, photo provided by USMMA Intern James Dunagan, Class of 2025

By Dolgo. Dolgo, a new maritime tech start-up spun out of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ocean Enterprise Accelerator, today announced the development of a new AI software platform to transform shipyard skills training. Tampa, Florida based Dolgo says the software will retain expertise presently being lost as large numbers of workers retire from the […]

Drone shipbuilder plans to hire 1,500 for its St. Mary Parish facility

By Greg LaRose, Louisiana Illuminator. Just months after it acquired a St. Mary Parish shipyard, a Texas company plans to increase the number of drone vessels it will build there and intends to hire 1,500 employees for the additional work, Louisiana Economic Development officials announced Wednesday. Austin-based Saronic Technologies will spend $300 million at its […]

Jones Act Operator Crowley Earns Environmental Achievement Honors for Combined 958 Years of Safe Operations

Pictured Left to Right: Garrett Huffman, Chairman, Board of Directors, Chamber of Shipping of America; Daniel Mock, Director, Security, Crowley; Nathan Beckett, Chief Officer, Golden State, Crowley; Jon Spirolopoulos, Captain, Vessel Acquisition Management, Crowley

By Crowley. (JACKSONVILLE, Fla.; Dec. 3, 2025) – Crowley has been recognized by the Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA) for its commitment to environmental stewardship, earning Environmental Achievement Awards for 108 Crowley-operated vessels that have collectively earned 958 years without an incident. The awards celebrate companies and mariners who maintain the highest standards of safety […]