Great Lakes Icebreaker Gap Threatens American Maritime Dominance
By James Weakley, Lake Carriers’ Association. When Americans think of our coastlines, most picture the beaches of the Atlantic, the Pacific, or the Gulf. But the Great Lakes are America’s fourth coast — a 2,300-mile expanse reaching deep into the nation’s industrial heartland. Each year, this system moves more than 135 million tons of cargo worth over […]
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 […]
The Trump Opportunity: Shipbuilders Discuss America’s Maritime Moment
By VOICES Staff. For the first time in decades, the men and women of American Maritime are in the spotlight, receiving Presidential and Congressional support, attention that industry veterans say was “really unimaginable until really just two or three years ago.” At a recent Hudson Institute panel discussion, leading voices in American shipbuilding came together […]
Constructing a Giant: The Journey of the FREDERICK PAUP
By J.Anthony Tedpahogo. From the first concept on paper to a fully operational machine, Manson Project Manager Jordan Brown reflects on the collective effort it took to bring America’s largest self-propelled trailing suction hopper dredge, the FREDERICK PAUP, to life. The journey spanned over a decade starting with pre-planning by Vice President and Gulf & […]
Chicago Propeller Club hears maritime industry rallying cry from MARAD acting administrator
By Chicago Propeller Club. The United States has entered a new era of maritime strength, the head of the Maritime Administration told the Chicago Propeller Club’s flagship summer event at Chicago Yacht Club. In a speech to guests including all the Great Lakes Port Directors, Acting Administrator Sang Yi said America will invest in four […]
Long trek to Lone Star State sparked plan for SC maritime academy
by David Wren, SC Daily Gazette, August 8, 2025. With more than 1,100 miles to think while driving from Charleston to Galveston, Texas, three years ago, state Rep. Tom Hartnett Jr. found himself asking the same question again and again. Why doesn’t South Carolina have its own maritime academy? Hartnett was taking his son, Rhett, […]
‘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 […]
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 […]
As Coast Guard receives billions in new Arctic funding, Alaska region gets new commander and name
By James Brooks, Alaska Beacon. July 12, 2025. Last week, President Donald Trump signed a budget bill with almost $25 billion for new Coast Guard construction, including almost $9 billion for new icebreakers and $300 million for new Coast Guard facilities in Juneau. On Friday, Rear Adm. Bob Little, the new commander of the Coast […]
Muscular new escort tug supports a resurgent Port of Baltimore
By Casey Conoly, Professional Mariner. McAllister Towing & Transportation’s multiyear fleet renewal gained momentum this spring with the arrival of Isabel McAllister in the Port of Baltimore. The 6,770-hp tug is the fourth delivery in a six-boat series from Washburn & Doughty Associates in East Boothbay, Maine. The shipyard also designed Isabel using its proven […]