Jones Act Waiver Has Proven Why Repeal Is the Wrong Answer
By Jennifer Carpenter, President of the American Maritime Partnership. For years, critics of the Jones Act have made the same promises: repeal the law, allow foreign vessels into domestic trade, and American consumers will see lower prices and stronger supply chains. Now the real-world test case is underway, and it is failing to make a […]
Cleveland’s MarineLINE completes first Jones Act application on ATB barge conversion
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 […]
Trump Extends Jones Act Waiver
(The Center Square) – The Trump administration has suspended for an additional 90 days a law forbidding foreign-owned and crewed ships from transporting goods between U.S. ports in an effort to contain price increases and to advance national security aims. “President Trump issued a 90-day extension to the Jones Act waiver,” Taylor Rogers of the White […]
Anti-Jones Act Candidate Finishes Last in Crowded Illinois Senate Primary
By VOICES Staff. In one of the most crowded Democratic primaries in recent Illinois history, U.S. Senate candidate Steve Botsford finished at the bottom of the field, underscoring the steep challenges facing outsider candidates running on anti-industrial policy platforms. Botsford, a Chicago-area real estate investor and former legislative aide, was one of at least ten […]
U.S. Great Lakes Shipping at a Standstill
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 […]
America’s Inland Waterways Drive American Agricultural Dominance
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 […]
Jones Act Operator Crowley Earns Environmental Achievement Honors for Combined 958 Years of Safe Operations
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 […]
The Tugboat, Towboat and Barge Industry’s Importance to National and Homeland Security
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 […]
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, […]
Crowley Tug Repowers Boost Maritime Readiness in America’s Busiest Ports
By VOICES Staff. Two of the hardest-working tugboats on the West Coast are back in action—smarter, cleaner, and more powerful than ever. Crowley has completed full repowers of the Master and Leader, its ship assist and escort tugs serving the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. These modernizations are helping ensure the ports — […]