AB 1122 Passes CA Senate Environmental Quality Committee. On July 3, the California Senate Environmental Quality Committee passed AB 1122 by a unanimous vote of 7-0, following the CA Senate Transportation Committee's unanimous passage of the bill three weeks earlier. Many thanks to Kevin Hartley from Crowley and Capt. Sly Hunter from the International Union of Masters, Mates & Pilots for showing up in support of Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains's critical piece of legislation, which will protect mariners from the safety risks created by the California Air Resources Board's Commercial Harbor Craft rule. When the legislature reconvenes in August, the bill will go before the CA Senate Appropriations Committee.

 

AWO ASP Reapproval Process Underway. The AWO Security Working Group met in May to review the AWO Alternative Security Plan (ASP), which expires on August 23, and recommended the following additions and clarifications: 

AWO expects to have the AWO ASP reapproved by the Coast Guard by the end of July to allow members time to implement the revisions. As a reminder, AWO is creating a new Company Security Officer Working Group to supersede the existing Security Working Group and will host a virtual kick-off meeting on July 18 at 2PM ET. Please contact Liam Morcroft if you would like to be part of the new working group or if you have any questions related to the new working group or the ASP.

 

House Coast Guard Subcommittee Holds Roundtable on Strengthening U.S. Maritime Industry. At the July 9 roundtable, Subcommittee members solicited industry recommendations on revitalizing the U.S.-flag fleet and shipbuilding. Invited guests included AWO President & CEO Jennifer Carpenter, who also appeared in her capacity as President of the American Maritime Partnership (AMP). Ms. Carpenter focused her remarks on the importance of the Jones Act as the foundation of a national maritime strategy, as well as the existential threat posed by China's use of maritime to expand its global reach. Representatives from the shipbuilding industry, maritime labor, and the Heritage Foundation also offered their perspectives. Subcommittee members expressed interest in a white paper encapsulating policy ideas for possible legislative action, including improvements to the Coast Guard's credentialling process.

 

AWO Submits Comments on Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program. Responding to a Request for Information from the Department of Energy (DOE), AWO recently commented on changes to the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loan program (ATVM). In the comments, AWO stressed the unique nature of vessel construction and how it differs from the manufacture of vehicles for landside modes and asked DOE to consider several recommendations to ensure the program works better for the maritime industry. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act expanded the eligibility of the program to include the manufacture of low-carbon maritime vessels. 

 

AWO President & CEO Underscores Jones Act's National Security Importance in DC Journal. In a recent op-ed for the DC Journal, AWO President & CEO Jennifer Carpenter emphasized the importance of the Jones Act and its critical impact on national security. "The Jones Act is fundamental to maintaining a fleet of American-built, -crewed and -owned vessels undergirding our nation's economy and serving as a bulwark against China's expansionism," she explained. Jennifer noted that the law allows America to maintain control of its supply chain as well as our military readiness. "It's time for our maritime industrial base to receive the national attention it deserves to ensure the strong defense and economic resilience this country demands," she concluded.

 

AWO Presents on Jones Act at Reuters Offshore Wind USA 2024 Conference. AWO's President & CEO Jennifer Carpenter was a featured presenter at the Reuters Events Offshore Wind USA 2024 conference in Boston on June 17-18. Jennifer's presentation to the audience of offshore wind company leaders, government officials and media focused on the Jones Act's applicability to different phases of offshore wind development, and the law's importance in building a strong, resilient and distinctly American offshore wind industry. Additionally, Jennifer -- who also appeared in her capacity as President of the American Maritime Partnership -- co-facilitated a roundtable discussion on strengthening the supply chain for American offshore wind development. 

 

AWO PAC Corner

 

AWO PAC and Inside Elections. AWO PAC has partnered with Inside Elections for another special edition, featuring insights on House races from across the country. 

 

AWO PAC is the connected political action committee for The American Waterways Operators and serves as the trade association's separate segregated fund. As a trade association, AWO is prohibited from using general treasury funds or membership dues to make federal contributions. AWO is one of the most effective advocacy associations in Washington, DC, and relies on voluntary personal contributions to fund AWO PAC.

 

AWO PAC supports federal candidates who are champions of the U.S. tugboat, towboat and barge industry and who are leaders on issues important to our industry. AWO PAC is dedicated to protecting AWO members' investments in the safest, most environmentally responsible and most economical mode of freight transportation and safeguarding the integrity of the Jones Act to protect the bottom lines of our members.

 

AWO PAC may solicit contributions from individuals of a member company once the member representative gives AWO written prior approval.

 

NTSB Publishes Safer Seas Digest. The National Transportation Safety Board has published its annual Safer Seas Digest, highlighting key lessons from 31 marine incident investigations completed by the NTSB Office of Marine Safety in 2023. Ten of the investigations involved towing vessels or barges, including:

In the report, the NTSB emphasized the importance of training and preparing for all emergencies, ensuring effective communication within a unified command, and maintaining a proper lookout, as well as the dangers of fatigue. For further information, please contact Michael Breslin.

 

 

 

Brennan Marine Hosts Rep. Derrick Van Orden for Towboat Tour. On June 19, Brennan Marine Inc. hosted Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) and staff on a towboat tour of the Mississippi River out of Brennan's headquarters in La Crosse, WI. A significant portion of Rep. Van Orden's district is on the river, extending from Prescott to just outside Dubuque, IA. A former Navy SEAL, Rep. Van Orden has a keen interest in the maritime industry, particularly in connecting young people and veterans to the industry, the Jones Act, and industry challenges with moveable bridges. Big thanks to Adam Binsfeld and the rest of the Brennan Marine team for hosting the tour!

 

AWO Holds Sector Luncheon in Memphis. On June 20, AWO members including American Commercial Barge Line, PTL Marine, Canal Barge Company, James Marine, Inc., Ingram Barge Company, Southern Devall, and Wepfer Marine Inc. engaged in a luncheon discussion with Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River. Some of the topics discussed during the luncheon included vessel inspections scheduling, SASH reporting, and Coast Guard personnel changes.

 

AWO Submits Comments on Oregon and Gulf of Maine Proposed Sale Notices. AWO recently submitted comments on two Bureau of Ocean Energy Management proposed sale notices for offshore wind leases in the Gulf of Maine and offshore Oregon. In the Oregon comments, AWO expressed support for the exclusion of lease areas that overlapped with the Coast Guard's proposed safety fairways, and in the Gulf of Maine comments, AWO requested that BOEM remove lease areas that overlap with proposed fairways from consideration. In both letters, AWO asked BOEM to continue collaborating with industry and the Coast Guard to ensure that offshore wind development does not impact navigation safety. 

 

AWO Meets with Sector St. Petersburg to Discuss Sub W Requirements for Towing Vessels. Last month, AWO members met with CAPT Michael Kahle, Commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, and his staff to discuss issues impacting the towing industry including lifesaving equipment requirements under Subchapter W. The Coast Guard has previously argued that conditionally occupied tank barges require lifeboats onboard, a position that industry has challenged in other Sectors and which AWO has discussed with Headquarters. Sector St. Petersburg staff stressed that no Sector wants to set an erroneous precedent and that operators that disagree with the Sector's rulings, whether on the application of Subchapter W or other issues, should pursue an appeal at the District level. Strengthening the towing industry's relationship with the Coast Guard is among AWO's top priorities in 2024, and the association intends to use the information at Sector meetings like this one to help develop a path forward.

 

AWO Attends Sector Mobile Change of Command.  AWO Southern Region Vice President Jill Bessetti recently attended the Coast Guard Sector Mobile Change of Command ceremony, during which CAPT Michael Vega relieved CAPT Ulysses Mullins as Captain of the Port. CAPT Vega is reporting to Sector Mobile after completing senior service school at the Inter-American Defense College in Washington, D.C. CAPT Mullins is transferring to the Eighth District Office where he will serve as Chief of Staff.

 

Summary of June 2024 Safety Newsletter. The latest edition of AWO's Navigating to Zero Safety and Sustainability Newsletter featured an article on AWO's new Moveable Bridges Event Program - a cooperative initiative working to prevent bridge allisions and other incidents by investigating and documenting events encountered when calling or transiting moveable bridges. The newsletter also included articles on American Waterways HERO Award recipients, OSHA's new Hazard Communication Standard update, new programs released by AWO affiliate members, high value near misses, lessons learned from recent NTSB investigation reports, BSEE alerts, and our Safety Professional Spotlight featuring Brian Bailey, Director of Safety at Tradepoint Atlantic. 

 

Read these stories and more in the June NTZ and please be sure to send in your SSRP reports for the 2nd quarter. and your High Value Near Misses, and to recognize your crew's HEROic acts! 

 

Join Us in Chicago for the AWO Safety Committees' Summer Meeting this August! Registration is open for the AWO Safety Committees' Summer Meeting, to be held August 14-15 in Chicago. The event will include lessons learned from the Key Bridge allision response, a case study on a barge breakaway and stranding at the McAlpine Dam structure, an update on SIRE 2.0 by OCIMF, a discussion on shipyard challenges for the safety manager in coastal and inland waterways, and much more. Please contact Michael Breslin with any questions.

 

If you are interested in being a sponsor, please contact Caitlin Clark.