Posted:
May 10, 2012
Representatives from a broad spectrum of segments of the American maritime industry May 9 visited the offices of 170 members of Congress and the Senate, meeting with elected representatives and their staff members to discuss the important roles served by U.S. maritime industry and labor in national security, defense and commerce.
The visits were conducted during the third annual Maritime Industry Congressional Sail-In on Capitol Hill. During the meetings, a total of 155 maritime industry representatives focused on key U.S. policies and programs - including the Jones Act, Maritime Security Program and U.S. cargo preference laws - and the substantial contributions of the U.S. maritime industry and U.S.-flag merchant fleet to the economy, military sealift operations and cost efficiency for the Department of Defense.
The industry employs hundreds of thousands of people throughout the nation and supports many more in related industries, while sustaining a working pool of American merchant mariners in commercial international and domestic trades, a ready supply of sealift capacity and shoreside intermodal cargo systems at home and abroad. U.S. shipyards provide a large industrial job base, and the influx of commercial newbuild and maintenance orders supplements military vessel construction and sustains an expanding knowledge base and trend of technological evolution required to ensure America remains able to build and maintain the most effective and efficient commercial and military vessels from generation to generation.
"The Sail-In is the one time of the year that nearly every segment of the maritime industry comes together to brief Congress on how we make the United States stronger and safer," said James Henry, president of the Transportation Institute and chairman of the board of directors of the American Maritime Partnership. "Working together as one, maritime personnel from the Great Lakes, inland rivers, deep seas and beyond help boost America's national and homeland security while promoting much-needed job growth here at home."
Congressional Sail-In highlights U.S. maritime industry's critical roles in national security, commerce
Representatives from a broad spectrum of segments of the American maritime industry May 9 visited the offices of 170 members of Congress and the Senate, meeting with elected representatives and their staff members to discuss the important roles served by U.S. maritime industry and labor in national security, defense and commerce.
The visits were conducted during the third annual Maritime Industry Congressional Sail-In on Capitol Hill. During the meetings, a total of 155 maritime industry representatives focused on key U.S. policies and programs - including the Jones Act, Maritime Security Program and U.S. cargo preference laws - and the substantial contributions of the U.S. maritime industry and U.S.-flag merchant fleet to the economy, military sealift operations and cost efficiency for the Department of Defense.
The industry employs hundreds of thousands of people throughout the nation and supports many more in related industries, while sustaining a working pool of American merchant mariners in commercial international and domestic trades, a ready supply of sealift capacity and shoreside intermodal cargo systems at home and abroad. U.S. shipyards provide a large industrial job base, and the influx of commercial newbuild and maintenance orders supplements military vessel construction and sustains an expanding knowledge base and trend of technological evolution required to ensure America remains able to build and maintain the most effective and efficient commercial and military vessels from generation to generation.
"The Sail-In is the one time of the year that nearly every segment of the maritime industry comes together to brief Congress on how we make the United States stronger and safer," said James Henry, president of the Transportation Institute and chairman of the board of directors of the American Maritime Partnership. "Working together as one, maritime personnel from the Great Lakes, inland rivers, deep seas and beyond help boost America's national and homeland security while promoting much-needed job growth here at home."