In April 2024, a small group of workforce professionals came together around a simple question: What can we build, right now, that strategically responds to workforce demand in rural Washington? We didn’t have to look far for the answer. Welding and fabrication surfaced quickly. Not by accident - by recognition. The need is everywhere. And it cuts across sectors and regions. That’s how the Maritime, Agriculture & Natural Resource, and Construction (MAC) Welding & Fabrication Project got started. Because this isn’t just a maritime issue. It’s not just construction. It’s not just agriculture. It’s any industry where welding shows up, and the challenge is the same: Demand is high. Capacity isn’t keeping up. Access is uneven.

For decades, conversations about maritime workforce development have followed a familiar pattern. When employers, policymakers, and educators think about building talent pipelines, they picture coastal shipyards, deep-water ports, marine academies, and training programs located within sight of the ocean. That framework made sense for a long time. Maritime activity was most visible along the coast, and workforce infrastructure naturally developed around major ports and shipbuilding centers. As a result, the public image of the maritime industry became tightly linked to saltwater, ships, and coastal communities.

Shipbuilder Mavrik Marine Inc., La Conner, Wash., has delivered a new whale-watching boat for Pacific Northwest ferry and excursion vessel operator FRS Clipper Inc., Seattle. The boat was christened during an April 16 ceremony. Designed by One2Three Naval Architects, Sydney, the 103.4'x32' high-speed aluminum catamaran, the Emerald Clipper, is a USCG Subchapter T vessel with capacity for 150 passengers plus a crew of four to eight. It is powered by quad Scania DI16-082M Tier 3 diesels, each producing 800 hp at 2,100 rpm. The engines power HamiltonJet HTX42 waterjets through ZF 655 SC gearboxes. The boat cruises at 32 knots, and it will have a range of 340 nautical miles — enough to reach the full length of Puget Sound and the Juan de Fuca Strait.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve spent a lot of time talking with colleagues across industry, ports, education, economic and workforce development, and community organizations around a simple idea: What if we started thinking about Washington not as a collection of separate maritime efforts - but as a connected statewide campus? Not a new institution. Not a new bureaucracy. And not a restructuring of the work already underway. Just a better way to see, and connect, what already exists. At its core, this is straightforward. If we’re serious about expanding awareness, access, and workforce opportunity across Washington, we have to move beyond isolated programs and operate as a working network across the state. The assets are already here. The opportunity is to leverage them – intentionally.

For decades, global supply chains operated with predictable lead times and stable delivery expectations. End users ordered parts from OEMs, who built and delivered them within an agreed timeframe. Over the past decade, marked by COVID-19 disruption and rising geopolitical tension, the fragility of traditional supply chains has been exposed. Under increasing pressure from end users, OEMs are now being forced to consider alternative production models. In the maritime and energy sectors assets are built to last, with many now exceeding 20 years of age. Continuing safe and efficient operation often relies on the availability of legacy parts which may be difficult to source as OEMs discontinue production in favour of newer components.

A group of Great Lakes shipyards has announced a collaborative alliance aimed at competing for Coast Guard work and expanding domestic shipbuilding capacity in the region.  Fincantieri Marine Group, Washington, D.C. — which operates Fincantieri Marinette Marine, Marinette, Wis., Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay, Wis., and Fincantieri ACE Marine, Green Bay, Wis., — announced Thursday that it is partnering with Fraser Shipyards LLC, Superior, Wis., and Donjon Marine Co., Erie, Pa., to establish a collaborative framework to bring new shipbuilding programs and technology to the "Fourth Coast."The alliance's immediate focus is a contract to build a series of new Homeland Security Cutter - Light icebreakers for the Coast Guard, the partners said.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) said Friday that it has invested $13,280,351 million in 11 marine highway projects across seven states through the U.S. Marine Highway Program. The funding will support public and private partners in developing supply chains on marine highway routes—including the transportation of waste in Oregon and the improvement of barge docks in Pennsylvania—to ensure resiliency. “Investing in marine highways will strengthen the Great Lakes economy and other regional communities,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “We’ll deliver jobs, boost provide a boost for local industries, and strengthen infrastructure our economy relies on.”

(BELLINGHAM, Wash.) —All American Marine has begun construction on a 78-by-26-foot aluminum catamaran research vessel for the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI). The vessel is being built on Teknicraft Design’s proven multi-purpose research platform and is designed to support scientific research, survey, and teaching missions throughout the Gulf of Mexico, including offshore operations up to 150 nautical miles from shore. Purpose-built for multi-mission flexibility, the twin-engine, propeller-driven vessel will support a broad range of scientific operations including coastal and offshore ecology research, seismic surveys, gravity coring, water chemistry analysis, fisheries surveys, and undergraduate and graduate instruction. The platform integrates an adjustable hydrofoil system, modular deck equipment, and dedicated wet and dry laboratory spaces to accommodate evolving research requirements across diverse operating profiles.

Whatcom County Public Works (WCPW), Bellingham, Wash., has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a propulsion system integrator to support the design and construction of a new vehicle ferry serving the Lummi Island route in Washington state. The solicitation, released March 16, outlines requirements for a diesel-electric hybrid propulsion package incorporating lithium-ion battery storage, with the selected providerexpected to work closely with naval architect Elliott Bay Design Group, Seattle, during the contract design phase and through vessel delivery. The new ferry is intended to operate on a short, repetitive 0.8-nm route between Lummi Island and Gooseberry Point, completing up to 30 round trips per weekday and approximately 9,360 annually.

The White House has approved a 60-day Jones Act waiver, moving forward with a controversial policy that U.S. shipping interests warned just days ago would do little to lower fuel prices—and is now drawing fresh backlash from maritime labor groups. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the decision Tuesday, saying the waiver is intended to mitigate short-term disruptions to the oil market as U.S. forces continue operations tied to Operation Epic Fury against Iran. The temporary exemption allows foreign-flagged vessels to transport oil, liquefied natural gas, fertilizer, coal, and other critical commodities between U.S. ports, effectively opening domestic coastwise trade to international shipping for the next two months.

The Sea Tow Foundation is currently seeking six new members to join its Boating Safety Advisory Council. Council members represent a diverse cross-section of the marine industry and serve as decision-makers, influencers and subject-matter experts within their respective fields. Each member serves a two-year term. The Boating Safety Advisory Council provides strategic guidance and recommendations on key issues such as the use of required and recommended safety equipment including life jackets, the importance of boater education and training, promoting the designation of a Sober Skipper on every boating trip and other critical boating safety priorities, according to the organization. Members of the Council also oversee the National Boating Safety Awards, which recognize outstanding marine industry contributions to boating safety. 

As part of our Career Connect Washington Maritime Sector ongoing work, we actively track, document, and inform about emerging technologies and trends. The U.S. Coast Guard is quashing the latest rumor on tankers looking to reposition to the Atlantic and Pacific trades instead of staying in the Middle East. Early on Thursday, in some tanker circles, there was chatter of tanker owners looking to register with the Coast Guard to be eligible to trade in the U.S. “The Coast Guard is aware of this public reporting,” said a Coast Guard spokesperson. “However, we cannot verify this is happening.” No registrations have been filed.

As part of our Career Connect Washington Maritime Sector ongoing work, we actively track, document, and inform about emerging technologies and trends. The Norwegian Maritime Authority has announced the strictest step yet made by any government agency or industry association to address the risk of Iranian attack in the Strait of Hormuz: an inbound transit ban. Effective Thursday, no Norgwegian-flagged ships are permitted to enter the Arabian Gulf, regardless of the shipowner's own risk assessments.  "We do not believe any shipping companies are planning to sail into this area in the near future, but as the situation has now developed, it is important for us to emphasize that we are now moving from a strong recommendation related to ship traffic in the area to a ban on entering the Strait of Hormuz," said Maritime Director Alf Tore Sørheim. 

HII reports that all five collective bargaining units at its Ingalls Shipbuilding division have ratified new collective bargaining agreements, securing an immediate 18% or higher base wage increase for union‑represented shipbuilders. This is the largest single wage increase in Ingalls Shipbuilding history and will extend the contract through March 8, 2031. The Ingalls Shipbuilding collective bargaining agreement, for union-represented shipbuilders provides historic wage growth of 35 to 47 percent through 2031. Shipbuilding leadership anticipates this will improve recruitment and attrition and will enable accelerated throughput.

“This agreement strengthens our partnership with our represented shipbuilders and affirms our commitment to providing competitive wages and stability for our workforce,” said Brian Blanchette, Ingalls Shipbuilding president.

As part of our Career Connect Washington Maritime Sector ongoing work, we actively track, document, and inform about emerging technologies and trends. As digital solutions multiply across shipping, a notable gap is emerging. We talk about platforms, data, and transformation, yet many organizations still struggle with a more fundamental question: what does it actually mean to buy, integrate, and grow with software? Too often, maritime software is approached like a charter party. We negotiate the terms, sign the contract, and hope it works. But software isn’t a static transaction, it’s a living system that only creates value when it is actively adopted, connected, and evolved. Treating it otherwise is one of the quiet reasons so many digital initiatives underdeliver. This is why the future of shipping will not be shaped by whoever claims to offer “the most comprehensive platform.” It will be shaped by our collective ability to build smarter digital ecosystems.

As part of our Career Connect Washington Maritime Sector ongoing work, we actively track, document, and inform about emerging technologies and trends. Commercial divers have begun 2026 with an exciting new system for certification. While many of the requirements remain the same, the real upgrade is in digital verification and approval time, which can now be measured in days. This approach is a light speed advancement in efficiency from the previous system in which the credentials of a diver were manually verified, sometimes taking up to 60 days. To keep this all in perspective, the USCG recommends that mariners start their license renewal process at least 90 days prior to their expiration, though the prudent professional mariner begins the process at least 1 year from expiration. Many mariners still may experience a lapse in their license, especially when one considers the constant looming possibility of a government shutdown, or the constant back and forth of emails requiring additional documentation for sea service letters or medical forms. The commercial diving industry is not regulated in the same way as mariners; flag states do not issue a credential or license for divers. These come from trade associations, the International Maritime Contractors Association (IMCA) and the Association of Diving Contractors International Inc. (ADCI) being the two most prominent.

Washington’s maritime economy is one of the most diverse and dynamic in the United States. From shipbuilding and vessel operations to recreational boat building, commercial fishing and seafood processing, marine technology, logistics, and emerging ocean industries, the sector supports more than 170,000 jobs and generates approximately $46 billion in economic activity statewide.

And like much of the nation’s maritime industry, Washington faces a growing workforce challenge.

Shipbuilding expansion alone will require a significant increase in skilled workers. In remarks reported in Naval News on January 14, 2026, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan noted that U.S. shipbuilders and suppliers may need to hire approximately 250,000 skilled workers over the next decade to meet projected demand.

As part of our Career Connect Washington Maritime Sector ongoing work, we actively track, document, and inform about emerging technologies and trends. Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB), Freeland, Wash., held a keel-laying ceremony for the first of two 400-passenger battery-electric ferries under construction for San Francisco Bay Ferry. The 142'1"x34'9" Subchapter K aluminum catamarans are being constructed under the agency’s Rapid Electric Emission Free (REEF) Ferry Program, which aims to transition the fleet to zero-emission propulsion technology. The ferries will operate at 25 knots on central Bay routes, connecting Oakland and Alameda with San Francisco. The series' first vessel is scheduled to be delivered in 2028.

As part of our Career Connect Washington Maritime Sector ongoing work, we actively track, document, and inform about emerging technologies and trends. Corvus Energy will supply battery energy storage systems (ESS) for two new hybrid-electric ferries being built for Washington State Ferries (WSF), under a contract with ABB’s Marine & Ports division. The agreement includes an option for a third vessel. WSF operates the largest ferry system in the United States, with 21 auto-passenger ferries serving 19 terminals across 10 routes. The two new 1,500-passenger, 160-vehicle ferries are the first of up to 16 vessels planned under the agency’s $3.98 billion Ferry System Electrification program. The initiative represents the largest ferry electrification effort in the U.S. to date. The hybrid vessels will be equipped with battery energy storage systems and diesel generators.

As part of our Career Connect Washington Maritime Sector ongoing work, we actively track, document, and inform about emerging technologies and trends. Bellingham, Wash.-based All American Marine (AAM) reports that it is currently constructing a sister ship to the tour vessel Chugach Express that it delivered to Alaska-based Phillips Cruises & Tours in April 2024.

Building on experience with the Chugach Express, the new high-speed, long-range eco-tour vessel will operate daily in Prince William Sound and be homeported in Whittier, Alaska.

Developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design, the 84.5 x 30.7 foot aluminum passenger vessel features a next-generation semi-displacement catamaran hull with proven, real-world performance.