Third Annual Maritime Workforce Forum presented by the Center of Excellence for Marine Manufacturing & Technology in partnership with the Port of Bellingham

The 2026 Maritime Workforce Forum bring together leaders from industry, education, workforce development, ports, and government for focused panel discussions on welding as a foundational driver of maritime industrial capacity in Washington State. Welding underpins shipbuilding and repair, vessel maintenance, fabrication, marine infrastructure, and port development.

Forum Agenda

• Port of Bellingham Keynote
  Maritime economic development and infrastructure investment

• The Shipbuilding Imperative: Industry Panel
  Workforce constraints and production realities

• Port, Industrial Waterfront, and the Future of U.S. Shipbuilding
  Aligning regional assets with national priorities

• Scaling the Solution: MAC Welding Project
  Statewide, cross-sector workforce model