American Waterways Operators video highlights tugboat, towboat and barge industry’s importance to national and homeland security

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 and facilitate commerce on America's rivers, coasts, harbors and Great Lakes are critical to powering the economy, they also play a vital role in safeguarding our nation: By supporting the Coast Guard in securing our borders and waterways; by moving military cargo on domestic waters and guiding Navy ships in and out of U.S. ports; by delivering supplies to help American communities recover from disasters; and by ensuring a strong, reliable domestic maritime supply chain under American control.

AWO President & CEO Jennifer Carpenter stated: "The mariners who move America's commerce on our domestic waterways, though often unseen, are a backbone of the U.S. supply chain and key contributors to our nation's security. We are proud to have produced this video to help tell the story of their outsized impact on America's prosperity and security."