NAWE urges Congressional support of Maritime Trust Fund

The National Association of Waterfront Employers (NAWE) submitted a statement for the record to the joint House hearing titled “Revitalizing Shipbuilding and the Maritime Industrial Base.” The hearing was convened jointly by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation and the House Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces.

NAWE’s emphasized the critical role of the SHIPS for America Act in rebuilding the nation’s maritime industrial base through stable, long-term investment and policy coordination across shipbuilding, ports, and cargo handling infrastructure.

NAWE also highlighted the need to establish a Maritime Security Trust Fund, as envisioned in the SHIPS for America Act and outlined in the Administration’s Maritime Action Plan. NAWE urges Congress to adopt a dedicated, off-budget funding mechanism—modeled after the Highway Trust Fund—to support shipbuilding, port infrastructure modernization, and domestic manufacturing of cargo handling equipment.

“Revitalizing America’s maritime industrial base requires a comprehensive approach that goes well beyond shipyards alone,” said Carl Bentzel, President of NAWE. “Ports, terminals, and the manufacturing base that supports cargo handling operations are indispensable to national security, economic resilience, and supply chain reliability. The SHIPS for America Act provides a critical framework to address these interconnected needs.”

With more than 60 member companies operating at ports across the United States, NAWE members handle over 90 percent of the nation’s containerized trade and play a central role in supporting both commercial supply chains and national defense readiness.

NAWE looks forward to continuing to work with Congress, the Administration, and maritime stakeholders as legislative considerations of the SHIPS for America Act move forward.