Tom Allegretti News

With the announcements that New York Waterway, a ferry operator running 32 boats around New York and New Jersey waters, had been largely shut down by the U.S. Coast Guard just prior to Thanksgiving, 2019, the reactions ranged from surprise to outright shock. There was also a great deal of grumbling, as commuters, the major customer group, endured delays on New York Waterway’s extensive network across the Hudson River, bringing New Jersey commuters into New York’s business districts.So, what happened?

The members of the American Waterways Operators, the national tugboat, towboat and barge industry association, elected a new slate of leaders earlier this month during the association's annual Spring Convention held in Washington, D.C. Scott Merritt, former Chief Operating Officer for Foss Maritime Company, LLC, was elected Chairman. Arthur F. Mead, Vice President and General Counsel at Crowley Maritime Corporation, was elected Vice Chairman. Mr. Merritt succeeds outgoing Chairman Tom Marian…

Today, the American Waterways Operators testified before two congressional committees on the state of the American maritime industry.Tom Allegretti, President & CEO, testified before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee while across the Capitol, Jennifer Carpenter, Executive Vice President & COO, appeared before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. In written testimonies submitted to the Committee and Subcommittee, both Mr. Allegretti and Mrs.

Initial reports show that the towing industry is adjusting well to the new normal on inland rivers. In fact, it is business as usual for most.July 20, 2018 was a critical date for tow boat operators. That was the deadline for all U.S.-flag towing vessels – over 26 feet, or less if used to assist with transport of oil or hazardous materials – to be in compliance with Subchapter M, the U.S. Coast Guard’s towing vessel safety regulations. It’s been a long time coming. As a regulatory program…

A study unveiled today documents the contribution of the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry to the U.S. economy. The study, developed through a cooperative agreement between the American Waterways Operators (AWO) and the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, explores the industry's economic contributions to employment, gross domestic product and taxes at the national and state levels; details the types and quantities of vital commodities transported on American waterways…

The American Waterways Operators (AWO) said it welcomes the inclusion of the Commercial Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (CVIDA) and the recapitalization of the aging fleet of inland waterway tenders as part of the FY 2018 Coast Guard Reauthorization Act, which was approved today by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation by voice vote. CVIDA is bipartisan legislation that streamlines what is currently a broken regulatory system in which commercial vessels moving vital maritime commerce on U.S.

Profoundly damaging announcement by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) puts foreign companies first and American companies and workers last. The Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA) today responded to an announcement by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to withdraw its second proposal to modify and revoke letter rulings. This decision hurts American workers, vessel owners, and U.S. shipbuilders and prevents the creation of 3,200 new American jobs. Obliging to foreign interests, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recommended a regulatory review process that will significantly delay the lawful and correct enforcement of the Jones Act which requires good moving between one U.S. port and another be moved on vessels that are U.S. built, U.S. owned and U.S. crewed.

Lloyd's Register has received approval from the American Waterways Operators (AWO) as a third-party organization authorized to conduct audits of AWO member operations as part of its Responsible Carrier Program (RCP). The RCP is a safety management system that provides a framework for the U.S. tugboat, towboat and barge industry to continuously improve safety and environmental performance. In order to be in compliance with the RCP – a condition of AWO membership – member companies must undergo recurring management and vessel audits by an approved independent third-party entity.

AWO testifies before Congress on dangers of foreign carrier alliances negotiating collectively with U.S. Tom Allegretti, President & CEO of The American Waterways Operators, testified before the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation on the dangers posed by the Federal Maritime Commission's (FMC) decision to allow foreign carrier alliances to collectively negotiate with U.S. tugboat operators. Allegretti also emphasized AWO's view that such agreements violate both the letter and congressional intent of the Shipping Act…

The American Waterways Operators (AWO) and The American Chemistry Council (ACC) have renewed for three years a Memorandum of Agreement to promote environmental, health, safety and security performance through ACC's Responsible Care and AWO's Responsible Carrier Program. This agreement was originally executed in 2006, and subsequently renewed in 2010 and 2013. The MOA extends cooperation and collaboration between chemical shippers and carriers and provides ACC's Responsible Care Partner companies in the marine sector the option of using AWO's Responsible Carrier Program audit system to meet ACC's Responsible Care certification requirements. Chemicals account for roughly 10 percent of total barge traffic, with 70 million tons moved by barge in 2014.

The 2017 Inland Waterways Conference is set to be held in scenic Cincinnati, Ohio, from March 6-8, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati. The event will feature full days of hot topics and VIP speakers to address emerging inland waterways topics and trends, highlighted by Lunch Keynote Speaker United States Coast Guard Commandant, Admiral Paul F. Zukunft, speaking on March 7 from noon to 1:15. "We are honored that Admiral Zukunft will take part in our conference" said Alan Bernstein, Conference Director.

ABS has been approved by the American Waterways Operators (AWO) to carry out audits of its Responsible Carrier Program (RCP), a safety management system for tugboat, towboat and barge companies, requiring AWO member companies to undergo periodic management and vessel audits conducted by an independent third party. Towing vessel operators serving the inland waterways, coasts and harbors are looking closely at their fleets to determine the best way to meet the new U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter M regulations establishing vessel safety and inspection requirements.

The American Waterways Operators (AWO) and ClassNK have signed an agreement under which ClassNK will be authorized to conduct audits of AWO's Responsible Carrier Program, a safety management system for towing vessels with which all AWO members must comply as a condition of association membership. The agreement with ClassNK, an international classification society, expands the options for AWO member companies to obtain RCP audits following publication of the U.S. Coast Guard regulations establishing an inspection regime for towing vessels at 46 CFR Subchapter M.

AWO members converge on Washington D.C. The American Waterways Operators’ (AWO) 2016 Spring Convention attracted more than 200 members to Washington, D.C. April 19-21, including 36 first-time attendees. The annual event included a day of organization-wide and sector-specific meetings to discuss priority industry issues, the 14th Annual Barge-In, the Annual Membership meeting, at which AWO’s new member leadership was elected and new members of the Board of Directors were enrolled, and the Board of Directors meeting.

The members of the American Waterways Operators, the national trade association representing the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, elected a new slate of leaders during AWO's Spring Convention held recently in Washington, D.C. James F. Farley, Corporate Vice President – Industry Relations, Kirby Corporation, was elected Chairman. Edward J. "Ted" Tregurtha, President of Moran Towing Corporation, was elected Vice Chairman. Mr. Farley succeeds outgoing Chairman David G. Sehrt, Senior Vice President and Chief Engineering Officer of Ingram Barge Company.

American Tugboat, Towboat and Barge Industry Urged Support for American Jobs, Vessel Discharge Reform, and Waterways Infrastructure. Members of the American Waterways Operators, the national trade association representing the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, called on Congress on Wednesday during AWO's annual Barge-In event, where more than 160 vessel owners and operators held 220 meetings with lawmakers in the Senate and House of Representatives. "AWO members play a vital role in ensuring the safe, secure and efficient movement of the nation's critical cargo," said Tom Allegretti, AWO President & CEO. "The tugboat, towboat and barge…

The American Waterways Operators (AWO), a national trade association for the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, has announced that Executive Vice President Jennifer Carpenter has been promoted to the position of Chief Operating Officer, effective January 1, 2016. In announcing the promotion, AWO President & CEO Tom Allegretti said, “Jennifer’s promotion to Chief Operating Officer is richly deserved and fully earned during a quarter century of exemplary service. The journey of advocacy excellence and safety leadership on which AWO has been embarked is one that Jennifer has effectively led.

The American Maritime Partnership (AMP), the voice of the domestic maritime industry, today released a statement in response to the sheer number of factual errors in the recent report published by the Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure’s (Aii) – Jones Act: Protectionism v. Global Trade. “The publication is littered with fabrications intended to mislead policymakers and we demand a retraction of the report," said Tom Allegretti, Chairman of AMP. “It is shocking that a nonprofit organization led by former senior members of the U.S. military would produce such a factually inaccurate report and take such a myopic view of an important national security issue. They have failed to even acknowledge the fact that the U.S.

Texas ranks third among all states for domestic maritime jobs with Houston ranked second among all U.S. cities for its contribution to the U.S. maritime industry, according to a new study PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for the Transportation Institute and released by the American Maritime Partnership (AMP), the voice of the U.S. domestic maritime industry. The domestic maritime industry, comprised of the vessels which move cargoes between American ports, pumps $8 billion annually into the Texas economy, and provides 39,190 Texas maritime jobs, with $2.3 billion in worker income.

The members of the American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association representing the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, elected a new slate of leaders during its Spring Convention held recently in Washington, D.C. David G. Sehrt, Senior Vice President and Chief Engineering Officer of Ingram Barge Company, was elected Chairman, succeeding outgoing Chairman Frank Morton, Director, Turn Services LLC. James F. Farley, President of Kirby Offshore Marine, LLC, was elected Vice Chairman.

The American Maritime Partnership (AMP), the voice of the domestic maritime industry, today recognized U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) with the 2016 Champion of Maritime Award. Sen. Hirono is honored for her long-standing support and commitment to the men and women of American Maritime in her work on the Senate Armed Services Committee and as a Ranking Member of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Energy. Sen. Hirono understands the critical role the domestic maritime industry plays not just in Hawaii, but also in the nation’s economic, national and homeland security. “America’s maritime industry is vital to our island state, accounting for thousands of jobs and infusing $1.8 billion into Hawaii’s economy each year.

On April 14 in testimony before the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Tom Allegretti, President & CEO of The American Waterways Operators (AWO), will press for continued defense of the Jones Act and a uniform federal framework for vessel discharge regulation. The hearing will focus on the status and implementation of maritime transportation safety and stewardship programs and rulemakings. The Jones Act…

On Saturday, August 29, 2015, the world’s first series of energy efficient containerships welcomed its second LNG-powered vessel in San Diego, fueling the U.S. maritime industry with cutting edge economic and environmental efficiencies powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). “The launch of Perla del Caribe marks a momentous step forward for the future of U.S. maritime, using green technology to ensure the products we deliver are transported safely and efficiently, all while using the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation…