On behalf of the undersigned maritime and transportation labor organizations, we are writing to express our strong support for legislation calling for the establishment of a National Marketing Campaign for the U.S.-flag Merchant Marine. Specifically, we ask that you support a provision included in the House-passed version of the FY’25 national defense authorizations legislation, which authorizes the Maritime Administration to contract with a third-party public relations firm to develop and execute a marketing plan to encourage young Americans to consider a career in our industry.
As you know, this approach has helped recruit individuals for military service. Like the military, the U.S.-flag maritime industry faces workforce challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other economic and lifestyle factors. However, thanks in part to aggressive advertising, the services are all expected to hit their recruitment goals—but the merchant marine, which the Military Sealift Command and U.S. Transportation Command depend upon for logistics movements for the Department of Defense has been unsuccessful in regaining their lost workforce.
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