United States Marine Highway Program
In 2007 Congress included provisions to Public Law 110-140, to "Offer a waterborne alternative to available land-side transportation services using documented Vessels" and "Provide transportation services for passengers or freight (or both) that may reduce congestion on land-side infrastructure using documented vessels.
[4] Alongside grassroots efforts to reduce this congestion and greenhouse gas, such as the idea of "buying local", the federal government is looking to its navigable waterways to help alleviate the problem.
The National Defense Authorization Act for 2023, Public Law 117-263, made the most dramatic change to the program by adding, "bulk, liquid, or loose cargo loaded in tanks, holds, hoppers, or on deck" as well as adding marine highway services that operate between a port on the United States Marine Highway to and from Canada and Mexico.
A driver is only allowed to be on the road 11 hours out of 21; this drops their average speed effectively in half when transiting more than 600 mi (970 km).
[7] Until World War II, Texas oil was transported to the East Coast by tanker, when it was replaced by the Big Inch pipeline.
Coastwise transport on the first container ship, the SS Ideal X in 1958, from Newark, New Jersey, to Houston, Texas, ignited an industry.
The United States Marine Highway Program is MARAD's effort to stimulate low cost, green barges in places where they have not been employed.
[3] Once these routes have been identified, state and local government agencies can apply for 'Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery' (TIGER) Grants to improve port infrastructure and encourage the use of water-side shipping.
With intermodal transit standardized in the U.S., transferring goods with different modes of transport does not require longshoremen or terminal workers to re-pack material.
A ferry, or Roll-on/Roll-off Vessel would allow a driver to keep moving his cargo to its ultimate destination while they take their mandatory off-duty hours.
The US Navy entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with MARAD to develop a U.S. built and U.S. manned dual-use vessel to sail in peacetime in trade and to provide a sealift capability during times of National Emergency.
