H.R. 3151

SHIPS for America Act of 2025

Sponsor: Trent Kelly

145 cosponsors
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I Oversight and accountability

II Maritime Security Trust Fund

III Sealift capability

IV Vessels of the United States in international commerce

A Strategic sealift programs

B Cargo preference

C Regulatory reform

V Shipbuilding

A Shipbuilding financial incentives

B Department of Defense Programs

C Shipbuilding innovation and infrastructure

VI Workforce Development

A Workforce incentives

B Workforce Pipeline

Sec. 615. Maritime worker data collection

(a) Publication of report. The Maritime Administrator shall publish an biennial report on the state of the merchant mariner workforce.

(b) Completion of report. The Maritime Administrator shall complete the biennial report required under subsection (a) or enter into a contract with another entity to complete the report.

(c) Content of report. The biennial report required under subsection (a) shall include, at minimum—

(1) a count of United States Merchant Mariners with valid merchant mariner credentials and credentials in continuity endorsement;

(2) a count of inactive but credentialed and formerly credentialed United States Merchant Mariners, to the extent practicable, and an evaluation of—

(A) the challenges to identifying such individuals;

(B) opportunities to partner with Federal, State, local, and non-government entities to identify such individuals; and

(C) an action plan of how to implement the opportunities described under subparagraph (B);

(3) a count of United States mariners and foreign workers employed on vessels, rigs, platforms, and other vehicles or structures off the coast of the United States and an evaluation of the percentage of United States and foreign workers employed on—

(A) coastwise-endorsed vessels; and

(B) vessels of the United States which do not have a coastwise endorsement;

(4) a listing of actively operating vessels of the United States;

(5) a report of merchant mariner requirements needed in the event of a national defense sealift operation and any gaps identified in quantity and quality, and other variables of concern, as determined by the Administrator;

(6) a general outlook for the future of the merchant mariner industry and potential gaps or surpluses of merchant mariners;

(7) identification of any concerns in the credentialing of merchant mariners, which may include general processing issues, shortage of training providers or instructors, and barriers to entry due to costs to the economically disadvantaged; and

(8) recommendations, based on data collected, on ways to—

(A) improve retention of existing merchant mariners;

(B) create expedited pathways for mariners with expired credentials to renew their credentials; and

(C) encourage new merchant mariners to enter the industry.

(d) Accessibility of data

(1) In general. Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Maritime Administrator, and any authorized agent of the Maritime Administrator, shall have full access to available Coast Guard mariner credentialing data, in a manner that ensures the protection of personally identifiable information, in order to complete the report required under subsection (a).

(2) Exception. The Maritime Administrator, and any authorized agent of the Maritime Administrator, may not have access to confidential medical information pursuant to paragraph (1).

(e) Authorization of appropriations. There is authorized to be appropriated out of the Maritime Security Trust Fund, established under section 50301(b) of title 46, United States Code, to carry out this section, $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

C United States Merchant Marine Academy and State maritime academies

D Maritime Credentialing Modernization

VII Amendments to the internal revenue code of 1986