Washington Senator Maria Cantwell joined business and government leaders from around the region on Friday, May 17, at the Seattle Maritime Festival Breakfast, presented by the Seattle Propeller Club in collaboration with the Port of Seattle, to celebrate the importance of the domestic maritime industry, which sustains 22,500 local jobs, and announce a 34 percent growth in domestic maritime jobs created in the State of Washington.
According to the findings of a new report conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) on behalf of Transportation Institute (TI), the domestic maritime industry in Washington ranks sixth among all American states for jobs and labor income relating to the Jones Act. The industry employs more than 22,500 individuals, produces $6.12 billion for the local economy, and generates more than $1.5 billion in worker income. The same study shows that the domestic maritime industry employs more than 37,590 individuals, supports $2.5 billion in worker income, and produces nearly $10 billion for the Pacific Northwest regional economy.
At the Seattle Maritime Festival Breakfast, Sen. Cantwell was presented with the “2019 Seattle Propeller Club Public Official of the Year” award in recognition for her long-standing support of the domestic maritime industry, port infrastructure, maritime commerce, and the Jones Act.
The Jones Act is not only a vital anchor for America’s national security strategy but also a pillar of economic strength and job creation for the Pacific Northwest. Specifically, this law states that the transportation of merchandise between US points is reserved for US-built, owned, and documented vessels.