Sponsors (8)
The bill directs substantial federal funding, clearer rules, and workforce supports to speed maritime decarbonization and local health benefits, but does so with stringent technical and labor rules, administrative costs, and eligibility limits that may raise project costs, exclude transitional technologies, and increase federal spending.
Port operators, vessel owners, and shipowners gain sustained federal funding and clearer grant eligibility to deploy shore power, retrofit or buy zero-emission vessels and related infrastructure, accelerating deployment and lowering operational fuel costs over time.
Communities near ports and port workers will experience reduced air pollution and quieter operations as cleaner, zero-emission vessels and shore power are adopted, improving local public health and environmental quality.
Maritime and energy workers, tradespeople, and students gain expanded workforce training, Centers of Excellence ties, and guaranteed labor representation to support job transitions into clean maritime sectors.
All taxpayers bear the cost of a new authorization (~$1 billion/year through 2036) plus added program and committee staffing, and up to 10% may be used for administration—reducing funds going to projects and increasing federal spending.
The bill's stringent technical and lifecycle requirements (e.g., 90% lifecycle GHG threshold), tight definitions of 'automated' and 'zero-emission', and prohibitions on certain automation studies could exclude lower‑cost transitional technologies, slow innovation, and delay or disqualify many applicants.
New labor and program requirements—Davis‑Bacon prevailing wages and additional program compliance expectations—will raise project labor and compliance costs, potentially reducing the number of funded projects or increasing project budgets.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Establishes a $1 billion/year program (FY2027–2036) to fund zero-emission vessels, charging/fueling infrastructure, demonstrations, and workforce training, and creates an advisory committee.
Official title: To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a program to support the research, design, development, demonstration, and deployment of zero-emission vessels and retrofit or replacement of existing vessels with zero-emission vessel technologies and charging infrastructure or fueling infrastructure, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 25, 2026 by Nanette Barragán · Last progress June 25, 2026
Creates a federal grant, loan, and loan-guarantee program to support development, demonstration, deployment, retrofit, and replacement of zero-emission vessels and associated shore charging/fueling infrastructure, and funds workforce training and community/environmental engagement. The program is authorized at $1 billion per year for fiscal years 2027–2036, bars use of funds for automated vessels or automated cargo handling, requires Davis-Bacon wages for construction work, and requires annual public posting of all applications. Requires formation of an advisory committee to the Department of Transportation and Maritime Administration to advise on technology, commercialization, workforce, and coordination; the committee must report periodically to the Secretary and to specified congressional committees.