Ports in the St. Louis bi-state region welcome the recently announced America’s Maritime Action Plan, viewing it as a vital step toward strengthening maritime capabilities, improving supply chain resilience, and expanding domestic industrial growth.
Commentary by Susan Taylor, Dennis Wilmsmeyer, Cyndi Buchheit-Courtway and Brent Donovan
The advancement of the recently announced America’s Maritime Action Plan (MAP) is embraced by the ports in the bi-state St. Louis region as an opportunity to contribute to a comprehensive federal effort to rebuild the nation’s maritime strength, enhance supply chain resilience and expand domestic industrial capacity. While national attention often focuses on coastal shipbuilding and ocean ports, the MAP recognizes inland waterways are essential to achieving national maritime goals. For the St. Louis region, this policy creates an opportunity to elevate the Mississippi River and the nation’s most efficient inland port system within America’s maritime future.
America’s economic competitiveness depends on a resilient, efficient and geographically diversified freight and maritime network. Inland waterways move the bulk commodities that support U.S. manufacturing, energy production and agriculture while offering the most efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly mode of freight transportation. The MAP’s emphasis on expanding maritime capacity beyond traditional coastal hubs strengthens the role of interior regions in supporting national maritime objectives.
Among the MAP’s most promising provisions for inland regions is the proposed creation of Maritime Prosperity Zones. Modeled after Opportunity Zones, these designations are intended to attract private investment into shipbuilding, repair, maritime manufacturing, logistics and workforce development. Eligibility clearly includes river regions, positioning inland port systems such as St. Louis for both public funding and private capital. This aligns well with regional strengths, including abundant industrial land, strong multimodal connectivity and a skilled workforce, with manufacturing workers credited as being 18.3% more productive than the national average.
The MAP also directs federal agencies to reassess inland river access and navigation standards to ensure they support modern maritime needs, including vessel construction and repair. This reinforces the importance of continued investment in channel maintenance, dredging and port access improvements on the Mississippi River.
Equally significant is the MAP’s call to modernize maritime financing tools. These changes could provide inland ship repair yards, fabrication facilities and marine manufacturers improved access to long-term, lower-cost financing.
The St. Louis Regional Port System is exceptionally well positioned to advance these objectives. Operating along a 70-mile stretch of the Mississippi River, the region’s ports form the most efficient inland port district in the nation as determined by tons moved per river mile. The nearby Kaskaskia Regional Port District moves several million additional tons annually. Supported by strong river, rail and interstate connectivity, the region is a logical inland hub for maritime repair, vessel support, modular fabrication and related industrial activity envisioned under the MAP.
As leaders of the ports within the St. Louis Regional Freightway, we stand united and ready to partner with federal, state and private-sector stakeholders to realize the full potential of America’s Maritime Action Plan.
Susan Taylor is Director of the St. Louis Port Authority. Dennis Wilmsmeyer is Executive Director of America’s Central Port in Madison County, Illinois. Cyndi Buchheit-Courtway is Executive Director of the Jefferson County (MO) Port Authority. Brent Donovan is General Manager of the Kaskaskia Regional Port District, which covers parts of Monroe, Randolph and St. Clair counties in Illinois.
America’s Maritime Action Plan, St. Louis ports, maritime strength, supply chain resilience, domestic industrial capacity, federal maritime policy, port development, regional economic growth, maritime industry, infrastructure investment
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