The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) has opened applications for its Centers of Excellence (CoE) program, launching a nationwide recruitment effort to strengthen maritime workforce training as the United States faces declining shipbuilding capacity and a shrinking mariner base. Currently spanning 32 institutions across 44 cities in 17 states, the Centers of Excellence program supports workforce development, research, and policy initiatives aimed at growing and modernizing the maritime labor force.

First authorized under the National Defense Authorization Act of 2018, the program is designed to help the maritime industry sustain a skilled workforce while promoting diversity and inclusion. The application period follows the release of the White House Maritime Action Plan implementing President Trump’s Restoring American Maritime Dominance executive order. That plan calls for expanding support for the Centers of Excellence, increasing apprenticeship pathways, strengthening military-to-mariner transitions, and potentially launching a new Mariner Incentive Program to boost recruitment and retention.

Applications for five-year designations are open through April 13, 2026, with MARAD offering guidance via an informational webinar and Federal Register notice outlining selection criteria.