We develop and sustain Washington’s maritime careers.

The NW Center of Excellence for Marine Manufacturing & Technology brings together industry and labor to provide input to the state’s community & technical colleges so that Washington’s workforce has access to high-quality education and family-wage jobs in maritime and related fields..

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Washington’s Maritime Industry: A Statewide Economic Engine

Washington is a maritime state—connected by coastline, inland waterways, and river systems that shape its economy, communities, and identity. The maritime industry is one of Washington’s oldest and most essential sectors, supporting more than 170,000 jobs and contributing over $46 billion in annual economic activity. It spans a diverse ecosystem of employers, from global shipping companies and shipyards to commercial fisheries, passenger transportation, and emerging ocean technology firms.

At its core, the industry includes six interconnected subsectors:

Commercial Fishing &
Seafood Processing

Passenger &
Ferry Transportation

Shipbuilding & Boatbuilding

Recreation & Tourism

Maritime Logistics & Trade

Maritime Support Services

  • Commercial Fishing & Seafood Processing – A global leader in harvesting, processing, and exporting seafood, with major homeports and processing operations across Puget Sound, the Washington coast, and the Columbia River system.

  • Shipbuilding & Boatbuilding – A robust manufacturing and repair sector building everything from commercial fishing vessels and tugs to high-performance aluminum boats, ferries, and advanced naval platforms.

  • Maritime Logistics & Trade – Anchored by the Northwest Seaport Alliance (Ports of Seattle and Tacoma), moving goods between the U.S. heartland and global markets.

  • Passenger & Ferry Transportation – Home to Washington State Ferries, the largest ferry system in the United States, along with passenger-only services that connect communities across Puget Sound.

  • Recreation & Tourism – A vibrant blue-economy subsector supporting boating, cruising, and adventure tourism.

  • Maritime Support Services – Including naval architecture, marine engineering, environmental services, towing and tug operations, maritime law, insurance, and specialized supply chains.

Washington’s maritime economy is also undergoing a period of transformation driven by electrification, automation, digitalization, sustainability commitments, and national security needs. The state is home to major innovation clusters in clean propulsion, advanced materials, ocean observing, and vessel electrification—positioning Washington at the leading edge of the blue-tech frontier.

Just as important, the industry provides family-wage careers across every region of the state—not only in coastal hubs, but in inland and river communities, manufacturing centers, tribal nations, and rural towns. Many roles do not require a four-year degree but do require high-quality, hands-on technical training, making the maritime sector central to Washington’s workforce and economic development strategy.

Washington’s maritime industry is not just an economic pillar—it is a statewide system of opportunity, innovation, and community.

To learn more about the maritime industry, following are just some of the resources available: 

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Washington State as a Maritime Campus: From Vision to Action (Part II)
Washington State as a Maritime Campus: From Vision to Action (Part II)

In Part I, we explored the idea of establishing Washington as a single, interconnected maritime campus—linking people, programs, and opportunity statewide. Part II moves from concept to practice: how it works, what it looks like, and why workforce development is economic development.

Is Washington a fully connected maritime campus? Not yet. But the work has already begun. In this article, I’ll highlight how the model functions, and share two project examples - one scaling statewide, and one emerging—that demonstrate multiple approaches to the same central goal.

 

From Concept to Practice

Meeting Students Where They Are

A statewide maritime campus isn’t about creating new programs—it’s about connecting and growing what already exists. Across Washington, strong programs already prepare the next generation of maritime professionals. The challenge—and the opportunity—is to align them into a cohesive system that provides seamless entry and progression for learners.

Nuclear-powered containerships could unlock $68 million in annual savings and eliminate GHG emissions
Nuclear-powered containerships could unlock $68 million in annual savings and eliminate GHG emissions

As part of our Career Connect Washington Maritime Sector ongoing work, we actively track, document, and inform about emerging technologies and trends. A new industry report reveals how nuclear propulsion creates competitive advantage for both operators and charterers through superior economics and performance. Nuclear-powered containerships have the potential to eliminate bunker costs, cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and deliver faster transit times, while maintaining safety and economic competitiveness. The findings are drawn from a new Lloyd’s Register and LucidCatalyst report for Seaspan Corporation Pte. Ltd. The report examines the technical, economic, and regulatory potential of integrating small modular reactors (SMRs) into the containership fleet. LucidCatalyst performed a comprehensive analysis of the costs and benefits for Seaspan's business model and collaboratively developed requirements that, if met, would create significant value.

Alaska seafood harvesting jobs down for fifth straight year
Alaska seafood harvesting jobs down for fifth straight year

As part of our Career Connect Washington Maritime Sector ongoing work, we actively track, document, and inform about emerging technologies and trends. Alaska's commercial fishing industry, facing lower prices for its harvest and rising costs, saw a loss of 443 harvesting jobs in 2024—a fifth straight year of employment loss, state labor officials said. That 7.6% job decline was similar to the previous year's 7.8% job loss, the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development noted in the November issue of Alaska Economic Trends. Seafood harvesting in Alaska has lost over a third of its total jobs in the past decade, with fishing employment down every year of the last 10 except for 2019. That includes the summer peak, which has fallen about 30%, from 24,600 jobs in July 2014 to 17,400 in July 2024.

Maritime Blue, Sea Potential and the next generation of seafarers
Maritime Blue, Sea Potential and the next generation of seafarers

As part of our Career Connect Washington Maritime Sector ongoing work, we actively track, document, and inform about emerging technologies and trends. Washington Maritime Blue is a Seattle-based NGO with a $3 million budget and a number of focus areas, including renewable energy, maritime decarbonization, sustainable fishing, community engagement, and maritime workforce development. Dontay Proctor-Mills, who handles community engagement for Maritime Blue, hosted a presentation on workforce development during the 2025 Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle, with speakers from partner organizations, such as Sea Potential. According to Ebony Welborn, co-founder of Sea Potential, the organization works towards creating opportunities for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) youth, ages 12–18. “We want to raise awareness about marine jobs,” said Welborn. “But to do that, we have to heal things like water-related trauma and negative intergenerational stories about the water.”

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