Decision Brings Vital Certainty and Predictability to U.S. Maritime Industry
NEW ORLEANS - The Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA) today commended the Trump Administration’s decision to lift the stop-work order on the Empire Wind project, a $5 billion offshore wind development off the coast of New York. This action by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) allows construction activities to resume after a month-long pause and restores needed stability to the U.S. offshore energy sector.
“The American maritime industry must have certainty, predictability, and fairness to invest with confidence in the vessels, technology, and talent needed to support U.S. offshore energy,” said Aaron Smith, President of OMSA. “By allowing the Empire Wind project to move forward, the Trump Administration is providing a stable policy environment that encourages bold investment in American energy.”
Just this week, we saw how this system can work effectively with the launch of the ECO LIBERTY, an American-built, American-crewed, state-of-the-art vessel built specifically for the Empire Wind in Louisiana and Mississippi shipyards. But this issue is bigger than one vessel. The same Gulf of America shipyards and suppliers that built the ECO LIBERTY also build for and supply our national and homeland security apparatus. When these Americans can hone their skills building for the offshore wind industry, our security will reap the dividends.
“The American maritime industry must have certainty, predictability, and fairness to invest with confidence in the vessels, technology, and talent needed to support U.S. offshore energy,” said Aaron Smith, President of OMSA. “By allowing the Empire Wind project to move forward, the Trump Administration is providing a stable policy environment that encourages bold investment in American energy.”
Just this week, we saw how this system can work effectively with the launch of the ECO LIBERTY, an American-built, American-crewed, state-of-the-art vessel built specifically for the Empire Wind in Louisiana and Mississippi shipyards. But this issue is bigger than one vessel. The same Gulf of America shipyards and suppliers that built the ECO LIBERTY also build for and supply our national and homeland security apparatus. When these Americans can hone their skills building for the offshore wind industry, our security will reap the dividends.
The ECO Liberty is a Jones Act–compliant, dual-powered as diesel electric and battery-powered Service Operation Vessel built by Edison Chouest Offshore to support U.S. offshore wind farms. Photo taken in May 2025 in Port Fouchon, Louisiana.
We hope to see the restarting of Empire Wind as a transformational step that replicates the success of the ECO LIBERTY in other areas of the wind industry that are not only economically important but are also vital to our national security.
OMSA stands ready to work with industry leaders and policymakers to expand this model across the country, supporting American energy production, creating American jobs, and strengthening American security.
OMSA stands ready to work with industry leaders and policymakers to expand this model across the country, supporting American energy production, creating American jobs, and strengthening American security.
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The Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA) is the advocate for the offshore marine transportation service industry in the United States. The Association represents 170-member companies and their 12,000 U.S. employees based throughout the U.S..
Media Contact
Anna Stallmann, media@annacomms.com
Anna Stallmann, media@annacomms.com