Press Releases

Today, the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced that the Maritime Institute in Everett was one of sixteen maritime workforce centers designated as a Center of Excellence (CoE) for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education in 2026.  

“The maritime economy is alive and well in Washington state,” said U.S. Representative Rick Larsen, top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which oversees MARAD. “The Maritime Institute’s national recognition as a MARAD Center of Excellence is proof positive of that. I will keep working to support the Maritime Institute and expand the local maritime economy and the jobs that come with it in the Pacific Northwest.” 

A MARAD CoE designation recognizes that a Center is making a notable contribution to the growth, sustainability, and competitiveness of the maritime sector and workforce in the United States. The 48 CoEs across the U.S. are organizations identified as key to building the maritime workforce and providing the necessary infrastructure for the United States to mobilize the required workforce in times of national need. They may be eligible for up to $30 million in federal funding specifically allocated to CoEs in 2027.  

“Maritime Institute is incredibly proud to be designated as a Center of Excellence by the U.S. Maritime Administration,” said Dave Abrams, CEO of the Maritime Institute. “This designation honors the dedication of our team to provide the highest quality training to mariners in the State of Washington and across the U.S. Our mission is to train people to build, repair, and operate vessels safely; we hope that this designation will eventually provide funding for additional resources to support that mission and our continued expansion in Everett, while helping to grow Washington’s maritime workforce.”  

"It’s an honor to hear our partners at Maritime Institute have been recognized as a Center of Excellence by MARAD,” said Lisa Lefeber, Port of Everett CEO/Executive Director. “This is a testament to the important work they are doing here at the Port of Everett to train up our region’s next generation of maritime workers and create direct pipelines to good paying maritime jobs. We are particularly proud of our joint efforts to expand this critical workforce training for adults to now include options for high school seniors with the launch of the first ever maritime high school program for Snohomish County.” 

Two other organizations in Washington state received CoE designations this year: Washington State Ferries in Seattle and Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend. 

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