Page 20: of Marine Technology Magazine (January 2025)

MARKETS DREDGING “With President

Trump coming in, we’re excited: He’s pro- business, he’s pro-industrial, he’s pro-Build American.

If you look at [U.S.] dredging and the Jones

Act industry; it’s American- owned, American-built, with

American citizens onboard those ships. So we ? t right into what [President Trump

Courtesy DCA is] trying to do.”

Watch the full interview with Bill Doyle, CEO,

Dredging Contractors of America, including his insights on: • European efforts to break through the Jones Act – Bill Doyle, CEO, DCA, dredging market; and on the incoming Trump Administration • The impact of larger, more powerful and destructive storms on the dredging industry.

more competition, so this small fraternity of tight knit yet plus he has made statements that he wants a robust shipbuild- competitive forces must keep an eye on the overall ball to ing industry.” ensure the balance between dredgers working and dredgers In addition, the Trump Administration will be aided by a Re- under construction maintain some sort of balance, regard- publican Congress. less if it’s a cutterhead suction dredge, a hopper dredge or a “You’ve got Mike Johnson (R-LA) as the Speaker of the clamshell dredge. House, and that’s huge. The folks in Louisiana, Mississippi “What we’re going to see somewhere in the ? rst or second and Texas live and die by dredging. They need dredging. They quarter is the largest hopper dredge ever built in the United understand dredging. They understand the shipbuilding indus-

States. It’s coming online,” said Doyle. “That’s the Frederick try. So it’s a big help for us to know what’s coming, to know

Paup by Manson Construction being built down in Browns- we’re going to be supported.” ville, Texas. They’re going through the dock trials right now, Doyle said the industry, in turn, must uphold its end of the and it’s a beautiful ship, a 15,000-cu. yd. vessel that will be bargain and maintain an ef? cient, effective and competitive able to do some beach work like you’ve never seen before.” industry, noting that last year alone the Army Corps of Engi- neers awarded contracts to 56 different companies, helping to keep prices lower and competition high.

POLITICAL WILL

As of this writing, January 20, 2005 – the U.S. Inaugura- “With President Trump coming in, we’re excited,” said tion Day – was drawing closer, with President Donald Trumps Doyle. “We know that we have to do our work with him to administration set to re-enter the White House. Politics and keep our issues at the forefront and to show the positive story political will have a direct impact on many if not all industries, of dredging and the Jones Act. He’s pro-business, he’s pro- and dredging is no exception. industrial, he’s pro-Build American. If you look at [U.S.] “We’re excited about the Trump administration coming dredging and the Jones Act industry, it’s American-owned, in,” said Doyle. “All of my dredgers, all of them, see this as: American-built, with American citizens onboard those ships. ‘we’ve got a president coming in that is not anti-Jones Act, So we ? t right into what [President Trump is] trying to do.” 20 January/February 2025

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