Uniting Industry to Mitigate Duwamish Navigation Challenges

SIA partnered with Lynden and the American Waterways Operators to convene and mobilize the Duwamish Safe Navigation Coalition. The coalition brought together a cross-section of maritime and industrial operators whose core business operations depend on safe, reliable access to the Duwamish Waterway.

Coalition stakeholders include tug and barge operators (Western Towboat, Island Tug & Barge), marine transportation providers (Alaska Marine Lines, Lynden), industrial manufacturers (Nucor Steel, CalPortland), and industry associations (Pacific Northwest Waterways Association). By convening operators with firsthand, day-to-day experience navigating the Duwamish, SIA transformed widespread concern into a coordinated and credible industry response.

Through this coalition, SIA elevated critical operational, financial, and safety impacts that had previously been experienced in isolation, including vessel delays, rising costs, and dangerous navigation conditions such as entangled propellers and constrained maneuverability. SIA’s leadership ensured these challenges were clearly documented, quantified, and communicated as a unified industry priority.

Building on this momentum, SIA supported coalition members in aligning around a coordinated strategy, including securing broad sign-on to a formal letter to the U.S. Coast Guard. The letter outlines the legal, safety, and economic risks posed by channel obstructions and calls for coordinated action to ensure safe and reliable navigation.

In parallel, SIA is prioritizing and leading direct engagement and relationship-building with the Muckleshoot Tribe to identify collaborative, long-term solutions. This work is focused on finding a balanced path forward that meets the operational needs of industrial users while fully respecting tribal fishing treaty rights, positioning SIA as a constructive partner in advancing mutually beneficial outcomes for all stakeholders on the waterway.