Malliotakis highlights tug and barge industry employment opportunities

Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (R.-N.Y.) joined representatives from New York’s tugboat and barge industry to promote industry employment opportunities

Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (R.-N.Y.) joined representatives from New York’s tugboat and barge industry, March 2, to highlight new jobs created on Staten Island and promote employment opportunities in the industry for New York City youth.

“Staten Island has a robust maritime industry that unfortunately not many people are aware of,” Congresswoman Malliotakis said. “With this industry comes a lot of job opportunities for the residents of Staten Island, and we’re here today because of the influx of federal infrastructure investment into New York ports and waterways. I’m joined here by a dozen different companies along our waterfront who are looking for labor, and in some cases, they sadly have to turn down work because they don’t have the labor to keep up. This is a thriving and growing industry and with New York having the busiest port on the East Coast, we have a tremendous level of opportunity for young people. As a major supporter of vocational training, I want to let the public know there are great paying jobs right here on Staten Island for students right out of high school. If you’re able-bodied and you want to work, you can have a great career in the maritime industry.”

The top commodities transported by the U.S. tugboat, towboat, and barge industries in New York State annually include petroleum products, chemicals, sand/gravel/clay/salt, primary non-metal products, along with food and food products. In addition to the transport of materials, maritime operators also assist with the refueling, maneuvering, and lightering of ships in and around New York Harbor.

“I’m a fifth-generation president of a tugboat company based right here in Staten Island. We employ hundreds of mariners here in Staten Island, and we’re proud to say that we’re growing and we’re hiring,” said Buckley McAllister, president of McAllister Towing & Transportation. “Once credentials are in place, somebody can start out as an ordinary seaman or a deckhand aboard one of our boats, and we will train them and provide them with a career path to help them move up to being an engineer, a mate, or even a captain. No matter where you start out, you’re going to be part of something big – helping big ships in and out of the harbors and navigating around the port, delivering heating oil up the Hudson River, or being part of the new offshore wind farm industry. We’re looking for new young leaders who will help lead the way for our industry into the future.”

The average salary for an entry-level position at McAllister Towing is $45,000. An able-bodied seaman can make $64,000, engineers $90,000, a mate $94,0000 with captains earning six figures. McAllister also offers a number of benefits including health care and 401k plans.

“We are grateful to Rep. Malliotakis for her support of infrastructure investments that support safe, sustainable, and efficient marine transportation,” said Jennifer Carpenter, president & CEO of the American Waterways Operators. “We’re delighted that she’s teamed up with our New York members to highlight the many career opportunities that the tugboat, towboat, and barge industry has to offer people throughout the New York City area. Our industry is the largest segment of American maritime and has tremendous impact on New York’s and America’s economy, security, supply chain, and quality of life. Demand for our services is growing, and we are eager to hire the next generation of mariners who want to build lasting family-wage careers with us.”

As of November 2022, New York had received more than $128 million in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which Malliotakis supported, for ports and waterways, including $48 million for a dredging project in Staten Island’s Arthur Kill Terminal to make way for an offshore wind staging and assembly facility – an expanding project area for maritime operators.