AMPP Marks World Maritime Day 2026 by Putting Standards and Workforce at the Center of Maritime Excellence

AMPP highlights maritime standards, corrosion control, workforce expertise and shipbuilding durability as critical to turning policy into real-world performance

HOUSTON, TX, UNITED STATES, September 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Maritime policies can set expectations for safer, more sustainable and resilient shipping, but their impact ultimately depends on what happens in shipyards, aboard vessels, at ports and throughout the infrastructure that supports global maritime operations.

As the global maritime community marks World Maritime Day 2026, the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) is highlighting the standards, workforce expertise and materials-protection practices that help turn those expectations into real-world performance.

World Maritime Day 2026 Focuses on Moving Policy Into Practice
The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2026–2027 World Maritime Day theme, “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence,” focuses on translating maritime regulations and policy frameworks into day-to-day operations through implementation, technical cooperation, training, capacity building and knowledge sharing.

For AMPP, that transition is where standards and people come together.

“Policies and regulations establish important goals, but implementation is what determines whether those goals translate into lasting results,” said AMPP CEO Alan Thomas. “AMPP brings together science, standards, technical knowledge, training and certification to help organizations put best practices to work, strengthen the systems that protect critical maritime assets, and advance the materials protection and performance professional who makes that work possible.”

Standards and Skilled Professionals Turn Policy Into Performance
AMPP develops consensus-based standards and provides training, certification and technical resources for professionals responsible for protecting ships, shipyards, ports, offshore assets and other maritime infrastructure from corrosion and materials degradation. The organization’s global technical community includes professionals working across commercial shipping, shipbuilding, defense, coatings, inspection, engineering and asset integrity.

One example of the connection between technical requirements and implementation can be found in U.S. naval shipbuilding and repair. AMPP’s U.S. Shipbuilding and Repair: Workforce Report 2026 notes that the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) has formally specified the AMPP Quality Procedures (QP) Program as the recognized framework for accrediting companies and certifying personnel involved in surface preparation, coatings application and coating inspection. The program supports consistency, quality and safety in shipbuilding and repair while helping mitigate corrosion-related risks throughout the fleet.

Technical standards are a critical part of that process, but their value is realized only when they are understood, specified and applied effectively in the field.

“A standard sitting on a shelf does not protect an asset,” said D. Terry Greenfield, Principal Consultant, Consulex. “The real value comes when the requirements in that document become decisions in a specification, preparation on a surface, work performed in a shipyard and verification that the job was done correctly. Moving a standard into practice takes qualified people who understand both the technical requirements and the conditions they are working in. That is where standards begin to influence real-world performance.”

Shipbuilding Capacity Must Be Matched by Long-Term Durability
That implementation challenge is becoming increasingly important as governments and industry seek to strengthen shipbuilding capacity, modernize shipyards and improve fleet readiness.

The workforce challenge is significant. AMPP’s 2026 shipbuilding and repair report notes that the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Industrial Base program anticipates needing approximately 250,000 new skilled workers over the next decade to meet projected shipbuilding and fleet sustainment demands. The report also emphasizes that increasing the number of workers alone will not address the challenge without effective standards, appropriate training and a qualified workforce.

“Building more ships is critical, but delivery is only the beginning of the lifecycle,” said Jennifer Merck, Vice President of Maritime and Defense at AMPP. “Fleet readiness depends on whether those vessels can perform safely and reliably for decades. That requires considering corrosion control from design and construction forward, supported by proven standards and a workforce with the skills to apply them correctly. Building capacity matters, but building durability is what helps sustain readiness.”

For AMPP, the shipbuilding conversation extends beyond the number of vessels constructed. Long-term maritime performance depends on protecting those investments throughout their service lives through corrosion prevention, inspection, maintenance, asset integrity and workforce capability.

AMPP Shares Corrosion Prevention Expertise with the IMO
AMPP is sharing technical perspectives directly to the international maritime community. The association is preparing three information papers for submission to the International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 85) addressing the role of corrosion management in maritime sustainability.

The papers examine how effective corrosion management can support vessel durability and lifecycle greenhouse gas reduction; how cathodic protection can support corrosion management and extend structural service life; and how workforce training, craftworker competence and coating materials qualification help ensure protective coating systems perform as intended.

Together, the papers reinforce a central message of AMPP’s maritime work: achieving long-term performance requires not only the right technologies and standards, but also qualified people and effective implementation.

AMPP Members Put Maritime Standards Into Practice
AMPP members and technical experts work across shipyards, vessels, ports, offshore facilities and waterfront infrastructure, applying standards and materials-protection practices to real-world conditions.

Their work demonstrates how maritime excellence is achieved in practice: through decisions made during design and construction, surface preparation, coating application, inspection, maintenance and repair.

By featuring the professionals carrying out that work, AMPP will use World Maritime Day to show the connection between technical standards, workforce competency and long-term asset performance.

World Maritime Day Launches a Broader AMPP Maritime Initiative
AMPP is using World Maritime Day as the launch point for a broader maritime communications initiative extending through 2027. The campaign will highlight six interconnected areas: standards in action, workforce development, infrastructure protection, sustainability through asset life extension, maritime readiness and national security, and building the fleet of the future.

Throughout the initiative, AMPP will feature members and technical experts who put standards into practice every day, along with educational content, thought leadership, webinars, social media programming and engagement with maritime organizations around the world.

The campaign will also strengthen the connection between AMPP’s maritime work and its long-term shipbuilding position: increasing shipbuilding capacity is essential, but long-term fleet performance also depends on protecting those investments throughout their service lives.

By focusing on the standards, workforce and technical expertise behind implementation, AMPP aims to demonstrate that maritime excellence is not achieved through policy alone. It is built through everyday decisions that protect assets, strengthen infrastructure and improve performance across the maritime lifecycle.

World Maritime Day is led annually by the International Maritime Organization. The 2026 observance takes place Sept. 24.

To learn more about AMPP’s maritime standards, certifications, training and resources, visit https://www.ampp.org/industries-ampp-serves/protecting-maritime-infrastructure.

Jennifer Kramer
AMPP: Association for Materials Protection and Performance
+1 330-714-8302
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
TikTok
X
Other