MarAd Designation Lifts Corn Belt Ports
The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) designated the Corn Belt Ports Rural Maritime & Logistics Training & Education Consortium (CBPRMLTEC) as a 2026 Center of Excellence (CoE) for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education. This is a tip of the cap from the Federal government as to the importance of inland waterways, and it will help enable the Corn Belt's Rural Supply Chain Work Force is well-trained to fill job vacancies today and in the future. Robert Sinkler, Executive Director, Corn Belt Ports, and Dr. Honey Zimmerman, Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management, Western Illinois University, discuss with Maritime Reporter TV the designation and the context for Corn Belt Ports, regional workforce development and inland waterway maritime and logistics commerce.
