About the AIWA
The UNIFIED Voice of the Waterway
The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association (AIWA) is a national non-profit organization founded in 1999 with the mission of securing funding and support for the maintenance of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW).
We proudly represent all the stakeholders of the waterway and are the only organization dedicated to ensuring the future of the AIWW.
AIWA MEMBERS ARE: Shippers, Tug and Barge Companies, Shipyards, Corporations, Associations, State and Local Governments, Marinas, and Individual Boaters.
The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway extends more than 1,100 miles from Norfolk, VA to Key West, FL. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are man-made canals.
Congress authorized the creation of the AIWW in 1919 and the entire waterway was completed in 1940. The US Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for maintaining the waterway.
Our Association continues to lead:
Our collective approach of working with Congress and the U.S. Corps Army of Engineers has led to the reduction of the maintenance dredging backlog by over $65 million since 2016.
The Corps’ AIWW workplan funding from the FY23 Appropriations Bill totaled over $52 million for waterway projects.
The President’s FY24 detailed budget inlcudes over $23 million for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
We are awaiting action by Congress, but at this point, we are in position to match or exceed the President’s budget amount and possibly reach over $40 million.
We also received over $22 million in funding for the AIWW and over $27 million in funding for the AIWW and NJIWW from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2023.
The Association is working to:
Increase the amount of federal funding allocated for waterway maintenance.
Continue our outreach efforts to organizations and communities on the critical importance for continued commercial and recreational activity along Marine Highway 95.
Advocate for increased partnership funding by the waterway states.
Advocate for more robust data collection on the use and economic activity of the waterway.