Posted on March 23, 2026
A DredgeWire Exclusive
At the ceremonial christening of the TSHD Frederick Paupon the banks of the Mississippi River in New Orleans on March 21, 2026, William Doyle, CEO of the Dredging Contractors of America, delivered the invocation and emphasized the enduring stability and predictability of the Jones Act as a foundation for U.S. maritime investment.
Here are his remarks:
Invocation:
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Let us pray.
Almighty God, Lord of the seas and all who sail upon them,
we gather today with gratitude and purpose to bless this great vessel, the Frederick Paup— a symbol of American strength, skill, ingenuity, and resolve.
We give thanks for the hands that built her in Brownsville, Texas—the shipbuilders, the Manson engineers, and mariners, who bring forward the Manson Construction Company engineering know-how—whose work reflects the very best of our Nation’s maritime tradition.
Bless this ship and all who will serve aboard her.
Grant them steady judgment, courage in heavy weather,
and safe passage in every channel they open and maintain.
May this vessel stand as a testament to the enduring promise of the United States of America and the Jones Act from which it is born—
That America builds, crews, and sails its own ships, strengthening our economy, safeguarding our security, and sustaining the proud communities that make up our American maritime industry.
As this great vessel the FREDERICK PAUP goes forth, may it keep our navy and coastal military installations unimpeded, deepen our ports, strengthen our shores, replenish our beaches, advance coastal restoration, and help keep our Nation prosperous and secure.
Watch over her keel, her crew, and all her missions.
And may fair winds and following seas be her constant companion.
We ask this in Your holy name.
Amen.
Remarks Below
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William Doyle, CEO of Dredging Contractors of America
Thank you—and again, congratulations to everyone who made this day possible. My name is William Doyle, Chief Executive Officer of the Dredging Contractors of America. I am a former U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner.
What we are looking at here is not just the largest hopper dredge ever built in the United States—
It is proof that America can design, finance, and build complex maritime assets at scale.
And that matters—not just to this industry—but to the military, capital markets, to energy markets, containerized, RoRo and bulk markets and to the broader U.S. economy.
Fred Paup – stern quarter
Because at the end of the day, ships like the Frederick Paup are not just steel and horsepower—they are long-duration investments.
They are 30- to 50-year assets that depend on one thing above all else: PREDICTABILITY.
As we stand here today next to the Mississippi River in New Orleans, Louisiana this brings me to something I know is on many minds.
You watch the news. You know about the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. And you’ve seen headlines about a temporary waiver of the Jones Act.
Let me be very clear—and I say this as someone who has worked at the federal level and across this industry for decades as an executive, regulator, and a proud former sailing officer in the United States Merchant Marine.
Fred Paup (midships – stern)
A temporary waiver is exactly that—temporary.
The Jones Act itself is not a regulation. It is a law.
It is a statute—passed by Congress, reaffirmed by Congress, and supported by Congress on a bipartisan basis for over a century.
And there is overwhelming, durable support in Congress to maintain it.
So, for those of you who allocate capital—who finance vessels, shipyards, ports, and infrastructure—the signal is not uncertainty.
The signal is stability.
The Jones Act provides a reliable domestic market—
one of the few in the world where its organic commercial fleets operate under a clear and consistent framework.
That is not a constraint on investment—that is the foundation for investment.
It is why companies are willing to invest in assets like this.
It is why shipyards continue to expand.
It is why lenders and investors can underwrite with confidence.
And in moments of disruption—whether geopolitical, energy-related, or environmental—that stability becomes even more valuable.
Because while global shipping markets can swing wildly—
rates spike, fleets consolidate, and risk premiums rise—
there remains one segment of maritime transportation that is steady, predictable, and American.
And that is the Jones Act trade, of which the U.S. dredging industry is a major part.
We are often unseen.
We are often imitated around the world, but never duplicated.
We take care of our own. We are Americans.
This ship—this hopper dredge, the Frederick Paup—is a perfect example of what that stability enables.
It will serve the military.
It will deepen, widen and maintain our channels and ports.
It will strengthen our coasts.
It will support energy, trade, and national security.
And it will do so with American companies, American workers, and American expertise.
In a volatile global market, the Jones Act remains one of the few constants investors can rely on—and today’s vessel is proof of that.
Markets may move, rates may spike—but American maritime under the Jones Act stays steady, and that’s exactly what this ship represents.
It is a moment to recognize that the fundamentals here are strong,
the policy framework is sound, and the long-term outlook for U.S. maritime dredging industry and infrastructure remains exceptionally durable.
And to everyone here—
The Frederick Paup carries a great name from a great family, and now it carries a great responsibility.
May she serve this country well for decades to come.
Thank you—and congratulations again.
