National Maritime Safety Association

What National Maritime Safety Association does

The National Maritime Safety Association (NMSA) is a nonprofit, membership-based trade association founded in 1970 and headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. It serves the U.S. marine cargo handling industry by convening maritime and port-related trade associations around workplace safety, regulatory advocacy, and industry training. NMSA functions as an industry umbrella body — its customers and members are other associations rather than individual companies or workers, distinguishing it from a typical B2B trade association serving corporate members.

The association operates a two-tier membership model. Association Members pay variable dues scaled to industry man-hours worked, while Affiliate Members pay a flat $4,000 annual fee. NMSA co-produces safety training videos with member associations, hosts an annual meeting (Tampa in 2024 with planned relocation to New Orleans in 2026), and maintains an active Alliance Program partnership with OSHA. The organization has historically participated in OSHA's Maritime Advisory Committee (MACOSH); however, that committee's activities have been suspended under the current federal administration, removing one of NMSA's primary federal regulatory engagement channels. NMSA also conducts congressional advocacy on maritime safety policy.

The organization is staffed by 1–10 employees and operates as a nonprofit with no disclosed revenue figures. Its membership base includes approximately 18 named enterprise-level maritime and port organizations spanning port authorities, stevedoring companies, and related trade groups across the United States. There is no evidence of technology product development, AI/ML capability, or external fundraising activity, consistent with a small established trade association.

Name

National Maritime Safety Association

Legal name

National Maritime Safety Association

Website

https://nmsa.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NMSA is a nonprofit trade association founded in 1970 that convenes U.S. maritime and port associations to advance workplace safety, regulatory advocacy, and training in the marine cargo handling industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Safety Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Navigation, Seamanship & Offshore Operations (EDAOANAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD)

Keywords

• Maritime safety advocacy
• Waterfront occupational health
• Marine cargo handling safety
• Trade association membership
• Longshore safety training

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues - Association Members: Association Members pay annual dues determined based on a percentage of man hours worked during the previous contract year. These members are trade or business associations that represent employers who directly load and unload marine cargo in their negotiations and/or administration of collective bargaining agreements.
2. Membership Dues - Affiliate Members: Affiliate Members pay a flat annual fee of $4,000. This category includes foreign associations, insurance carriers, and equipment manufacturers. Affiliate Members are not eligible for official positions nor do they hold voting rights, unless waived by the Board.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NMSA is a membership-based trade association that provides education, advocacy, standards development, and a professional community to waterfront safety and health professionals in the marine cargo handling industry. Its core deliverables include safety training videos, Technical Committee meetings and resources, source referrals, annual industry gatherings, OSHA Alliance program participation, and the ILA~USMX Joint Safety Committee resources. The core commercial transaction is membership enrollment for Association Members (trade/business associations) and Affiliate Members (foreign associations, insurance carriers, equipment manufacturers).

Product overview

The National Maritime Safety Association (NMSA) is a professional industry association representing the marine cargo handling industry in the United States in safety and health matters. Rather than offering a technology product, NMSA provides member services including safety training videos, technical committee resources, industry networking events (annual meetings), advocacy, standards development, and a professional community for waterfront safety professionals. The organization also maintains the ILA~USMX Joint Safety Committee resources, an OSHA Alliance partnership, and publishes safety circulars and blog content to advance occupational safety in the maritime industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Association Membership Annual membership for U.S.-incorporated trade/business associations representing employers who load or unload marine cargo in negotiations or administration of collective bargaining agreements. Dues are based on a percentage of man-hours worked during the previous contract year and include access to training videos, Technical Committee resources, advocacy, and member events.
• Affiliate Membership Annual membership at a flat fee of $4,000 for foreign associations, insurance carriers, and equipment manufacturers; provides access to NMSA resources and networking without voting rights.
• NMSA Safety Training Videos Library of safety training videos covering topics such as Split Rim Wheel Repair, Breakbulk Handling Safety, Container operations, Falls from Containers, Slips trips and falls, improperly slung cargo, and fatality prevention; co-produced with industry partners and available to members and the public.
• NMSA Annual Meeting Annual in-person gathering of NMSA members for industry collaboration, education, and best-practice sharing. Recent meeting held in Tampa, FL in 2024; upcoming NMSA 2026 Annual Meeting scheduled.
• Technical Committee Services Recurring Technical Committee meetings and associated resources that monitor, analyze, and disseminate information affecting occupational safety and health in maritime transportation for member employers and safety professionals.
• ILA~USMX Joint Safety Committee Resources Curated library of OSH Circulars and updates from the ILA~USMX Joint Safety Committee, covering up-to-date subject matter knowledge in English, Spanish, and French for waterfront safety professionals.

Quantifiable outcome

• The maritime industry accounts for more than 90% of global trade and employs over 3 million people in the United States, representing the addressable market for NMSA's safety mission.

Named customers18 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNMSA participates in the OSHA Alliance Program, allowing close collaboration to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses. The association was regularly engaged with the Maritime Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (MACOSH) within the Department of Labor. NMSA provides resources about the OSHA Alliance Program and shares safety circulars with members.
• WGMA (West Gulf Maritime Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of safety training videos for the maritime industry, including the Breakbulk Handling Safety Video and other fatality prevention content.
• BCMEA (British Columbia Maritime Employers Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of safety training videos for the maritime industry, including Breakbulk Handling Safety Video and other fatality prevention content.
• AEU (Associated Employers Unlimited)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of safety training videos for the maritime industry.
• HRSA (Hampton Roads Shipping Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of safety training videos for the maritime industry.
• MAS (Maritime Association of the Island of Montreal)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of safety training videos for the maritime industry.
• PMTA (Pennsylvania Maritime Transportation Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of safety training videos for the maritime industry.
• ILA~USMX Joint Safety CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNMSA hosts updates and OSH Circulars from the ILA~USMX Joint Safety Committee on its website. These circulars provide up-to-date subject matter knowledge in English, Spanish, and French. The committee is a key forum for labor-management safety collaboration in the maritime industry.
• MACOSH (Maritime Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNMSA was regularly engaged with MACOSH within the Department of Labor to support its goals. Note: At current time, all activities of MACOSH have been suspended under the Trump Administration. The committee previously developed educational publications including 'Five Ways to Respond in an Emergency' and 'Stay Safe at Maritime Facilities'.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• National Safety Council: NSC is a longstanding US nonprofit focused on workplace safety across all industries. Like NMSA it provides training resources, advocacy, and a professional community for safety professionals, but operates at a much broader cross-industry scale.
• International Maritime Organization: The IMO is the UN specialized agency that sets global maritime safety, security, and environmental standards. It operates at a much larger international scope than NMSA but shares the same mission of developing maritime safety standards and convening stakeholders.
• American Bureau of Shipping: ABS is a major classification society that sets and verifies standards for ship design and construction. It overlaps with NMSA's maritime safety standards work but as a global commercial entity rather than a US trade association.

Direct peers

• Passenger Vessel Association: PVA represents operators of passenger vessels, including ferries and excursion boats. As another US maritime membership trade association providing regulatory guidance, training, and advocacy, it operates the same model as NMSA in a different maritime sub-vertical.
• National Waterways Conference: NWC advocates for inland waterways infrastructure and users, including ports and shippers. Comparable to NMSA in being a US membership-based association engaged in federal advocacy, Congressional testimony, and policy development for the maritime/waterfront sector.
• American Waterways Operators: AWO is the US trade association for the tugboat, towboat, and barge industry. Like NMSA, it is a US-based membership association representing maritime employers in safety, labor, and regulatory matters, with advocacy, training resources, and Congressional engagement as core functions.
• International Association of Drilling Contractors: IADC is a global trade association for the drilling industry with similar advocacy, training, and safety-standards functions to NMSA but applied to offshore drilling rather than marine cargo handling. Closely comparable association model and GTM.
• Chamber of Shipping of America: CSA represents US-flagged vessel operators and companies across the maritime industry on regulatory and policy matters. Its advocacy-driven, US-centric, membership-funded trade association model closely mirrors NMSA's structure and GTM.
• International Marine Contractors Association: IMCA is a membership trade association serving marine contracting, offshore, and diving companies with safety guidance, technical resources, and training. Its association structure and safety-focused mission mirror NMSA's, though serving a different offshore segment.

Emerging players

• American Industrial Hygiene Association: AIHA is a US professional association for industrial hygiene and occupational health practitioners, providing training, certification, and advocacy. It overlaps with NMSA on occupational safety/health advocacy and member education but covers all industries, not specifically maritime.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NMSA20006
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-maritime-safety-association-nmsa
• Xx.com/NMSA_US

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Maritime Safety Association