Comment from Virginia Maritime Association
Virginia Maritime AssociationSupportTrade association
Summary: The Virginia Maritime Association (VMA) supports the potential use of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for commercial space activities, provided they do not impair maritime navigation safety. They request that BOEM treat established shipping fairways as exclusionary factors and require navigation safety assessments that account for the larger dynamic safety zones of launch and re-entry operations.
The Virginia Maritime Association (VMA) is the 106-year-old trade association representing over 400 businesses directly and indirectly engaged in the flow of waterborne commerce through Virginia's ports, to include marine terminals, ocean carriers, the Virginia Pilot Association, the Virginia Port Authority, towing and dredge operators, and offshore developers. As the “Voice of Port Industries,” representing these interested parties we write to offer our feedback on the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's (BOEM) Request for Information (RFI) regarding the potential use of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for offshore space launch and re-entry activities (BOEM-2026-0232). See attached letter.