MOU To Be Signed By We Work The Waterways, Maritime Throwdown

The opening evening of the Inland Marine Expo May 27 in Nashville, Tenn., features demonstrations by Maritime Throwdown. Later on, We Work the Waterways will have a public signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with MTD.

Maritime Throwdown began in 2017 as an individual effort to demonstrate towboating deck skills in friendly competition before becoming an organized industrial-skills competition and training program. It emphasizes real-world line-handling, throwing, knot-tying and related vessel crew skills, framed as competitive sports to boost safety, efficiency, skill development, retention and workforce recruitment.

Over the years, MTD has evolved from a speed-based competition into a comprehensive training system. Scoring matrices highlight specific skill sets, safety protocols and measurable performance. Capt. Kenny Brown and his team have positioned MTD as “incentivized maritime training,” using patent-pending rigs and curricula that simulate real vessel tasks.

Over the years, MTD has had growing corporate buy-in for training, safety culture and recruitment. Testimonials highlight improved skills, team cohesion, injury prevention and real-world applicability.

MTD addresses the maritime workforce shortage by making training engaging, building pride, improving retention and attracting younger talent. This focus aligns perfectly with WWW’s mission of building connections to maritime careers among young people.