Maritime Workforce Development Act - Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish a maritime career training loan program.
Requires the Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Maritime Administration, to make maritime career training loans available to eligible students at federal, state, and commercial maritime training institutions, including state maritime academies, and nonprofit training organizations. Makes undergraduate students at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy ineligible for such loans.
Allows loans to a student of up to $15,000 in a calendar year or $60,000 in the aggregate.
Establishes certain student eligibility and loan requirements.
Requires the Secretary to establish a revolving loan fund consisting of receipts from the repayment of loans to cover the administrative costs of the program.
Authorizes appropriations for this loan program for FY2010-FY2015.
Directs the Secretary, acting through the Administrator, to publish in the Federal Register, a plan that describes the demonstration, research, and multistate project priorities of the Department of Transportation (DOT) regarding merchant mariner recruitment, training, and retention for the three-year period following the publication of the plan. Requires the Secretary to submit copies of the plan to Congress.
Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive grants to maritime training institutions to carry out demonstration projects and other eligible projects that implement DOT priorities in a way to address merchant mariner recruitment, training, and retention issues.
Establishes certain grant and project eligibility requirements.
Authorizes appropriations for this grant program for FY2010-FY2015.