One of the most notable acts of valor that occurred on September 11, 2001 was the maritime evacuation of Lower Manhattan – the largest water evacuation in American history. 500,000 people were transported to safety in approximately nine hours by hundreds of vessels that answered a call from the U.S. Coast Guard to converge on New York Harbor to aid in the evacuation. This extraordinary rescue was memorialized in the 2011 short documentary film Boatlift.

“America’s domestic maritime fleet plays a crucial role in transporting the nation’s commerce every day and in ensuring our nation’s resilience during times of emergency,” said Tom Allegretti, President & CEO of the American Waterways Operators. “The Boatlift heroes truly lived up to one of the U.S. Merchant Marine’s oldest mottos, ‘acta non verba,’ or ‘deeds not words.’” To read the complete release, please click here.