CLEVELAND, February 13, 2025 – The Port of Cleveland has approved a $110,000 grant to Argonaut, a nonprofit organization that provides maritime and aviation career training to students at Davis Aerospace and Maritime High School in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. This hands-on program not only prepares students for future careers in the maritime industry but also enhances critical safety operations on the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie.

With this funding, Argonaut will continue to increase the of students in its Marine Safety Program, expanding opportunities for Cleveland high school students to gain real-world experience in maritime careers and strengthen their connection to the city’s growing waterfront economy.

The Port’s grant will allow Argonaut to:

· Expand student participation in the Marine Safety Programs

· Strengthen maritime and waterfront education and training programs

· Enhance youth workforce training opportunities in a high-demand industry

· Support ongoing safety operations for Cleveland’s recreational and commercial maritime communities

“We are committed to ensuring that economic development benefits every corner of our community,” said Carl Naso, Port CFO. “Argonaut has been a vital partner in providing hands-on workforce training while also playing a critical role in keeping our waterways safe. This grant allows them to expand their impact, providing more Cleveland students with career opportunities while bolstering safety on the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie.”

Argonaut’s program gives students real-world experience while contributing to public safety efforts on Cleveland’s waterways. In 2023, Argonaut’s crew:

· Assisted 91 ships navigating Cleveland’s harbor

· Partnered with the U.S. Coast Guard and emergency services on 123 missions

· Led 10 active in-water rescues and assisted with 32 additional rescue operations

Additional Argonaut programs help keep Cleveland’s waterways clean. Students use specially designed tandem vessels, Flotsam and Jetsam, to remove floating debris from the Cuyahoga River and Inner Harbor. Four active Davis students and two Davis graduates manage clean-up

efforts four days a week after school and throughout the summer. They also gain hands-on experience with mechanical, fueling, safety inspections, and vessel operations.

The Port of Cleveland contracts with Argonaut to captain the vessels and work with students.

By combining education, workforce development, and public safety, Argonaut is creating a pipeline of future leaders in Cleveland’s growing waterfront economy.

“The Port’s continued investment in the future of Cleveland’s maritime workforce is invaluable,” said Drew Ferguson, Founder and CEO of Argonaut. “This funding allows us to provide students with immersive, real-world learning experiences while making Cleveland’s waterways cleaner, safer, and more accessible for everyone.”

A number of Argonaut graduates at the Port board meeting told stories about how life-changing the program has been for their career trajectories.

The Port’s Community Investment Fund —made possible by the success of the Port’s development finance program—is funded by 10% of revenues from development finance projects. This ensures that the Port’s economic development efforts create tangible benefits for historically disadvantaged communities by supporting workforce training, economic opportunity, and community improvement initiatives.

Since its launch, the Community Investment Fund has supported a range of impactful projects across Cuyahoga County. With this latest grant, the Port’s total investment in Argonaut now totals $380,000 since 2019, underscoring its long-term commitment to strengthening Cleveland’s workforce, creating educational opportunities for students, and improving quality of life for the region.