Sal Mercogliano Testifies to Congress on Revitalizing US Maritime Industry

Testimony on US Maritime Revitalization

• 👨‍🏫 Sal Mercogliano, a professor at Campbell University and creator of 'What's Going On with Shipping?', testified before the Senate Commerce Committee.
• ⚓ He highlighted the long decline of the US maritime industry and presented the Ships Act as a critical reform effort.
• 💡 Mercogliano emphasized that the Ships Act, along with other measures, aims to transform the US from a naval power into a true maritime power with a revitalized commercial sector.

Historical Maritime Efforts

• 🚢 The US has undertaken major shipbuilding efforts twice in the 20th century: after World War I, leading to the Jones Act, and with the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which funded ship construction and supported the war effort.
• 🚀 The current Ships Act, aiming to build 250 ships in 10 years, is seen as an essential, albeit ambitious, step to rebuild US maritime capacity.

Rebuilding Maritime Capacity

• 🛠️ Achieving these goals requires rebuilding supporting infrastructure, including facilitating the reflagging of vessels to American Registry.
• ⚖️ Mercogliano suggested modernizing the Jones Act rather than repealing it, expanding maritime security and tanker security programs, and securing consistent cargo flows through cargo preference laws or incentives.
• 🛡️ He also proposed making US registry benefits more pronounced, with protection from the US Navy and war risk insurance for operating in contested regions.

Modernizing the Domestic Fleet and Technology

• 🚢 A near-term opportunity lies in modernizing the domestic fleet of tugboats, towboats, and ferries, much of which is outdated and aging, posing economic and security risks.
• 💡 Investment in advanced maritime technologies, such as small modular nuclear reactors for propulsion, could place the US at the forefront of innovation again.

National Security and Competitiveness

• 🚢 Reviving the US maritime industry is crucial for national security and global competitiveness.
• 🏛️ Mercogliano urged the passage of the Ships Act to establish a maritime security advisor and a maritime trust fund, and to support research, workforce training, and policy enhancement through proposed Centers for Maritime Innovation.