Cargo drives fleets. Fleets sustain mariners. And if we’re serious about maritime dominance, commercial cargo has to be part of the strategy. This week I wanted to connect a few threads that illustrate how the day-to-day mechanics of ocean shipping and the long-term future of the U.S. maritime system are unfolding at the same time.
I start with the D.C. Circuit decision in World Shipping Council v. Federal Maritime Commission, which upheld the FMC’s rule defining “unreasonable refusal to deal or negotiate” under the Shipping Act. We walk through the statutory background, the role of OSRA 2022, and how the rule frames the totality-of-the-circumstances test the Commission can use when evaluating vessel space disputes. That includes the controversial documented export policy requirement and the debate over whether quoting an extremely high rate can function as a refusal to negotiate without crossing into rate regulation.
Then I zoom out and offer what I jokingly call a “maritime strategy addendum from The Maritime Professor.” After reviewing the recent maritime policy conversations in Washington, I walk through a few pillars that I think deserve more attention in the national discussion. Commercial cargo needs to remain central to maritime strategy. Shipping policy can’t assume everything moves in containers when bulk and breakbulk cargo still dominate major commodity flows. Market incentives may be necessary if we want cargo to consistently move on U.S.-flag vessels. And if shipbuilding capacity is going to expand, we need to be realistic about the scale of investment required to move beyond incremental programs.
Finally, I reflect on witnessing the transfer of Maine Maritime Academy’s new National Security Multi-Mission Vessel. These ships are designed to replace aging training vessels at the state maritime academies, but they also highlight a bigger reality: none of these maritime strategies work without mariners. Training ships are floating classrooms, and workforce development remains one of the most important long-term investments the industry can make.
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