For those working to restore America’s maritime industry, these are good days indeed. Once President Trump made the issue a rallying cry in his address to Congress on March 4, the wheels were set in motion. Several executive orders, article 301 complaints, tariffs, and a comprehensive maritime bill have followed, all with the same purpose: rebuilding America’s maritime might.
Yet this revival is now at a critical moment as it transitions to execution.
The fact that there is bicameral, bipartisan support for such a national endeavor, forcefully backed by a popularly elected president, is historic. The nation has not seen this level of maritime interest since the days of Theodore Roosevelt. Americans are clearly aware of the dangers before us and the strategic importance of having a strong navy and commercial fleet.
The White House, Congress, the Navy, the Maritime Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Federal Maritime Administration, and the U.S. Trade Representative are all leading numerous efforts to attain this goal. However, ensuring that such a dispersed group collaborates effectively with industry leaders and allied nations is a tall order.
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This will require coordination at the national level, which is why some are calling for a maritime czar or a national maritime security coordinator. The fact is, without such leadership, today’s program of maritime rejuvenation will devolve into a form of children’s soccer match—with agencies and officials chasing and fighting over the same ball but never kicking it into the goal.
Over seven months have passed since Election Day, and the momentum behind the effort is at risk of stalling without the leaders in place to turn the President’s orders into action.
At the top of the list is securing a new maritime administrator. The current nominee, Steve Carmel, has been waiting since May 6 for a Senate confirmation hearing. If the past is prologue, this critical leadership role could remain unfilled for many more months, putting the national maritime effort at risk.
Another key player in this effort is the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition. During Joe Biden’s presidency, this key shipbuilding role remained vacant for almost three years, just as the Navy’s shipbuilding problems exploded.
Despite these key offices remaining unfilled, the White House hasn’t wasted any time. By early March, President Trump announced the creation of the Shipbuilding Office. It is this office that will formulate and coordinate the overall effort, drafting and issuing a raft of orders kickstarting the national maritime rejuvenation.
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Following the May 23 National Security Council reorganization and staff reductions, the emphasis is necessarily shifting from policy formulation to coordinating execution. This will further emphasize the importance of having key players in place to execute the President’s orders.
That said, the national maritime rejuvenation now begun is coalescing around five themes:
- Protecting the American maritime industry from predatory practices, notably from China.
- Allying with like-minded maritime partners to create a marketplace where America’s maritime revival can take root.
- Nurturing innovation to create a new, globally competitive American maritime paradigm shift in logistics, ushering in a revolution in shipping.
- Building the ships and shipyards of the future that can put to sea a modern commercial fleet and navy.
- Training and growing the maritime workforce and merchant mariners required by a modern first-class strategic commercial fleet.
To deter war and protect from economic coercion, the nation needs a strong maritime industry and navy. Delivering on that complex task requires a network of leaders in government, the military, and industry. The vision is clear, and the tools to execute that vision are available. It is now the time to move the ball down the field—as a team.
This piece originally appeared in The National Interest
