Sunday, June 07, 2026

Inside Washington’s Maritime Hearing: Who Gets America’s Cargo?

Jun 5, 2026 What's Going on With Shipping - Maritime Industry Today
In this episode of What's Going on With Shipping, Sal Mercogliano breaks down a recent Congressional hearing on the future of the U.S. maritime industry. 
The discussion centers on the FY 2027 budget requests from the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), as well as the implementation of the "Maritime Action Plan." 
  • The video examines the opening statements from MARAD Administrator Captain Steve Carmel and FMC Chairperson Laura DiBella, highlighting critical gaps in the current strategy—specifically the controversial and "batshit crazy" process for approving Jones Act waivers. 
Contact What's Going on With Shipping via: 
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  • Twitter: @mercoglianos 
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  • Facebook: @wgowshipping Email: mercoglianosal@gmail.com

00:00 – Introduction: The Congressional Hearing on U.S. Maritime
01:12 – MARAD vs. FMC: Roles and Responsibilities 
03:00 – Captain Steve Carmel’s Opening Statement & The Maritime Action Plan 
04:30 – The Tanker Security Program & Logistics at Sea 
08:12 – The "Cargo Mantra": Why Ships Without Cargo are Useless 
10:53 – The Ready Reserve Force (RRF) and the Mariner Shortage 
16:42 – Subsea Cables and Strategic Vulnerabilities 
17:49 – The Future: Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) on Ships 
21:43 – FMC Chairperson Laura DiBello's Statement & Enforcement 
26:18 – Dark Fleets, Chokepoints, and Container Surges 
30:32 – The "Batshit Crazy" Jones Act Waiver Process 
39:41 – Sal’s Take: How to Actually Fix the System 

41:24 – Wrap-up and a Note on Shirt Sizes! 

Inside the Hearing: Maritime Administration, Federal Maritime Commission  and the Fight for Cargo

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