President Donald Trump's move to establish a pathway from the military to the merchant marine is a step in the right direction, according to the shipping industry.
On Monday, Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Defence to, among other things, identify military training that could qualify as merchant mariner training.
The order also allows the National Maritime Center to waive fees for active-duty military members pursing credentials.
"It's a good thing," said James Caponiti, president of trade group American Maritime Congress. "It just makes sense."
Seafarer shortage
According to the Maritime Administration, the US merchant marine is 1,800 seafarers short of being able to support a prolonged, full-scale conflict, as the military relies on the domestic shipping industry for sealift support.
Further, Maritime Administrator Mark Buzby told senators last year that the figure assumes all merchant mariners would report when called upon and that there would be no vessel losses.
The executive order, then is a "double benefit," Caponiti said, as veterans can now more easily get much-needed jobs in an industry with a connection to national security.
But, Caponiti added, something needs to be done to provide the US-flagged fleet with more cargo, so once those veterans have their credentials, they have work.
"We need more jobs. We need more ships. We need more cargo," he said.
He suggested strengthening the Export-Import Bank that helps finance US exports and reinstating the US-flagged fleet's food-aid cargo preference.
"This is a positive thing for the administration to do," Caponiti said.
"If they would shift their attention to how [to] stimulate more opportunities for US-flagged ships to participate in the international trades. That's where the battlefield is from a commercial standpoint."
