CMS Launches Publication on Renewing the U.S. Commercial Maritime Industry

Dr. Steven Wills, left, John D. McCown, Brent Sadler and William McDonald at the Center for Maritime Strategy book launch event. *Photo credit: James Peterson*

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Center for Maritime Strategy (CMS) held the Washington-area launch of its first major publication, “Returning from Ebb Tide: Renewing the United States Commercial Maritime Industry,” on March 26 at the Arlington headquarters of the Navy League of the United States.

The book is a thorough analysis of the problems facing merchant mariners and contains recommendations to strengthen American commercial shipping.

Speakers at the event included three of the book’s 10 contributing authors: Brent Sadler, senior research fellow, Naval Warfare and Advanced Technology, at the Heritage Foundation’s Allison Center for National Security, and the new nominee to head the U.S. Maritime Administration; John D. McCown, non-resident senior fellow at CMS; and William McDonald, former director of the Office of Sealift Support at MARAD.

Admiral James Foggo, U.S. Navy (retired), said the book was an early focus of CMS and is needed because of how China is dominating commercial shipping, with 50% of the commercial fleet to America’s 1%.

The decline of the U.S. commercial fleet has several causes, he said, including the Peace Dividend after World War II, the end of industry subsidies under President Reagan and globalization that led to outsourcing.

The book will also have a launch event at Sea-Air-Space 2025. *Photo credit: James Peterson*

“Now, the fleet is a shadow of its former self,” he said. “…We can ill afford to idly sit by and observe the status quo.”

Sea-Air-Space Launch

CMS will also hold a book launch and discussion at Sea-Air-Space 2025, on Tuesday, April 8 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Editor Dr. Steve Wills will lead a discussion with the authors on how our nation’s commercial maritime capability declined over the past several decades and how to resurrect the United States’ critically important maritime sector.

Confirmed speakers for the Sea-Air-Space event include Sadler and MCown as well as Vice Admiral Dee Mewbourne, U.S. Navy (ret.), CEO at Quadrant Nuclear Industries, and Dr. Brad Martin, senior policy researcher at RAND Corporation.