was there anything good to come out of it…I mean anything? here are the stories I see as being notable for the year but none to me are worth the candle to celebrate
the collisions of the USS FITZGERALD and USS JOHN C. McCAIN with the deaths of 17 servicemen…yes some heads did roll but did anything actually improve in the Navee leadership or culture?
hurricane Maria trashes Puerto Rico and the Jones Act is blamed
we began the fourth year of low crude oil prices with no end in sight…as expected, more rigs and vessels were laid up or scrapped and of course, more jobs were lost
the NTSB and USCG finally released their findings into the cause of the loss of the EL FARO with no one actually being held to account for that loss and very little change in regulations or enforcement likely to come from the tragedy
NO new legislation passed by Congress to increase the number of US flagged merchant ships and total number of ships now down even further
the LCS program had still not been cancelled by the same Congress
seriously…can anyone here think of one good MARITIME event to happen this year?
my six original points were all maritime in nature, I posted this thread in “maritime news” and the last time I checked, this is (or was) a maritime forum
so fine…I am trying to eliminate the political here but since you asked for it…WHERE IS THE FUCKING BEEF? What has “your” president Drupft proposed to resurrect this dying industry? NOTHING!
further, Russia just the other day announced the construction of 60 new ships for their Arctic trade routes which they want to make fully and completely Russian in all respects. What has our dear leader done in this past year which might maybe even just a little help the US maritime industry? ANYTHING AT ALL?
I guess I’ll have to use quotes to bypass the edits.
Yes, I’m disappointed that el cheeto doesn’t have the skills of his predecessor to create snow shovel ready jobs. I haven’t followed the industry as I should as a pensioner, I’ve been busy during deer, duck and quail season foraging for a living. Now the surf fishing is on, but I did notice my investment portfolio is up 37% this last quarter.
I was at the hall a couple of months ago for some insurance business. I mentioned to the port agent that the job board was very active this early in the season. He said that jobs were up since Trump was elected. I rushed to the window, looked out and he asked “what are you looking at”? I said," I’m looking for airborne swine!"
Is that your only solution, for CONgress to save the day for the US flagged fleet?
When I hear the proclamation, “we need congress to make new laws so we have more US flagged vessels,” I realize two things: 1) person speaking is intellectually lazy and 2)If this is the “solution”, then the US flag deep-sea industry dead.
as I have stated before, shipping is a profit driven business so as long as government is not involved then business will go to the highest profit option which means running away from the US flag. unless the Government mandates (or at least incentivizes) that US flagged vessels be employed then we will see the status quo of a rapidly vanishing fleet.
The Administration can propose programs/legislation/incentives but it is up to CONgress to pass the legislation and fund as needed.
also, short of new legislation, the enforcement of existing laws protecting US flagged ships MUST be ensured (hence not weakening the Jones Act). is this Administration on board with that? I really am not sure but CONgress MUST make damned sure it is!
further, CONgress can close the USMMA and transfer that funding to the MSP which would allow at least 30 more US flagged vessels to be added right there alone…HOW EASY IS THAT! (except for the myriad special interests who refuse to allow a moribund and wasteful KP be finally euthanized?)