Page 21: of Marine News Magazine (June 2024)

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Column

Shipyard Politics on the campaign trail, world events ticipated consequences for America’s representation at the ballot box. could force politicians to weigh in. maritime industries. Other interesting international

By the time the ballots are counted in Another aspect that may drive in- efforts—like a simmering effort to

November 2024, government ship- terest in American shipbuilding is explore a wide-ranging collaborative building may well have made it into foreign investment. Right now, two effort to build small icebreakers and

America’s living rooms. major South Korean companies, ice-ready ships—may drive America’s

The dynamics are fascinating. The Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai interest from a more positive direc-

U.S. Navy is, essentially, waging an Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., are try- tion, highlighting America’s commit- undeclared maritime war against Ira- ing to enter the U.S. government ment in working with allies in rolling nian-backed Houthis. In the Medi- shipbuilding market. In Washington, back Polar land-grabs by Russia and terranean, U.S. Army troop-sailors Navy leaders are extolling the virtues Chinese forces. are struggling to deploy an aid pier of overseas shipbuilders, and openly Congress is getting into the action in Gaza. The People’s Republic of discussing opportunities to out- as well. In early May, Republican Flor-

China is ramping up maritime pres- source work. These proposals are al- ida congressional representative Mike sure across the Asia maritime, but, ready sparking resentment at the wa- Waltz (FL-6) released a bipartisan, bi- again, these threats are, to the average terfront, stirring America’s pride, and cameral National Maritime Strategy citizen—and to the click-bait, traf? c- they may end up being useful tools Report. The report, supported by Ari- driven general media—remote, out- for politicians eager to supercharge zona’s democratic Senator Mark Kelly, of-sight, and out-of-mind.

But this could change in an instant.

The consequence of a surprise hit on a

U.S. military vessel by Houthi drone or a terror attack on U.S. vessels off Gaza is hard to estimate, but, as the explo- sion of the USS Maine showed back in 1898, an unexpected event can quickly and fundamentally shift American at- tention towards the maritime.

The same dynamics are in place with China. A sudden event or un- expected change in status quo off

Taiwan, the South China Sea, or elsewhere, is likely to accelerate the

American public’s growing disillu- sionment with the direction chosen by the tiny cadre of China’s top lead- ers, and, potentially, drive political interest in streamlining NAVSEA and resourcing a far larger U.S. ? eet.

And, with the Presidential cam- paign underway, any maritime ac- cident, crisis or challenge can easily feed back into the political race, of- fering dramatic and otherwise unan- www.marinelink.com MN 21|