Page 13: of Marine News Magazine (May 2026)

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Washington Watch

Subsea Mining ing them does not require building a new industry from port-Import Bank ? nancing to build a U.S. Strategic Criti- scratch. It requires applying existing offshore expertise to a cal Minerals Reserve covering all 60 minerals on the U.S. new resource opportunity. Geological Survey’s Critical Minerals List.

America’s offshore sector already responsibly brings the Unlike traditional government stockpiles, Project Vault tools ocean mineral exploration and commercial recovery is demand-led: manufacturers identify which materials they requires: advanced geophysical surveying, subsea robot- need, at what volumes, and make long-term ? nancial com- ics, remotely operated systems, real-time monitoring, mitments to ensure availability during supply disruptions. and a deeply ingrained culture of safety and environmen- On the regulatory side, the National Oceanic and At- tal performance. That technical overlap gives the United mospheric Administration (NOAA) recently ? nalized

States a clear advantage in a sector where operational ex- revisions to its regulations under the Deep Seabed Hard perience will matter as much as policy ambition. Mineral Resources Act, creating a consolidated application process for exploration licenses and commercial recovery

Federal Policy to Help US Move into Action permits. The updated framework streamlines a regulatory

Federal policy is beginning to match that potential. The structure to re? ect scienti? c and technological progress,

Trump administration recently announced Project Vault, while maintaining environmental review and oversight. a public-private partnership backed by $10 billion in Ex- NOAA also announced a major offshore mapping ini- www.marinelink.com MN 13|