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for what it is and that’s allegedly something that costs more and the seaborne departures, so that maritime highways exit- to people, to consumers. And without any appreciation for all ing from those gateway ports, and the rail connections, and the of the rest of it, and we’ve never had much success in telling highway connections – it all needs to ft together. And we’re the rest of that story – how it all connects, We need to fgure clearly going to be advocating that that needs to happen. But out a better way to tell that story, to make people understand in terms of specifc details – those haven’t been developed yet. that it’s not just ‘special interest funding,’ which is what a lot We’re making our voices heard.” of free trade folks and economists would like to portray it as.”

The Jones Act, says Buzby, is a program that ensures secu- Selling the Message: Representing the Entire Waterfront rity across the shipbuilding sector, across the manning pool Buzby likes to say that the U.S. merchant marine fag says, sector, and across the availability of ships sector. “It covers ‘In Peace and War.’ “It must exist in both – in the peacetime three very, very important key areas of our national security. side in order for it to be there in the wartime side. We’re not

We need it. Absent it, we would have even a more serious just going to magically fip a switch and have a bunch of ships problem, manning-wise, and we’d have a bunch of defaults on and mariners show up and start doing this mission. They’ve

Title XI loans because just about all those ships are out there, got to be there – they’ve got to be constituted – now,” he says you know, funded by Title XI.” emphatically, adding, “We’ve slipped to such a level that we

In the end, Buzby also points to the internal security issues that are truly right on the ragged edge. We, right now, we’re say- the introduction of thousands of foreign seafarers onto coastal ing we’re 1,800 mariners short, based on a study, a manning and inland waterways would pose. All of that, he says, comes study that Congress directed us to put out. We have enough to into play and is failed to be understood by the general public. man up MSP feet, the Jones Act feet and the RRF guys. We “Telling that story, or fnding a better way to tell that story, I have enough to man all those up and get them out the door. think is our challenge,” he adds. And, with as many as four bills But, four months down the road when we start having attrition foating around on the Hill with various degrees of restriction losses, when we start having to turn people over that are go- of the Jones Act, he says that this is no time to get complacent. ing to come ashore, and then we run into a problem which we think is to the tune of about 1,800 people.”

Connecting the dots: As this edition of MLPro goes to fnal layout, the news

Inland Infrastructure, Marine Highways & Blue water Ports President Trump had signed into law the National Defense

Buzby is adamant that the Marad he runs will speak for the Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (H.R. 2810) brought entire waterfront, and not just deep draft ports and larger ton- a little bit of sunshine for Buxby, and Marad. For example, nage. “People, when they think of Marad, essentially, think of the bill authorizes $50 million in funding to support that all blue water and think of ocean shipping. And I think it’s part of important National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) my responsibility, is to continue to put a spotlight and focus Program; another $33 million for the Title XI loan guarantee on the inland piece and its criticality, as well. So that’s been a program; and $35 million for grants to small shipyards and part of my job of advocating for the industry, advocating for maritime communities. Beyond this, it includes measures to this part of the industry, also.” prevent sexual violence and harassment with regard to mid-

For example, he says, the lack of understanding of the criti- shipmen enrolled at the US Merchant Marine Academy.

cality of the national lock system and the condition of most Getting stakeholders to listen to his message is the next of that lock system throughout the inland waterways is a big challenge. “I think the only way that we realistically do problem. Circling back to his message of connectivity, he that, to have a coherent maritime policy that we can all rally explains, “It’s awareness that’s been lacking thus far in the around. And [former Maritime Administrator] Chip Jaenichen importance of that part of our shipping system. Blue water is did a good job amalgamating that, pulling it together, and as critical, obviously, but the day-to-day inner workings of our he tried to push it up through the bureaucracy. But, it was kind maritime highways, with the lock system, is critical to that.” of toward the end of the administration, and there wasn’t a

As the Trump Administration makes many promises in terms bunch of interest, so I got it back,” explained Buzby. of infrastructure improvements, Buzby and Marad hope that He continued, “We have to have something we can all at some of that some of that love comes to the waterfront. That least sign up to. We’re going to dust that off, make sure that it said; he and the team hadn’t yet seen any of the detailed plans still makes sense, that it is in line with the current administra- across any of the modes. To that end, he told MLPro, “We tion’s views and outlook, and that the assumptions are correct certainly made our case upstairs, and will continue to lobby still, and then start getting people signing on board with it. We that that ports, the infrastructure of our ports, the main gate- have to be able to talk to the same message, sign up for the way of our trade in this country is through our gateway ports. same thing. So that’s coming. That will be coming soon – the

It only makes sense that we pay attention to that infrastructure early part of ’18. That’s my goal to try and get that moving.” and not just the seaward entry, but the landward departures, After an hour of listening to him talk, I like his chances.

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