The Past, Present and Future of Shipping in the United States | National Maritime Day 2026

Happy National Maritime Day 2026! In this special episode of What's Going On With Shipping, we take a deep dive into the significance of this day, exploring the storied history, the challenging present, and the potential future of the United States Merchant Marine.

Since 1933, May 22nd has been designated as National Maritime Day to commemorate the 1819 sailing of the SS Savannah, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic. While we celebrate this legacy, it is also a time to critically examine the current state of American shipping—from our global ranking in tonnage to the critical shortages in shipbuilding and crewing that face the industry today.

In this episode, we cover: The History: Why we celebrate and the legacy of the SS Savannah.; The Numbers: A breakdown of the current U.S. flag fleet (190 vessels) and where we stand globally; Shipbuilding Realities: The massive gap between the U.S. and global leaders like China, South Korea, and Japan; National Security: The roles of the Maritime Security Program (MSP), Tanker Security Program (TSP), and the Ready Reserve Force (RRF) and The Future: How technology, including autonomous shipping and modular nuclear reactors, could lead to a U.S. maritime renaissance.

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00:00 - Introduction to National Maritime Day 2026
00:25 - The History of SS Savannah & Steam Coffin
01:22 - Sal's Essential Maritime History Reading List
07:04 - State of the U.S. Merchant Marine Today
08:40 - Global Shipping Footprint & Registry Analysis
11:42 - Breakdown of the 190 Vessel U.S. Flag Fleet
13:09 - MSP, TSP, and Cable Security Programs
16:03 - The Jones Act: Role and Current Challenges
18:00 - Infrastructure & Shipyard Crisis
19:30 - U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command (MSC)
20:45 - Ready Reserve Force (RRF) History & Evolution
23:19 - Maintenance, Crewing, and Readiness Issues
26:26 - A Call for a Maritime Renaissance
28:12 - Technology, Leadership, and the Future
29:36 - Closing & Weekend Preview

Marine Traffic
www.marinetraffic.com

Maritime Administration
www.marad.dot.gov

Military Sealift Command
msc.usff.navy.mil

The American merchant marine; its history and romance, from 1620 to 1902, by Winthrop L. Marvin
https://archive.org/details/americanmerchant00marv

The United States Merchant Marine at War
https://www.maritime.dot.gov/history/historical-documents-and-resources/united-states-merchant-marine-war

Returning from Ebb Tide: Renewing the United States Commercial Maritime Enterprise
https://www.usmcu.edu/Outreach/Marine-Corps-University-Press/Books-by-topic/MCUP-Titles-A-Z/Returning-from-Ebb-Tide/

Видео The Past, Present and Future of Shipping in the United States | National Maritime Day 2026 канала What's Going on With Shipping?