After Decades Of Failure I Am Confident Short Sea Shipping Will Return To The USA. Here's Why.

Short Sea Shipping In Germany — DUISBURG, GERMANY – 11 August 2012 Riverboat with containers on the river Rhine. Photo By Patrycja Ebis, Shutterstock

Today’s episode of The REAL gCaptain Podcast was recorded in the wake of the Blue Highway Conference hosted by SUNY Maritime College.

We report on major work being done by MARAD and maritime industry stakeholders to defibrillate the once vibrant but now ailing near coastal and inland waterway transportation system.

In this podcast we ask the questions:

Could a major shift in thinking finally make the dream of a vibrant marine highway network in the United States a reality?
Why have previous short sea shipping ideas failed in this country?
What is the biggest obstacle that remains?
Where will the first new marine highways be built?
Who will shoulder the risk necessary to take the next step?
Will the new Marine Highway System be homegrown or will American cities invest in a prepackaged solution purchased overseas?