Yorktown Institute Calls For New Merchant Marine War College and Maritime Policy Overhaul

Updated: October 13, 2024 (Originally published May 29, 2024)

by Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) The Yorktown Institute has joined a cacophony of voices sounding an alarm on the critical state of the US Merchant Marine, releasing a comprehensive paper that demands immediate action from the Executive Branch and Congress to fortify the nation’s sealift and maritime industry capabilities.

This was published in conjunction with an event attended by former US Maritime Administrator Mark Buzby and former Chief of Naval Operations Gary Roughead. This follows recent Maritime Day addresses by Senator Mark Kelly and Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, who made similar calls.

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Seth Cropsey, President of the Yorktown Institute, highlights the indispensable role of the Merchant Marine in wartime logistics. “Most of America’s warfighting material moves by sea,” Cropsey asserts, emphasizing the necessity of a robust fleet of commercial and government vessels, along with trained mariners, to ensure the success of military operations. Without this, he warns, winning a major conflict would be impossible.

The Yorktown study, “A Strategic Concept for the United States Merchant Marine,” is available for review here.

The paper critiques the neglect by both the White House and Congress, stating, “It is not the responsibility of the Navy to transport fuel, armaments, troops, and supplies; instead, this falls on the shoulders of merchant mariners.”

With his extensive background as a naval officer and former deputy undersecretary of defense, Cropsey brings a wealth of experience to his analysis. He emphasizes the critical role of the US Merchant Mariners and highlights the role of Strategic Sealift Officers (SSOs) US Navy Reserve officers – graduates of the US Merchant Marine Academy or state maritime academies – who are vital links between the military and the merchant marine.

Also Read: Op-Ed: Senator Kelly Throws U.S. Maritime Industry a Lifeline — Let’s Seize It by John Konrad

The paper starkly contrasts the US’s dwindling fleet with China’s rapidly expanding merchant fleet. In a wartime scenario, China could deploy over 5,500 vessels for transporting troops, weapons, and supplies, while the US would struggle with a mere 80 vessels for similar tasks.

Beyond the quantitative gaps in ships and mariners, the study also identifies a broader deficit in strategic thinking and research on maritime logistics within US military educational institutions. While institutions like the Naval War College and CNA study naval seapower, there is a notable absence of academic focus on maritime logistics, sealift, and the merchant marine.

To remedy this, Cropsey proposes the establishment of a dedicated war college or think-tank, potentially named the United States Maritime Institute, affiliated with the US Merchant Marine Academy. This institute would focus on both civilian and military logistics and sustainment, conducting thorough research on maritime logistics, engaging in intensive wargaming of logistical challenges, and liaising with similar organizations at other service academies. This think-tank would integrate with the broader US defense intellectual system, thereby enhancing strategic and operational planning for maritime logistics.

“The USMMA is not simply producing combat officers but civilian and military logisticians and sustainment specialists as well,” says the report. “The US Navy’s professional educational institutions, including the Naval War College and Naval Postgraduate School, provide the Navy with an intellectual backbone to explore dozens of strategic and operational questions. The Air Force Academy’s Institute for Future Conflict and Institute for National Security Studies do the same for airmen. Moreover, throughout their careers, the US military explicitly affords its soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and space force members educational opportunities to improve their intellectual understanding of the craft of combat.”

The Yorktown Institute’s message is unequivocal: without substantial investment in the US Merchant Marine and US Merchant Mariners, America’s ability to project power and sustain its forces during significant conflict is at serious risk. The time for Congress and the Executive Branch to act is now, before it becomes too late.

The full Yorktown paper is available for download here.

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