Senate hearings meet Arctic geopolitics. This week’s episode breaks down how U.S. maritime nominees outlined plans to rebuild industrial strength and restore competitiveness—while Russia and China formalized their Northern Sea Route partnership, raising questions about access, influence, and the future of global chokepoints.  

Expanded Description:
In this episode of By Land and By Sea, Lauren unpacks two developments shaping the future of maritime policy and global trade. 

⚓ On Capitol Hill: The Senate Commerce Committee vetted nominees for the Federal Maritime Commission (Robert Harvey and Laura DiBella) and the Maritime Administration (Stephen Carmel). Carmel highlighted that it’s not just about ships—it’s about cargo. Harvey emphasized the impact of enforcement actions and even explained his Great Lakes ties, while DiBella focused on fairness and transparency in detention and demurrage practices and across the supply chain ecosystem. 

🔹 And another thing... Chairman Ted Cruz called for a maritime strategy centered on removing regulatory barriers, modernizing ports, and attracting private capital—signaling bipartisan recognition that maritime competitiveness is national security. 

❄️ Meanwhile, in the Arctic: Russia and China signed a deal to co-develop the Northern Sea Route—the same corridor the FMC flagged as a potential chokepoint. Perhaps the risk isn’t just ice; it might also be access. As these nations coordinate on policy, infrastructure, and fees, the FMC’s chokepoint investigation becomes even more relevant to ensuring global cargo flow remains open and fair. 

🎓 Just-in-Time Learning™ Spotlight:
If all of this has you wondering—“Wait… which agency deals with what?”—you’re not alone.
Check out my less than 30-minute course 👉 “FMC vs MARAD: Who Does What in Maritime Washington” at TheMaritimeProfessor.com
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It’s plain language, practical.

🎧 Episode: “FMC Nominees & the Arctic Watch: The Future of Maritime Policy and Chokepoints”
👉 Listen now: www.TheMaritimeProfessor.com/podcast
 

#maritime #shipping #FMC #MARAD #supplychain #maritimepolicy #ByLandAndBySea #TheMaritimeProfessor #NorthernSeaRoute #industrialbase #chokepoints 

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