In this episode of What's Going on With Shipping, Sal Mercogliano breaks down a recent Congressional hearing on the future of the U.S. maritime industry. The discussion centers on the FY 2027 budget requests from the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), as well as the implementation of the "Maritime Action Plan." The video examines the opening statements from MARAD Administrator Captain Steve Carmel and FMC Chairperson Laura DiBella, highlighting critical gaps in the current strategy—specifically the controversial and "batshit crazy" process for approving Jones Act waivers. Contact What's Going on With Shipping via: Patreon: www.patreon.com/wgowshipping Twitter: @mercoglianos Bluesky: @mercoglianos.bsky.social Facebook: @wgowshipping Email: mercoglianosal@gmail.com 00:00 – Introduction: The Congressional Hearing on U.S. Maritime 01:12 – MARAD vs. FMC: Roles and Responsibilities 03:00 – Captain Steve Carmel’s Opening Statement & The Maritime Action Plan 04:30 – The Tanker Security Program & Logistics at Sea 08:12 – The "Cargo Mantra": Why Ships Without Cargo are Useless 10:53 – The Ready Reserve Force (RRF) and the Mariner Shortage 16:42 – Subsea Cables and Strategic Vulnerabilities 17:49 – The Future: Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) on Ships 21:43 – FMC Chairperson Laura DiBello's Statement & Enforcement 26:18 – Dark Fleets, Chokepoints, and Container Surges 30:32 – The "Batshit Crazy" Jones Act Waiver Process 39:41 – Sal’s Take: How to Actually Fix the System 41:24 – Wrap-up and a Note on Shirt Sizes! Maritime Action Plan Takes Center Stage as Congress Reviews MARAD, FMC Budgets https://gcaptain.com/maritime-action-plan-takes-center-stage-as-congress-reviews-marad-fmc-budgets/ Future of United States Maritime: Review of Fiscal Year 2027 MARAD and FMC Budget Requests https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3PFot0aeG8&t=2253s Maritime Action Plan https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Restoring-Americas-Maritime-Dominance.p