The FMC is taking a more aggressive posture concerning international liner carriers that it regulates and DiBella emphasized that the FMC hopes to support MARAD, which plays a pivotal role in managing US flagged merchant vessels.    She added, “We’ve been very busy…we’ve had many investigations…many enforcement actions that are coming underway…the FMC’s going to be flexing its muscles pretty big…we’re taking a much wider look, taking a much more pro-active stance towards the maritime community overall…and how we can help streamline operations, make things more competitive.”    Plante, in her introductory remarks, said: “This is the first Administration that cares about maritime, probably since the time of President Nixon.”    Moderator of the session Dan Tadros from the American Club opined that: “This is a bi-partisan effort, which makes it really critical…I am hoping that this means we actually have a future rebuilding the US merchant marine.”    These plans are lofty. Responding to a question from Tadros, MARAD’s Plante said: “We are definitely moving in the right direction….we want to rebuild the industrial base…we’re explaining it to Congress, I think for a long time it’s been mixed in with naval shipbuilding…this is entirely different…it’s about creating an entire ecosystem.”    Talking about the Maritime Action Plan (MAP) she explained: “It establishes the ecosystem for the industry to sustain itself. Congress is finally on our side, the Administration is on our side, so let’s continue this momentum.”    FMC’s DiBella stressed the multi-year nature of industry renewal efforts, “It doesn’t stop with this Administration,” she said.    Moderator Tadros, following up said, “That’s the most important message here…this is going to carry on…Looking out there to all of our allies, shipowners and charterers…hopefully they will be interested in helping us.”    Getting into details, Plante, said, “We are looking at the entire base- that would lead to cheaper and more efficient production…and that includes cargo and workforce development.”     She also commented on financing programs, talking about ongoing efforts to streamline MARAD’s “Title XI” ship financing program (where loans are guaranteed), and reduce application turnaround times from “over a year” down to 90 days. “We also have the Capital Construction Fund, we’re looking at different financing methods,” she said.    Tadros asked the two panelists about cargo generation. DiBella explained the link to potential enforcement actions where the FMC would possibly be playing a role tying the movement of US cargoes to US flag ships; “that’s a role that we’d be glad to take on, something that should be happening already but isn’t.”   

She also identified “incentives for US flag cargoes to use US flag ships” as an area that the FMC would be looking at more in the future, and linked this to the central strategy of Maritime Administrator Captain Stephen Carmel- “which is cargo”.