Policy Focus Areas
Focus areas
CAEMP’s research examines the regulatory, industrial, and operational foundations of U.S. maritime capability and energy security. The areas below summarize the questions we study and the policy tradeoffs we evaluate.
Jones Act Modernization
We assess options to preserve the Jones Act’s strategic objectives while modernizing rules that influence cost, fleet renewal, and compliance. Our analysis focuses on practical reforms to strengthen U.S.-flag capacity and improve system performance without compromising safety.
Shipyard Industrial Competitiveness
We examine the drivers of shipyard productivity—workforce, automation, standards, and procurement—and how policy can reduce build timelines and cost risk. The goal is a more competitive industrial base with predictable demand signals and scalable capacity.
Manning Reform and Maritime Automation
We analyze how manning rules, credentialing, and training can evolve alongside assisted, autonomous, and remotely supported operations. Our work emphasizes safety-first pathways that expand mariner opportunity while enabling innovation and measurable efficiency gains.
Defense Sealift and Dual-Use Fleet Strategy
We evaluate approaches to improve surge sealift readiness by aligning commercial fleet renewal with defense requirements and logistics realities. Our analysis considers dual-use concepts that increase capacity and availability while managing lifecycle cost and operational risk.
Energy Security and Domestic Maritime Logistics
We connect maritime policy to energy outcomes by examining the reliability and cost of moving refined products, LNG, and critical inputs through domestic waterways. Our work focuses on capacity, bottlenecks, and resilience—especially under disruption and tight global supply conditions.
Energy Security and Domestic Maritime Logistics
Energy independence depends on resilient, efficient domestic logistics—especially for refined products, LNG, and critical inputs. CAEMP supports policies that improve coastal and inland waterway capacity, reduce bottlenecks, and strengthen U.S.-flag energy supply chains.
We connect maritime policy to real-world energy outcomes: reliability during disruptions, competitive delivered cost, and the ability to move essential commodities when global supply chains tighten.
Stay connected
Subscribe to receive new CAEMP publications and policy updates.