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Captain's Log: Where geopolitics and global ocean shipping intersect...
Episode 20
Friday, 27 March, 2026
Emergency fees. Geopolitical chokepoints. Antitrust guardrails. Funding gaps that quietly slow the Coast Guard. Maritime policy isn’t moving in one lane right now, and I wanted to connect the dots while the industry is trying to keep cargo moving.I start with the Strait of Hormuz and the wave of emergency fuel surcharges tied to rising bunker costs and operational risk. Even when a crisis feels like pure force majeure territory, the Federal Maritime Commission is reminding carriers that U.S. Shipping Act compliance still applies. We walk through what the FMC is actually saying about tariff notice timing, special permission requests, and why the tariff in effect when cargo is received can become the rulebook in a dispute. I also tie it back to lessons from the Red Sea, where shippers pushed for more transparency and better justification instead of a blanket “it’s a crisis” explanation.Next, I dig into an interesting FMC determination involving the World Shipping Council and the limits of filed agreements and limited antitrust protection under the statute. The Commission’s move to cancel certain categories and demand tighter justifications is one of the first guardrail signals on how “cooperative working arrangements” may be interpreted going forward, and it matters for how trade associations and carriers coordinate.Then we zoom out to China’s increased inspections and detentions of Panama-flag vessels, the Panama Canal terminal backdrop, and the corrective tools the FMC could use if foreign practices start harming U.S. commerce. I wrap with what a DHS funding lapse means for the Coast Guard and mariner credential processing, plus a major PIDP port infrastructure funding opportunity and a bigger question: maritime dominance is not just defense sealift, so how do we build commercial fleet strength that can scale?Subscribe, share this with a colleague in shipping or logistics, and leave a review so more people can find the show.Send us Fan MailSupport the show🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to By Land and By Sea powered by The Maritime Professor®! If you enjoyed today’s episode, be sure to subscribe ⭐ and leave a review 📝 - it really helps others find the show.📚 Want to go deeper? Check out our live webinars, on-demand e-courses, and our Just-in-Time Learning™ sessions -- short, plain-language lessons (30 minutes or less) built for supply chain pros who need quick clarity.🚢 Looking for something tailored? We also provide custom corporate trainings designed to meet your team’s needs.⚓ Learn more and explore past episodes at: www.TheMaritimeProfessor.com/podcast
