The Maritime Economist Magazine Spring 2015 | Page 39

THEMARITIME Economist

comments & praises
As a former U.S. Maritime Administration Chief Counsel, I’m delighted with the creation of the new Maritime
Economist Magazine. There is a significant gap in information concerning the economic burden of government
regulations on the maritime industry. After September 11, 2001, countries around the world imposed
strenuous new security requirements – assessments, plans, and exercises. More recently, vessels owners were
tasked with improving environmental standards for ballast water and air emissions. All of these changes cost
money and owners and operators are the ones paying for it.
An additional economic burden is created by the government’s failure to coordinate oversight activities. The
U.S. maritime industry is subject to rules and policies issued by the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and
Border Protection, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Transportation Security Administration, the
Maritime Administration, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration at the federal level, the
number goes up when you include state agencies. I’ve worked for three of these agencies and have personal
experience on how they move out independently without picking up the phone to talk with one another. For a
federal employee, the failure to communicate is frustrating. This failure translates however into lost revenue for
the maritime industry when they have to deconflict opposing guidance.
The Maritime Economist Magazine is going to provide an excellent venue for both scholars and professionals
to publish innovative work and question current debates such as the growing economic cost of government
regulations. Scholars may capture a holistic picture of the maritime industry. They aren’t going to weigh one
factor more than another. Instead, they are going to look at the entire picture and provide recommendations
based on sound data. This data can then be used by legislatures to improve current government processes; a
much needed win for the maritime industry.

THEMARITIME Economist is going to provide an excellent venue for both

scholars and professionals to publish innovative work and question current debates such as the growing economic cost of government regulations.

K. Denise Rucker Krepp
Former Chief Council for U.S. Maritime
Administration (MARAD)