MarAd’s Carmel: Great Lakes are Central to America’s Maritime Revival

CHICAGO — July 30, 2026 —  The United States cannot rebuild its maritime strength by focusing solely on its ocean coasts. Instead, the nation’s industrial resurgence depends on recognizing the Great Lakes as one of America’s five maritime coastlines and leveraging the region’s unmatched manufacturing ecosystem, according to U.S. Maritime Administrator Stephen M. Carmel.

marine link