Not since World War II, when the U.S. flag fleet flew on 50% of the world’s commercial fleet, has there been such recognition and activity surrounding the U.S. flag international fleet – which today represents ZERO POINT FOUR percent (0.4%) of all international ships.
Carleen Lyden Walker will discuss how we arrived at this precarious place, how a book she co-authored formed the backbone of the federal “SHIPS for America Act” and Trump’s Executive Order “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance”, and where we stand today. She will articulate how our lack of maritime security impacts national, economic, energy, climate and workforce security; how our adversaries are exploiting our weaknesses, and what the future holds for our nation in the maritime domain.
She is a marketing and communications professional in the commercial maritime industry with over 40 years of experience. She is Founder and CEO of Morgan Marketing & Communications, the Co-Founder and CEO of the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA), Chief Evolution Officer of ShippingInsight, the fleet optimization and innovation platform for shipping, and the Founder of the Consortium for International Maritime Heritage. She is also Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Maritime Accelerator for Resilience (MAR), is Co-Author of ZERO POINT FOUR – How U.S. Leadership in Maritime Will Secure America’s Future and is the CEO of Seatrain Technology, a company specializing in remotely operated submersible cargo vessels for commercial, defense and energy applications. Carleen is consistently listed among the Top 100 Women globally in maritime expertise.
In 2015, Carleen was appointed Goodwill Maritime Ambassador by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). She is a member of the Connecticut Maritime Association, the Marine Society of the City of New York, the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association, Caribbean (WISTA), Women in Maritime Association (WIMAC), the New York Council of the Navy League and is a Past-President and current member of the Propeller Club Chapter of the Port of NY/NJ, as well as Washington, DC. She is also a member of the Pathways Advisory Committee at the Digital Harbor High School in Baltimore and is a Trustee of the U.S. Friends of the World Maritime University. Most recently, she was honored as a Top Woman in Maritime by Marine Log.
In 2010, she was awarded the Certificate of Merit by the United State Coast Guard and in 2014, she was awarded a Public Service Commendation for her work on World Maritime Day and AMVER, respectively. In 2023, she received the Distinguished Service Award from the Coast Guard for her work with both NAMEPA and SHIPPINGInsight.
Carleen graduated from Wellesley College with a B.A in Political Science and History and studied accounting at Cornell University’s S.C. Johnson College of Business. She is a Trained Facilitator and Media Trainer and has held a U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s License.
Presentation summary:
Carleen Lyden Walker emphasized that revitalizing the U.S. maritime industry is essential to national security, economic resilience, and future geopolitical competitiveness. She noted that after World War II, the United States controlled roughly half of the world’s commercial fleet, but today U.S.-flag ships represent only about 0.4 percent of the global total. This decline, she argued, leaves the nation dangerously dependent on foreign fleets for trade, energy transportation, and military logistics, particularly in the event of a conflict such as a crisis in the Indo-Pacific.
Shipping handles approximately 90 percent of global goods, making it central to the American economy and supply chain reliability. Walker explained that the U.S. Ready Reserve Force, which would supply sealift in wartime, is aging and under-crewed, with many vessels reliant on steam engines few mariners can operate. Military leaders have warned that the Navy would need scores of tankers to support fleet operations but currently has access to only a small fraction. A federal study shows hundreds of additional U.S.-controlled ships would be required to secure defense logistics and critical imports.
Walker highlighted China’s emergence as the dominant maritime power, leading in shipbuilding, ship ownership, and crew supply. She contrasted this with American shipyard capacity, which atrophied after the 1980’s. Although policy momentum is emerging, including the Ships for America Act and a White House executive order, she argued that funding, workforce development, and shipyard modernization are insufficient. She urged accelerating mariner training, improving Coast Guard credentialing, offering tax and insurance reforms, and pursuing advanced technologies such as small modular nuclear propulsion and innovative vessel designs.
Questions from the audience focused on feasibility, the Jones Act, insurance costs, foreign registries, and repair capacity. Walker maintained that with national resolve, investment, and modern industrial techniques, the United States can rebuild maritime strength and regain control over strategic supply chains. Her concluding message was both cautionary and hopeful: America’s maritime future depends on treating sealift and shipbuilding as strategic assets and acting decisively to restore capacity before a crisis exposes the nation’s vulnerabilities.