Ships don’t move cargo, people do and when we forget that, every “maritime dominance” plan turns into a slogan. National Maritime Day gives us the perfect excuse to zoom out from vessels and policy memos and look at the real engine of ocean shipping: the workforce that loads, unloads, builds, maintains, sails, and regulates the system.

We sit down with Federal Maritime Commissioner Max Vekich, whose career starts where the job is hardest and least forgiving: the waterfront. He shares what it’s like to grow up in a union port town, how longshore hiring halls actually work, why maritime labor can be feast or famine, and how one tragic safety incident on his very first day leaves a mark that never fades. That lived experience follows him into public service and eventually into the Federal Maritime Commission, bringing a perspective the industry rarely gets to hear inside a regulator’s walls.

Along the way, we also flag timely FMC updates that shape ocean shipping regulations and supply chain resilience, including the National Shipper Advisory Committee (NSAC) and what proposed rulemaking process changes could mean for industry input. Then we widen the lens to the big picture: rebuilding American maritime strength, protecting freedom of navigation, and filling critical maritime jobs across ports, shipyards, and vessels. If you’re curious about maritime careers, you’ll leave with concrete next steps, including TWIC, Coast Guard credentialing, union apprenticeships, and Military to Mariner pathways.

Subscribe, share this with someone who works in shipping, and leave a review. What part of the maritime workforce do you think the U.S. is most at risk of losing next?

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