The United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) last week chose the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) to handle a study that would inform a new national maritime strategy for the industry at large and revitalize the U.S. merchant marine.
CNA is an independent, nonprofit Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC). It’s sponsored by the Department of the Navy and is known for its expertise in researching sealift needs with regards to national security issues. As a result of its selection for this study, CNA will seek out public and private stakeholders in the maritime industry to help build its report.
MARAD will work with CNA on these efforts and seeks to use information gleaned to support a decades-long strategy. The National Defense Authorization Act of 2023 required the organization to select an FFRDC for the task, with the intention of spurring new life into the U.S. merchant marine and building the maritime industrial base to meet future economic and national security needs.