The Propeller Club is dedicated to the promotion of maritime industry, commerce and global trade, and has over the years taken many positions on issues important to the maritime industry. At its 2017 convention, a Statement of Principles and a shorter summary document were adopted to address current issues of interest. These were the result of the work of the Club’s Positions and Resolutions Committee, which reviewed past resolutions and addressed the issues in a single comprehensive document.

U.S. maritime policy and the U.S-flag commercial merchant fleet are often commonly spoken of as if they are simple entities. In fact, both are complex entities that comprise diverse and dissimilar parts. The common principles underlying the industry were stated in the Jones Act and remain key today – national security and economic security. National security depends on having a strong economy (economic security) and economic security depends on a strong national defense. While every part of the industry contributes to both to at least some degree, the goal of this Statement of Principles is to outline the principles underlying each, the statutes/principles upon which they are based, and the diverse roles played by the U.S.-flag commercial fleet in supporting each. These principles are discussed under these headings:

• Economic Security
• National and Homeland Security
• Protecting the Environment
• Progressive National Maritime Program

To view the Statement of Principles as a PDF, click here.

A one-page Executive Summary is available here.