The U.S. does not have an effective maritime policy beyond general rulemaking for its Exclusive Economic Zone. Recently, the Department of Transportation was awarded an additional $1.4bn to its $98.5bn budget for 2013. The Obama Administration provided an additional $492bn over five years (2014-2018) for planes, trucks and rail. Unfortunately, when it came to shipping, the Administration gave the Maritime Administration a paltry $433m for its 2013 budget.

The European short sea shipping network has been an enormous catalyst in building the world's most efficient and environmentally friendly transportation infrastructure over the last two decades. The vision and foresight - not to mention the political will it took to move the project forward - was unprecedented, and the commitment of stakeholders from across the EU countries will provide benefits for generations to come.

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Keywords: transportation management, international trade, U.S. Inland Waterways, U.S. Maritime Highway