The Administrator’s Challenge: Resetting the Terms of Competition

Reframing the Maritime Landscape to Advantage the United States

Today, the United States faces a maritime environment in which the terms of competition are increasingly defined by others. Global shipping, port access, industrial capacity, logistics networks, and even technical and operational standards -- ranging from international mariner certifications (STCW) and environmental emissions benchmarks to vessel construction specifications and cybersecurity protocols – are being aligned in ways that advantage foreign systems – particularly those that integrate state direction with commercial activity.

For too long, the United States has attempted to respond within that system.

This competition begins from a different premise: We cannot try to outcompete others within a system designed to advantage them. We must instead reset the terms of competition.

The Challenge

Participants are invited to answer a single, fundamental question in written format: How can the United States achieve maritime dominance not by competing on terms set by others, but by redefining the system itself? This is not a call for incremental reform.

Submissions should move beyond:

• Marginal policy adjustments
• Isolated program improvements
• Asset-focused solutions (ships, subsidies, or platforms alone)

Instead, participants should think in terms of systems:

• How is maritime power in terms of national strength actually generated? Do we define maritime power correctly in the U.S.?
• What role does the demand for cargo play in shaping fleets and industrial capacity?
• How do financing, logistics networks, port infrastructure, and regulation interact?
• Where does the United States possess structural advantages that are currently underutilized?
• What mechanisms could shift incentives, behavior, and investment at scale?
• What will make what we do now obsolete and how do we position for that - The Innovator’s Dilemma.

Submissions should be emailed to maradpressoffice@dot.gov

Framing the Problem

Maritime power is not simply a function of ships. It is the product of a system in which:

• Cargo flows create demand;
• Demand sustains fleets;
• Fleets sustain industrial capacity; and
• Industrial capacity reinforces national power.

When that system is aligned, maritime dominance follows. When it is not, ships alone cannot compensate. Participants are encouraged to challenge prevailing assumptions, including the notion that the United States must compete on cost or within structures optimized for others.

Expectations

Submissions should:

• Present a clear conceptual framework for resetting the maritime system.
• Identify the mechanisms through which that system would operate.
• Address implementation challenges, including legal, commercial, and operational considerations.
• Explain how the proposed approach would produce sustained U.S. advantage, not temporary gains.
• Original thinking is expected. Historical analogies, economic theory, and strategic frameworks are welcome where they clarify the argument.
• All entries must be the original work of the participant.  Submissions cannot exceed 15 pages in length. All documents must be formatted using 12-point Times New Roman font. Text must be double-spaced with 1-inch margins on all sides. Page numbers must be provided at the bottom center of each page; however, a page number should not be displayed on the first page. To ensure optimal readability, please maintain a ragged right margin rather than using justified text and use “keep with next” formatting to prevent single lines of text from appearing alone at the bottom of a page.

Prize

The winning submission will be invited to present their concept at the National Maritime Day Celebration in Washington, D.C., delivering their proposal before leaders from government, industry, and the maritime community.  The winning author will receive a check for $1500.  

Rules and Eligibility

Participant Eligibility

• The competition is open to students currently enrolled at the nation’s federal and state maritime academies.
• Participants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States and be 18 years of age or older.
• Participants must register via e-mail to participate in the competition under the rules outlined in this announcement.

Intellectual Property Rights

• Participants retain ownership of their submitted ideas and original works.
• By submitting an entry, the winner grants the Department of Transportation and the Maritime Administration a non-exclusive, royalty-free, irrevocable, worldwide license to use, duplicate, or disclose the submission for government purposes.

Judging and Evaluation

• The competition will be evaluated by a panel of qualified judges who have been screened to ensure they have no personal or financial interests in, or familial relationships with, any registered participant or their respective maritime academy.
• Submissions will be evaluated on originality, systems thinking (addressing the interaction of cargo, fleets, and industrial capacity), and the ability to address implementation challenges (legal, commercial, and operational).
• The judging process is transparent and final. Any potential conflicts of interest among judges will be proactively managed to ensure an equitable assessment.

Deadline for Submission

Submissions are due by May 8, 2026, at 9 P.M. EST. Please email submissions to maradpressoffice@dot.gov. This challenge is listed on The Administrator’s Challenge: Resetting the Terms of Competition | MARAD in compliance with federal open government directives.

The Maritime Administration is conducting this competition under the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science (COMPETES) Reauthorization Act of 2010, as amended by the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act of 2017 (15 U.S.C. § 3719).