Charleston, South Carolina, October 22, 2025
News Summary
Charleston, South Carolina, is proposing the establishment of a Maritime Academy to fulfill the rising demand for skilled maritime professionals. State Rep. Tom Hartnett Jr. aims to ease the financial burden on students by providing local training opportunities. The academy would offer four-year degrees in marine engineering, logistics, and transportation. Local maritime industry leaders emphasize the need for comprehensive training to meet workforce demands. The initiative is backed by discussions with The Citadel and experts in maritime law, who highlight the crucial role of education in the maritime sector.
Charleston, South Carolina is set to enhance its maritime workforce with the proposed establishment of a South Carolina Maritime Academy, as local maritime law experts underline the necessity for skilled training in the region. State Rep. Tom Hartnett Jr. aims to address the growing demand for maritime careers by providing a local option for students, which would alleviate the financial burden of out-of-state tuition associated with existing programs.
Hartnett’s proposal emerged after a visit to Texas A&M’s maritime academy, where he recognized the value of specialized training and education in maritime fields. He met with Brig. Gen. Sally Seldon of The Citadel to discuss the potential creation of the academy, receiving a positive response regarding the initiative. The existing infrastructure at The Citadel is expected to help reduce startup costs, making the establishment of the academy more feasible.
Local industry leaders assert that there is a pressing need for comprehensive training programs to meet the demands of the maritime sector. Presently, options in the Charleston area, such as the associate degree offered at Trident Technical College, do not match the extensive offerings generally available at institutions recognized by the U.S. Maritime Administration. The proposed academy would aim to provide four-year degrees in areas such as marine engineering, logistics, and transportation.
The demand for maritime professionals appears to be on the rise, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting significant growth for licensed officers and water transportation workers in the coming years. Hartnett emphasizes the importance of developing training pathways that cater to local workforce needs in the burgeoning maritime industry.
In addition to the proposal for the maritime academy, Charleston is home to several leading maritime law experts with extensive experience in admiralty law. David Michael Collins, with 39 years in the field, has made significant contributions to maritime law in South Carolina. He notably represented the state in the legal dispute over the CSS Hunley, ensuring the state’s possession of the historic vessel. Collins has also worked on high-profile cases, including lost building modules for a hotel project in the Bahamas and insurance claims related to boats.
Collins is accompanied by other prominent maritime law practitioners in the area. Charles K. McCotter Jr. has 54 years of experience specializing in admiralty and maritime law, while Jason R. Harris has 24 years of experience focusing on marine insurance defense. Other experts like Don T. Evans Jr., Deborah D. Davis, John Hughes Cooper, and Scott Bluestein further enhance the local legal landscape with their extensive backgrounds in various aspects of maritime law.
The collective expertise of these professionals not only enriches the legal framework surrounding maritime activities in South Carolina but also emphasizes the necessity for an educated workforce adept in maritime principles and practices. Establishing the South Carolina Maritime Academy aligns with the industrial and educational goals aimed at bolstering the region’s maritime capabilities.
Hartnett anticipates that the academy could be operational within two years, facilitating local students’ entry into lucrative maritime careers and responding effectively to the HR needs of the maritime industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of the proposed South Carolina Maritime Academy?
What degrees will the academy offer?
How does local industry view the necessity for maritime training?
Who are some key maritime law experts in Charleston?
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
New Novel The Academy Co-Authored by Elin Hilderbrand and Daughter
Additional Resources
- SC Daily Gazette: Long Trek to Lone Star State Sparked Plan for SC Maritime Academy
- Wikipedia: Maritime Academy
- ABC News 4: SC DNR to Remove Former US Navy Torpedo Boat
- Google Search: South Carolina Maritime Academy
- SC Daily Gazette: DNR Makes First Arrest Under New SC Abandoned Boat Law
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Maritime Law
- Post and Courier: Charleston School of Law – SC InfiLaw Education
- Google News: Maritime Law Charleston
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