Building Maritime Strength: A Conversation with Shipyard Expert Caitlin Hardy of Ness Sea Consulting

By Land and By Sea

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12d ago 46:25

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Shipyards sit at the very heart of America’s maritime future, operating as both industrial engines and strategic assets essential to national security. In this conversation with Caitlin Hardy, Founder of Ness Sea Consulting, we explore the challenges and opportunities in rebuilding U.S. shipbuilding capacity, the lessons commercial yards can teach defense programs, and the innovations shaping maritime construction. Plus, I share reflections from the Women in AgriBusiness Summit, where bulk carriers and the looming Section 301 USTR port fees emerged as critical concerns for U.S. grain exports.

🎧 Expanded Description

Shipyards don’t just build vessels—they shape America’s maritime strength. In this episode, I’m joined by Caitlin Hardy of Ness Sea Consulting to break down why shipyards are both economic engines and national security assets, and how America can rethink its approach to shipbuilding.

Hardy brings a wealth of experience from her naval architecture background and work with industry leaders like Kongsberg, Crowley, Holland America, and Foss Maritime. Responding to our recurring car manufacturing analogy, she argues that the U.S. must first master building reliable “F-150s” before focusing too heavily on ambitious “Cybertrucks” in ship design. She also shares examples of commercial innovation—from AI-enhanced radar systems to hull-cleaning robots—that make shipping safer and more efficient without requiring revolutionary vessels.

We also contrast commercial and defense practices, asking what the Navy could learn from cruise lines that refurbish massive vessels in just two weeks with thousands of contractors onboard. Hardy’s perspective highlights where efficiency and innovation can intersect.

Alongside shipyards, we spotlight another pressing issue: bulk carriers and U.S. grain exports. At the Women in AgriBusiness Summit in Orlando, concerns centered on the new Section 301 USTR port fees set to begin October 14. With slim margins in ag exports and many bulk carriers Chinese-built or owned, a $1M+ fee could either deter vessels from calling U.S. ports—or erase the competitiveness of U.S. commodities if passed down the chain - both concerns I will continue to look into.

For anyone involved in ocean shipping, maritime technology, or national security planning, this episode offers crucial insights into how shipyards and trade policy together shape America’s maritime future—and what steps we must take now to strengthen both.

⚓ A special thanks to our partner Ness Sea Consulting for supporting today’s episode.

🎧 Shipyards, Security, and Strategy with Caitlin Hardy
👉 Listen now: www.TheMaritimeProfessor.com/podcast

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Chapters

1. Introduction to Maritime Strength and Shipyards (00:00:00)

2. USTR Port Fees Impact on Bulk Carriers (00:06:49)

3. Introducing Caitlin Hardy of Nestisi Consulting (00:08:38)

4. Naval Architecture and Maritime Career Journey (00:10:17)

5. Founding Nestisi and Bridging Technology Gaps (00:17:40)

6. Exciting Maritime Tech Innovations (00:23:33)

7. Building F-150s Before Cybertrucks (00:30:56)

8. Washington State Ferries and Local Shipbuilding (00:33:48)

9. Maritime Prosperity Zones and Future Outlook (00:38:11)

10. Closing Thoughts and Contact Information (00:44:51)

128 episodes

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