미국 상선 선원 인력 감소의 구조적 원인 분석과 한국 해운 안보 정책에의 시사점

Recent global geopolitical instability and supply chain crises have elevated the maritime industry from a mere logistics sector to a core pillar of national security. Even the United States, possessing the world's strongest navy, faces a critical gap in its strategic sealift capability due to the shrinking merchant fleet and a severe shortage of mariners. This study analyzes the structural causes of the decline in the U.S. mariner workforce based on data and policy reports from the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), focusing on economic inefficiencies, institutional regulations, and the lack of social awareness. The analysis reveals that the U.S. government implements strong financial and physical market interventions through the Maritime Security Program (MSP) and Cargo Preference laws to sustain a mariner ecosystem that has collapsed under market principles. Furthermore, by linking the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) with the Strategic Sealift Officer Program (SSOP), the U.S. manages mariners as "quasi-military security assets." These findings offer significant implications for South Korea, which faces the dual challenges of a demographic cliff and intensifying maritime competition. Benchmarking the U.S. case, this study proposes introducing the concept of a "Retainer Fee" for peacetime operations into Korea's National Essential Shipping System and reforming the status of skilled seafarers to be treated as "Reserve Officers." Finally, it suggests introducing a "Security Bidding" system for essential goods such as energy and food, transcending economic logic to structurally protect Korean mariner jobs as an essential survival strategy for national security.