Dennis Kucinich: “I am here to ask for help in remedying a situation on the Great Lakes that I have just been made aware of. I received a…”

“I am here to ask for help in remedying a situation on the Great Lakes that I have just been made aware of. I received a letter today, as a matter of fact, from the Port of Cleveland raising serious concerns with a marine pilotage shortage that is causing shipping delays on the Great Lakes. Federal law and Coast Guard regulations require all ocean-going commercial ships to employ a marine pilot on board when navigating the Great Lakes. For reasons unknown, one of the pilotage associations has had trouble fulfilling its mission. This is beginning to create shipping delays. Since the beginning of this year, according to a study that has been provided to me, there have been over 582 hours of shipping delays according to the American Great Lakes Port Association and the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. A French cruise ship company has already ceased operations in the Great Lakes and other shipping companies are rumored to be wary of continued operations in the Great Lakes.”