Dr. Salvatore Mercogliano

Biography

Dr. Salvatore R. Mercogliano is a maritime historian, educator, author, and nationally recognized commentator on the global shipping industry. He is a Professor of History and Chair of the Department of History, Criminal Justice, and Politics. A former merchant mariner with extensive experience in the U.S. maritime industry, Mercogliano brings a unique combination of practical seafaring experience, academic scholarship, and industry knowledge to his analysis of maritime affairs, international trade, and national security.

Mercogliano’s professional journey began at the State University of New York Maritime College, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Transportation and obtained his merchant marine deck officer license. Following graduation, he sailed with the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, serving aboard government vessels and gaining firsthand experience in the operational and logistical challenges of supporting American military forces around the world. His experience at sea and subsequent work ashore provided the foundation for his lifelong interest in the relationship between commercial shipping, maritime commerce, and national defense.

After his maritime service, Mercogliano pursued an academic career. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology from East Carolina University and a Ph.D. in Military and Naval History from the University of Alabama. His teaching career has included appointments at Methodist University, East Carolina University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the United States Military Academy at West Point. He joined Campbell University’s faculty in 2010 and has twice been recognized as the university’s Professor of the Year. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, where he teaches Maritime Industry Policy.

Mercogliano specializes in American maritime history, sealift, naval logistics, maritime security, and the development of the U.S. Merchant Marine. His published work has appeared in Naval History, Proceedings, Sea History, The Northern Mariner, and The Journal of Military History. He is the author of Fourth Arm of Defense: Sealift and Maritime Logistics in the Vietnam War, published in 2017. His research emphasizes the essential role commercial shipping and the merchant marine play in supporting American military operations and maintaining the nation’s economic and strategic security.

In March 2021, following the grounding of the container ship Ever Given in the Suez Canal, Mercogliano launched the YouTube channel What’s Going on With Shipping. The channel has developed into a widely followed source of maritime news, analysis, and education, attracting more than half a million subscribers and over 100 million views. Through his videos, he explains developments in global shipping, maritime logistics, port operations, shipbuilding, international trade, and maritime security for both industry professionals and the general public. He has also provided commentary to major media organizations, including BBC, CNN, NPR, and the Associated Press.

Mercogliano continues to combine teaching, historical research, public commentary, and maritime industry analysis. His work seeks to increase public understanding of the importance of the maritime industry and its indispensable contribution to international commerce, American economic prosperity, and national defense.