CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A South Carolina lawmaker wants South Carolina added to a list of states hosting maritime academies to churn out officers for the United States Navy and a growing American merchant fleet.

South Carolina Rep. Tom Hartnett is working to have the Palmetto State added to a list of six states that currently have the academies. The U.S. Department of Transportation lists those states as New York, California, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Texas.

“South Carolina is one of the only states that is a type that is a Tier 1 port that does not currently have a maritime academy. The Citadel already has an established ROTC, and they are militarily credentialed,” Hartnett said. “That’s one of the largest hurdles to starting an academy.”

Last week, Hartnett, a Republican w

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