The Center also notes that a decision to place greater emphasis on sea-lift should translate into a commitment both to additional transport capacity and to the preservation of a larger naval fleet needed to secure the sea lines of communication over which such transports must move.
Contrary to the obvious assumption, rising fuel prices might actually cause the use of ships for freight, as manufacturers reduce fuel use not by shipping things shorter distances, but by relying more heavily on efficient sea freight at the expense of less efficient land- and air-based modes of transport.