Michael Roberts

Senior Fellow, Center for Defense Concepts and Technology

michael_roberts

At A Glance:

Michael Roberts is a senior fellow with Hudson Institute’s Center for Defense Concepts and Technology.

Biography

Michael Roberts is a senior fellow with Hudson Institute’s Center for Defense Concepts and Technology. His work focuses on policy issues impacting the American commercial maritime industry in light of geopolitical competition with China.

Mr. Roberts joined Hudson Institute in 2022 following a decades-long career in the American maritime industry. Prior to joining Hudson Mr. Roberts was a senior executive of a leading American maritime company (Crowley), serving as general counsel, board secretary, and senior vice president of government relations. He provided senior leadership on key Crowley initiatives, including in risk management (updating risk mitigation strategies and founding a for-profit insurance company), corporate business strategy (increasing focus on government business), and ESG (founding a non-profit charitable foundation). Roberts also helped establish and lead key industry groups. He was a founding board member of the American Maritime Partnership and its immediate past chairman and president (2020-2022).

Mr. Roberts is an av-rated lawyer admitted in Washington, DC, and Florida. He holds a BA with high honors from Michigan State University and a JD cum laude from American University, Washington College of Law.

Events
10
March 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
US-Japan Cooperation on Naval Maintenance, Commercial Shipbuilding, and Shipping
Featured Speakers:
Akira Fukaishi
Diana Maurer
Michael Roberts
Kyoko Imai
Moderator:
William Chou
DVIDS
10
March 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
US-Japan Cooperation on Naval Maintenance, Commercial Shipbuilding, and Shipping

Join Hudson for a discussion highlighting each nation's approach to these common challenges, as well as how US-Japan collaboration should best proceed.

DVIDS
Featured Speakers:
Akira Fukaishi
Diana Maurer
Michael Roberts
Kyoko Imai
Moderator:
William Chou
31
July 2025
Past Event
How Congress Can Rebuild US Shipbuilding and Boost Maritime Security
Featured Speakers:
Austin Gray
Capt. Christian Lee (Ret.)
Matthew Paxton
Scott Sloan
Mike Smith
Lawrence Ryder
Moderators:
Bryan Clark
Michael Roberts
DVIDS
31
July 2025
Past Event
How Congress Can Rebuild US Shipbuilding and Boost Maritime Security

Join Hudson Senior Fellows Bryan Clark and Michael Roberts for a discussion with government and industry leaders about the challenges the US Navy and Coast Guard face amid modernization efforts and how new legislation and regulation can help restore America’s maritime superiority.

DVIDS
Featured Speakers:
Austin Gray
Capt. Christian Lee (Ret.)
Matthew Paxton
Scott Sloan
Mike Smith
Lawrence Ryder
Moderators:
Bryan Clark
Michael Roberts
30
April 2025
Past Event
Rebuilding America’s Maritime Industrial Base with Senators Mark Kelly and Todd Young
Featured Speakers:
Senator Todd Young
Senator Mark Kelly
Michael Roberts
Bryan Clark
Fast-attack submarine USS North Carolina (SSN 777) enters Dry Dock 1 at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Hawaii, on September 4, 2024. (US Navy photo by Justice Vannatta)
30
April 2025
Past Event
Rebuilding America’s Maritime Industrial Base with Senators Mark Kelly and Todd Young

Hudson will welcome Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Todd Young (R-IN) to discuss their proposal to restore America’s shipping and shipbuilding industries to help deter Chinese aggression.

Fast-attack submarine USS North Carolina (SSN 777) enters Dry Dock 1 at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Hawaii, on September 4, 2024. (US Navy photo by Justice Vannatta)
Featured Speakers:
Senator Todd Young
Senator Mark Kelly
Michael Roberts
Bryan Clark
04
March 2025
Past Event
How US Maritime Industries Can Help Deter China
Featured Speakers:
Jennifer Carpenter
Michael Roberts
USNS Harvey Milk departs the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard after a ceremonial address in San Diego, California on November 6, 2021. (AFP via Getty Images)
04
March 2025
Past Event
How US Maritime Industries Can Help Deter China

Jennifer Carpenter, president of the American Waterways Operators and the American Maritime Partnership, will join Senior Fellow Michael Roberts to discuss how America’s maritime industry can help counter China’s shipping and shipbuilding dominance.

USNS Harvey Milk departs the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard after a ceremonial address in San Diego, California on November 6, 2021. (AFP via Getty Images)
Featured Speakers:
Jennifer Carpenter
Michael Roberts
The final piece of the underwater hull of the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) is lowered into place at Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia on September 28, 2018. (US Navy photo courtesy of Huntington Ingalls Industries by John Whalen)
Caption
The final piece of the underwater hull of the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) is lowered into place at Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia on September 28, 2018. (US Navy photo courtesy of Huntington Ingalls Industries by John Whalen)
michael_roberts
michael_roberts
Senior Fellow, Center for Defense Concepts and Technology
bryan_clark
bryan_clark
Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Defense Concepts and Technology
Reports
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