- Sullivan and Cruz Highlight Urgency to Strengthen U.S. Maritime Capacity.
- Industry Backs SHIPS for America Act to Expand U.S.-Flag Fleet.
- Maritime Labour Unions Warn of Decline in U.S.-Flag Vessels.
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries is gearing up for a hearing this Tuesday. They’ll be diving into ways to modernise and speed up U.S. commercial shipbuilding while also bolstering the nation’s maritime industrial base. The session, aptly named “Sea Change: Reviving Commercial Shipbuilding,” will gather leaders from the private sector and policy experts to chat about federal maritime procurement and the National Security Council’s initiatives under President Trump aimed at “Making Shipbuilding Great Again.” Attendees can also expect to hear about the administration’s upcoming Maritime Action Plan, a crucial part of the Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance executive order that was signed back in April, reports gCaptain.
Senators Emphasise Urgency and Economic Impact
Chairman Dan Sullivan underscored the strategic importance of rebuilding the U.S. shipbuilding industry: “Our nation faces a critical strategic challenge as foreign competitors, especially China, lead global shipbuilding while our domestic capacity remains very limited. This hearing will be an important step toward understanding the obstacles and identifying policy solutions to rebuild a robust, competitive U.S. shipbuilding industry—one that supports good-paying American jobs, strengthens our maritime workforce, and ensures our national security in key regions like the Arctic.”
Senator Ted Cruz highlighted Texas’s growing role in shipbuilding and maritime commerce: “Texas is a maritime powerhouse. Our ports drive commerce, support thousands of jobs, and serve as a critical frontline for national security. I was proud to help secure a deal to build three icebreakers in Galveston, the single largest increase in U.S. shipbuilding capacity in decades, which will support a projected 7,000 skilled Texas jobs.”
Industry and Academic Experts to Testify
The hearing will feature insights from:
- Matt Paxton, President of the Shipbuilders Council of America
- Jeff Vogel, Vice President of Legal at TOTE Services
- Dr Salvatore Mercogliano, Professor at Campbell University and the mind behind the What’s Going on with Shipping YouTube channel
Support for the SHIPS for America Act
Ahead of the hearing, written statements reveal strong support from the industry for the SHIPS for America Act, which was reintroduced in April 2025 by Senators Mark Kelly and Todd Young. This legislation aims to:
- Create a Strategic Commercial Fleet Program to grow the U.S.-flag fleet to 250 ships.
- Expand cargo preference rules to guarantee that 100% of U.S. government cargo is transported on U.S.-flagged vessels.
Strengthening Maritime Workforce and Readiness
Captain James Tobin, President and CEO of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association and Foundation, emphasized the human capital dimension of maritime readiness: “More than 80 percent of the US Navy’s Strategic Sealift Officers are service-obligated graduates of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, whose mission is to educate and train the licensed officers who command our commercial fleets in peacetime and, in wartime, transport the armaments, fuel, and supplies required for victory.”
Labour Unions Warn of Decline in U.S.-Flag Fleet
A coalition of maritime labour organisations—including the American Maritime Officers, Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association, and Seafarers International Union- submitted a joint statement outlining the challenges facing the U.S. maritime industry: “U.S.-flag commercial vessels today carry less than 2 per cent of America’s commercial foreign commerce, clearly not a ‘substantial portion.’”
The labour groups warned of serious consequences if legislative action is delayed: “Without the critically important initiatives contained in this legislation, vessels may be forced to leave the U.S.-flag. This will not only reduce the commercial sealift capability available to the Department of Defence but result in an outsourcing of critically important American maritime jobs, causing a dangerous reduction in the number of American mariners available to crew the surge and sustainment vessels needed to support American troops overseas.”
Hearing Details and Livestream
Mark your calendars! The hearing will be held in the Committee Hearing Room, Russell 253, and you can catch the livestream on the Committee’s website and YouTube channel starting at 10:00 a.m. EST.
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Source: gCaptain
