The White House unveiled the Maritime Action Plan on February 2026, as a major initiative aimed at reversing the long-term decline of America’s merchant marine and commercial shipbuilding capacity. Rooted in an executive order issued by Trump in April 2025, the plan positions maritime strength as a fundamental pillar of both national security and economic resilience.
US officials argue that the country’s heavy reliance on foreign shipping presents a growing strategic vulnerability, particularly in the context of intensifying geopolitical competition with China. Currently, nearly 99 percent of US international trade carried by sea moves on foreign-built, foreign-owned, and foreign-flagged vessels, a situation that policymakers believe could expose the United States to supply disruptions during times of conflict or global instability.
The Maritime Action Plan is described as the first comprehensive federal strategy in decades to rebuild US maritime strength. It outlines a broad effort to expand the US-flag fleet, modernize shipyard infrastructure, and strengthen domestic maritime supply chains. The urgency behind the plan is underscored by China’s dominant position in global shipbuilding.
Chinese shipyards now produce more than half of the world’s commercial ship tonnage, supported by heavy government subsidies, large-scale automation, and long-term industrial planning. In contrast, US shipyards contribute only a small fraction of global output, and officials estimate that China’s shipbuilding capacity is more than 200 times greater than that of the United States, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing American policymakers.
A central objective of the plan is rebuilding domestic shipyards and the broader maritime industrial base, which has declined significantly over several decades. The United States currently has 66 shipyards, yet only eight are actively engaged in shipbuilding. Of these, just 11 have available build positions, while the remaining yards focus primarily on repair and maintenance. Twenty-two shipyards specialize in repair work, and another 25 are dedicated to topside repair operations.
The administration argues that this contraction has weakened not only commercial shipping but also naval ship construction for the United States Navy. A shrinking supplier network and limited skilled labor pool have contributed to rising costs and slower production timelines for naval vessels. Revitalizing commercial shipyards, officials contend, would create economies of scale, strengthen supply chains, and reduce costs for both commercial and defense shipbuilding.
Securing long-term funding is a central component of the Maritime Action Plan. The proposal includes a universal tonnage-based fee on foreign-built ships calling at US ports, with the revenue directed into a newly created Maritime Security Trust Fund. Estimates suggest that a one-cent rate could generate approximately 66 billion dollars over a decade, while a 25-cent rate could potentially generate as much as 1.5 trillion dollars. This fund would provide a dedicated source of capital for shipyard modernization, expansion of the US-flag fleet, and workforce development initiatives.
In addition, the plan proposes the creation of a Land Port Maintenance Tax set at 0.125 percent of the value of goods entering through land ports. Modeled after the existing Harbor Maintenance Tax, the new tax is intended to ensure that imports routed through neighboring countries also contribute to maintaining US infrastructure. The revenue from this tax would be deposited into a Land Port Maintenance Trust Fund, further strengthening long-term maritime investment.
Beyond funding, the plan emphasizes regulatory reform and workforce development as essential components of restoring competitiveness. Officials argue that investment alone will not rebuild maritime capacity without improvements in procurement processes and regulatory efficiency. The plan calls for modernization of ship procurement methods, streamlining of regulations, and adoption of new technologies to accelerate construction timelines and reduce costs.
Workforce initiatives include expanded maritime education and training programs, a Military-to-Mariner transition program, and increased support for the United States Merchant Marine Academy and state maritime schools. These measures aim to rebuild the US mariner workforce, which has declined alongside the commercial fleet.
The plan also includes measures designed to increase US-controlled shipping capacity in the near term. These include expanded cargo preference requirements, a strengthened US maritime preference policy, and temporary provisions allowing foreign-built ships to operate under the US flag. These short-term measures are intended to provide immediate capacity while domestic shipbuilding capabilities are rebuilt over time.
The strategy also complements existing maritime policies such as the Jones Act, which requires goods transported between US ports to be carried on American-built and flagged vessels, although the Maritime Action Plan goes further by addressing global competitiveness and industrial capacity.
While questions remain about funding levels, implementation timelines, and long-term political support, the Maritime Action Plan represents one of the most ambitious attempts in decades to rebuild American maritime power. By focusing on shipbuilding, workforce development, supply chain resilience, and long-term funding mechanisms, the administration aims to reposition maritime capability as a central element of US economic strength and national security strategy in an increasingly competitive global environment.
