The Maritime Action Plan is a comprehensive blueprint to rebuild the US maritime industrial base, expand the US-built and US-flagged commercial fleet, and strengthen national economic and security interests. It outlines a whole-of-government strategy to address decades of decline in American shipbuilding by boosting domestic production capacity, modernizing shipyards, and creating predictable long‑term demand signals to encourage private investment.

The plan calls for maritime prosperity zones, streamlined regulations, workforce education and training reforms, and incentives for both US and allied shipbuilders to invest in domestic yards. It also emphasizes enhancing supply‑chain resilience, expanding the merchant marine, deploying advanced technologies and autonomous vessels, and establishing a Maritime Security Trust Fund to provide stable funding for shipbuilding and maritime workforce development.

America’s Maritime Action Plan stresses the importance of partnerships with allies, trade policy alignment, and bipartisan legislative support to restore robust US maritime capability and global competitiveness.

Key Initiatives of the US Maritime Action Plan

• Maritime Prosperity Zones – Establish 100 zones across coasts, rivers, Great Lakes, Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories to boost shipbuilding and local maritime economic activity.
• Industrial Base Expansion – Modernize domestic shipyards, increase production capacity, and rebuild the skilled maritime workforce, including welders, pipefitters, and naval engineers.
• Workforce Development – Invest in education, apprenticeships, and training programs to regenerate a corps of maritime tradespeople and strengthen U.S. seafaring culture.
• Mass-Production Strategy – Leverage existing mature and modular ship designs to accelerate production of merchant and dual-use vessels, reserving specialized modifications for post-delivery.
• Allied Partnerships & Bridge Strategy – Collaborate with allies like South Korea and Japan to allow transitional foreign shipbuilding while investing in U.S. yards for eventual onshoring.
• Advanced Technologies & Autonomy – Promote the use of robotic and autonomous systems, enabling smaller shipyards to contribute modules for mass-produced, cost-effective vessels.
• Maritime Security Trust Fund – Create stable, long-term funding to ensure consistent investment in shipbuilding, fleet expansion, and workforce development.
• Legislative & Policy Support – Encourage bipartisan congressional engagement and supportive policies to sustain long-term restoration of U.S. maritime dominance.
• Merchant Marine Expansion – Revive U.S.-flagged commercial fleets to support economic growth and ensure sealift capabilities for national defense.
• Supply Chain & Industrial Resilience – Strengthen domestic supply chains, reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, and increase strategic self-sufficiency in maritime production.

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