America's Plan to Sail Back to Maritime Supremacy Revealed
Published Date: 4/15/2025
Presidential Document
Summary
America’s shipbuilding and maritime workforce have fallen behind, letting other countries like China take the lead. This order kicks off a plan to pump steady federal money into rebuilding our shipyards, making U.S.-built ships competitive worldwide, and training a strong maritime workforce. Expect a detailed action plan within 7 months that will boost national security and create good jobs.
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Analyzed Economic Effects
9 provisions identified: 7 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Shipbuilding Financial Incentives Program Proposal
The Secretary of Transportation must submit a legislative proposal, described in the Maritime Action Plan, to establish a financial incentives program able to provide grants, Federal Credit Reform Act-compliant loans and loan guarantees, and other flexible incentives to spur private investment in vessel construction, shipyards, repair facilities, and commercial parts.
Maritime Prosperity Zones (Opportunity-Zone Model)
Within 90 days the Secretary of Commerce must deliver a plan to establish maritime prosperity zones modeled on the opportunity zones created by section 13823 of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, including regulatory relief and geographic diversity (including river regions and the Great Lakes).
Use of Defense and Strategic Capital Authorities
The Secretary of Defense, with other agencies, must assess options within 180 days for using available authorities and resources, including Defense Production Act Title III authorities and the Office of Strategic Capital loan program, and for mobilizing private capital to invest in and expand the Maritime Industrial Base.
Proposed Tariffs on Crane and Cargo Gear
The order directs the U.S. Trade Representative to consider proposing tariffs on ship-to-shore cranes made with PRC-origin components or by firms substantially influenced by PRC nationals, and to consider tariffs on other cargo handling equipment. This consideration is part of actions arising from a Section 301 investigation announced in the Federal Register at 90 Fed. Reg. 10843 (February 27, 2025).
Stricter Harbor Maintenance Fee Enforcement
The Secretary of Homeland Security must take steps, including proposing legislation, to require foreign-origin cargo arriving by vessel to clear Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at a U.S. port of entry and to ensure cargo that first clears CBP in Canada or Mexico is assessed applicable charges plus a 10 percent service fee when brought into the United States, unless substantially transformed.
Maritime Security Trust Fund Proposal
The Office of Management and Budget, with the Secretary of Transportation, must develop a legislative proposal described in the Maritime Action Plan to establish a Maritime Security Trust Fund as a reliable funding source, considering how tariff revenue, fines, fees, or tax revenue could fund MAP programs.
Expand Mariner Training and Scholarships
Within 90 days multiple agencies must deliver a report with recommendations to address maritime workforce challenges, including the current number of credentialed mariners, estimates of additional mariners needed, analysis of expanding merchant marine academies, reforms to credentialing, inventories of training grants and scholarships, and proposals for national maritime scholarships and exchange scholarships.
Modernize U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Facilities
The Secretary of Transportation must, within 30 days, hire necessary facilities staff and reprogram funds to address urgent deferred maintenance at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), finalize a long-term master facilities plan, and submit a 5-year capital improvement plan within 90 days of concurrence for inclusion in the Maritime Action Plan.
Procurement and Deregulation to Lower Ship Costs
The order directs multiple departments to develop proposals within 30–90 days to improve acquisition strategies, reduce layers of approval, eliminate excessive requirements, consider commercial acquisition and modular design, and review regulations to deregulate where possible to reduce unnecessary costs and barriers for the domestic commercial maritime fleet and ports.
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