US launches maritime plan to counter China dominance

The Trump administration has released a sweeping Maritime Action Plan aimed at rebuilding the U.S. shipbuilding sector and strengthening the country’s broader maritime industry, which has declined sharply since World War II.

The plan proposes creating “maritime prosperity zones” to attract investment and expand workforce training, increasing the number of U.S.-built and U.S.-flagged commercial vessels, and establishing a Maritime Security Trust Fund to support shipyard upgrades and maritime infrastructure, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Funding is expected to come partly from port fees previously imposed on cargo arriving in the United States on Chinese-built ships. Those fees, introduced under Section 301 trade measures, were designed to counter what U.S. officials described as unfair Chinese dominance in global shipping. However, both the U.S. and China later agreed to pause the tariffs for one year after retaliatory measures disrupted global trade.

Industry groups, shipyard investors, and supporters of the SHIPS for America Act have welcomed the plan. The proposed law, backed by both Republicans and Democrats, would also create a Maritime Security Trust Fund to reinvest port fee revenues into shipbuilding and maritime security projects.

Supporters say the initiative is necessary to restore U.S. competitiveness in shipbuilding and reduce dependence on foreign maritime supply chains. Lawmakers are now urging Congress to move quickly to provide the legal authority and funding needed to implement the plan.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada