More Than 100 Lawmakers Push to Include SHIPS for America Act in Defense Bill

These 119 lawmakers want the FY2027 defense bill to rebuild America’s maritime industry, which they view as vital to economic and national security. The SHIPS for America Act would support U.S. shipyards, strengthen American-flagged shipping, and expand training for mariners and shipyard workers.

The House-passed NDAA, H.R. 8800, already includes some SHIPS provisions in Title XXXVI, approved unanimously. The lawmakers want leaders to preserve them and add omitted measures, creating steadier federal oversight and support for domestic shipbuilding, U.S.-flagged vessels, and worker recruitment.

The urgency comes from a striking capacity gap: China, South Korea, and Japan produce over 90% of global shipbuilding tonnage, while America produces under 1%. Fewer than 100 U.S.-flagged vessels serve international commerce, compared with over 5,500 Chinese ships. A stronger fleet could carry supplies during a prolonged conflict.

The SHIPS for America Act is a bipartisan 2025 proposal to rebuild U.S. commercial shipbuilding and shipping. It would set long-term federal maritime policy and oversight, because American capacity has fallen far behind Asian competitors.

A concrete example is the House-passed NDAA, H.R. 8800, which includes some SHIPS provisions under Title XXXVI. The broader proposal would improve U.S.-flagged vessels’ competitiveness, rebuild domestic shipyards, and strengthen shipping in international commerce. It also expands recruitment, training, and retention for American mariners and shipyard workers.

Today, China, South Korea, and Japan account for over 90% of global shipbuilding by tonnage, while the United States builds less than 1%. Fewer than 100 U.S.-flagged vessels serve international commerce, compared with more than 5,500 Chinese ships. House provisions were approved unanimously, but lawmakers want more retained and strengthened before the FY2027 NDAA reaches the president.

The gap is enormous. China, South Korea, and Japan produce more than 90% of global ship tonnage. The United States produces less than 1%. This measures shipbuilding output, but it also reflects wider weaknesses in commercial shipping and maritime support.

A second comparison shows the fleet gap clearly. Fewer than 100 U.S.-flagged vessels serve international commerce, compared with an estimated Chinese fleet exceeding 5,500 ships. A larger fleet gives a country more ships and mariners to move supplies, especially during a prolonged conflict.

A bipartisan group of 119 lawmakers is pressing to close this gap. They want SHIPS for America Act provisions retained and expanded in the fiscal 2027 defense bill. The measures would rebuild shipyards, improve U.S.-flagged competitiveness, and train more American mariners and shipyard workers. Without stronger capacity, the United States could face logistical difficulties transporting supplies.

The NDAA is the active annual defense bill moving toward final passage. Adding maritime reforms lets lawmakers address them during negotiations on national security priorities, instead of waiting for a separate bill. The connection is practical: a strong Merchant Marine could move supplies during a prolonged conflict.

The House-passed NDAA, H.R. 8800, already contains SHIPS provisions under Title XXXVI. The House approved them unanimously, giving supporters a firm base to preserve while seeking additional measures omitted from the bill. Thus, the NDAA provides a moving legislative vehicle for reforms partly approved already.

The need is stark. China, South Korea, and Japan produce over 90% of global shipbuilding by tonnage; the United States produces less than 1%. Fewer than 100 U.S.-flagged vessels serve international commerce, versus over 5,500 Chinese ships. Including reforms could link commercial rebuilding directly to defense planning and supply logistics.

Without enough U.S.-flagged ships and American mariners, the military could struggle to move ammunition, fuel, equipment, and other supplies overseas. A prolonged conflict would expose dependence on foreign-flagged shipping and crews, potentially making deliveries slower, less reliable, or harder to control.

Operation Desert Storm illustrates the basic mechanism: U.S. forces depended heavily on sealift to move enormous quantities of equipment and supplies to the Persian Gulf. Ships and trained crews provide the bridge between American factories, ports, and troops; without enough of both, overseas forces could face serious delays or disruptions.

The source reports fewer than 100 U.S.-flagged vessels serve international commerce, while China has more than 5,500. China, South Korea, and Japan build over 90% of global ship tonnage, compared with under 1% for the United States. Those gaps could limit wartime resilience, making a strong Merchant Marine important to national security.

The United States did not lose its commercial maritime strength overnight. After World War II, Asian countries rebuilt modern shipyards, often with strong government support and lower production costs. As orders moved overseas, American yards lost volume, skilled workers, suppliers, and competitiveness.

The source article does not identify one single cause, but policy and market changes reinforced that shift. When federal construction subsidies ended in 1981, building large commercial ships in America became harder to finance. Foreign yards gained experience through steady orders, while U.S. yards increasingly focused on military vessels rather than commercial fleets.

Today, China, South Korea, and Japan account for more than 90% of global shipbuilding by tonnage. The United States produces less than 1%, and fewer than 100 U.S.-flagged vessels serve international commerce. That leaves America dependent on foreign capacity and less prepared to move supplies during a prolonged conflict.

A U.S.-flagged vessel is registered in the United States and flies its flag. That registration makes the United States the vessel’s “flag state,” so U.S. authorities oversee its safety, operation, crew standards, and legal compliance, even when it sails abroad. It does not mean every worker must be American, but U.S. rules and applicable agreements govern the ship.

For example, a U.S.-flagged cargo ship carrying supplies overseas remains under U.S. maritime oversight in international waters. The flag creates the legal connection: the owner must meet U.S. requirements, while crew members follow labor rules applying to that vessel and route. Port-country laws still apply when the ship enters another country.

This matters because fewer than 100 U.S.-flagged vessels serve international commerce, compared with China’s more than 5,500 ships. The SHIPS for America Act seeks more U.S.-flagged vessels and American mariners, strengthening supply lines during a prolonged conflict. A larger fleet would expand U.S. control over shipping capacity.