White House Releases Plan to "Restore America's Maritime Dominance"

The White House has released¹ America’s Maritime Action Plan (MAP), proposing a bold whole of government blueprint to revitalize US commercial shipbuilding, expand the US-flag fleet, and strengthen the maritime industrial base.² Directed by President Donald Trump in Executive Order 14269, “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance,”³ the MAP represents the most sweeping federal maritime industrial policy initiative in decades. 

For all maritime stakeholders, the MAP signals an intent for cross-cutting, White House driven changes to funding mechanisms, regulatory frameworks, procurement rules, workforce policy, and trade enforcement. Envisioning “hundreds of billions of dollars” in new investments, the MAP’s broad policy goals will require working with Congress and agencies on appropriations, rulemakings, and new guidance documents. Funding for the White House’s most important goals are expected to be included in the fiscal year 2027 budget request. 

The plan recognizes the nation’s strategic maritime position as a structural vulnerability and sets forth a roadmap for how America “will rebuild maritime strength at the speed and scale required to meet the challenges of today and the future.” In order to do this, the MAP is planned around four broad pillars with numerous action items, deregulatory actions, and legislative proposals. 

These pillars are: 

Rebuilding US Shipbuilding Capacity and Capabilities 

This pillar is focused on increasing shipbuilding supply, investing in shipyards, and encouraging US markets through tax relief, benefits, and deregulatory measures. Specific proposals include: 

Universal Fee on Foreign-Built Vessels From Any Nation Entering US Ports

A “universal infrastructure or security fee on all foreign-built commercial vessels calling at US ports, to be assessed on the weight of the imported tonnage arriving on the vessel.” The MAP estimates that a fee of US$0.01 cent per kilogram on foreign-built ships would yield roughly US$66 billion in revenue over 10 years, and a fee of US$0.25 cents per kilogram would yield close to US$1.5 trillion in revenue. While potentially the most controversial of the MAP’s proposals, it will likely require Congressional or additional administration action to implement. 

Strengthen the US-Built Definition Over Time

The MAP calls for requiring ship materials to be American made, tightening repair duty loopholes, and reducing retrofit compliance frictions, all while growing supplier capacity. 

Continue and Expand Shipping and Shipbuilding Commitments

The MAP recommends the administration “continue diplomatic and trade engagements” through the United States Trade Representative (USTR) with allies and trading partners under the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) Framework to secure new commitments related to shipping and shipbuilding.

Establish Maritime Prosperity Zones

These zones would be modeled after President Trump’s 2017 “Opportunity Zones” concept to incentivize and leverage domestic private capital and allied investment in America’s maritime industries and waterfront communities. 

Reforming Maritime Workforce Education and Training

This pillar focuses on expanding and increasing funding for both the US Merchant Marine Academy and the state maritime academies while encouraging existing workforce and pipeline program developments. Specific proposals include: 

Authorize and Fund a New Mariner Incentive Program (MIP)

This proposal would direct the Maritime Administration to authorize a suite of programs to support mariner education, recruitment, training, and retention to meet current and future economic and national security needs. The MIP would include improvements to the existing Student Incentive Payments⁴ that provide financial assistance to state maritime academy students.

Encourage Military-to-Mariner Opportunities

The MAP recommends expanding programs to encourage those with prior military training to transition to being a civil mariner. This includes maximizing recognition of military skills and sea service toward Merchant Mariner Credential endorsements, expanding fee exemptions, and formalizing equivalency guidance. 

Protecting the Maritime Industrial Base

Focused on strengthening trade, this pillar proposes new taxes and increasing engagement with China on anticompetitive actions, as well as: 

A New United States Maritime Preference Requirement (USMPR)

The proposed USMPR would require “high-volume exporting economies to transport a gradually increasing percentage of their US-bound containerized cargo on qualifying US vessels.” The USMPR will likely need to be passed by Congress unless included as part of a USTR  action. 

Land Port Maintenance Tax

This tax would create a funding mechanism for land ports of entry that is equivalent to the existing Harbor Maintenance Tax/Fee for seaports. Merchandise entering the United States through land ports of entry would be subject to a tax (0.125% of the value of the merchandise), ensuring that land ports contribute equitably to the costs of maintaining and improving critical trade infrastructure. Funds collected under this tax will be deposited into the newly established Land Port Maintenance Trust Fund, which will support the planning, design, construction, maintenance, and improvement of land port infrastructure. Implementation of this proposal would require Congressional action. 

National Security, Economic Security, and Industrial Resilience 

This pillar focuses on technology, resilience, and foreign dependence, including prioritizing the development of autonomous marine vehicles by: 

Fully Funding the Maritime Security Program (MSP)

The MAP highlights the need to fully fund the MSP and Tanker Security Program to ensure the Department of War has access to additional sealift capacity while directly increasing the number of commercial vessels that operate under the US flag. 

The Creation of the Strategic Commercial Fleet (SCF)

The creation of an SCF, consisting of internationally trading US-built vessels, would provide redundancy for military logistics around the globe and ensure the continuous flow of goods to the US economy. Vessels in the SCF would receive financial support for both construction and operation. The idea of the SCF comes from the SHIPS for America Act, but Congressional action would be required in order to implement the proposal.

Maritime Security Trust Fund

Envisioned to be funded by the universal fee on foreign-built vessels, this fund would serve as a reliable funding source for consistent support of programs detailed in MAP. Its establishment would require legislation to implement.

If fully enacted, the MAP represents a foundational shift in US maritime policy with far reaching implications. Our dedicated and highly experienced team continues to engage on the MAP, gather intelligence, and closely monitor all relevant developments related to the MAP and would be more than happy to provide support to all related matters. Please do not hesitate to contact any of the key contacts listed below if you have any questions or would like to discuss how recent developments may impact you.