FUTURE-RESILIENT SHIPS
INDUSTRIES
US Commercial Shipbuilding Has Collapsed
American shipyards are far behind foreign competitors, accounting for under 0.2% of global tonnage
It's Not Just Shipyards
The atrophy of the commercial shipbuilding industry jeopardizes national security and destroys jobs
"...a combined total of 7,424 days of maintenance delay"
- GAO, 2020
"...the missing 145,000 jobs in shipbuilding directly translate into a loss of 580,000 jobs for the entire economy"
- Eno Center for Transportation, 2015
This is not a new problem.
1984
"...the U.S. maritime industries are struggling for survival."
- Congressional Budget Service, 1984
1998
"...U.S. shipbuilders cannot compete profitably against yards in Japan and South Korea"
- Armed Forces Journal, 1998
The Present
Four decades of inaction have made this an American tragedy with both economic and geopolitical consequences.
Domino Effect
The Jones Act places harsh restrictions on the industry, requiring ships to be:​
US
-built
-owned
-crewed
The demise of shipbuilding has directly caused the devastation of US short sea shipping.
If the US can't build ships, carriers can't operate any.
No New Ships
Beyond slow and expensive boutique-builds, ship operators are relegated to barges to transport critical goods. The collapse of US shipbuilding leaves them no choice
Shipbuilding and shipping are intrinsically related. A joint solution for both industries is the only way forward.
​
The time is now for a disruption of the traditional sector. The neccessary momentum is already here.
The Time Is Now
The time is now for a disruption of the traditional industry. The necessary momentum is already here
Shipbuilding
Key actors are preaching a united message: American Shipbuilding must rise again.
Congress
"We must act now--before it is toolate--to reinvigorate American and allied maritime power on the seas."
- Letter to POTUS signed by 19 congressmen
The Navy
"That is why, as Secretary of the Navy, I have advocated so forcefully to revive commercial shipbuilding and the U.S. Merchant Marine."
- Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro
Industry
"With a few bold strategic moves, shipbuilders can dramatically increase... performance."
- McKinsey
Labor
"...a new shipbuilding era portends a boost for tens of thousands of workers nationwide."
- USW President David McCall
A supply of US-built, Jones Act-compliant ships will revitalize shipping.
​
Healthy shipbuilding means healthy shipping.
Shipping
American waterways offer great untapped potential for cheap and efficient transportation.
US marine networks are underused arteries for commerce, spanning much of the country's economic centers. Most are already equipped with necessary infrastructure.
Competing modes of transportation are on the back foot:
-
Trucking is unpopular due to environmental cocerns and heavy road congestion
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Railway expansion projects are faltering
-
Air transport remains too expensive for large volumes of goods​​
A flourishing shipping sector will have great demand for modern and environmentally concious ships.
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Healthy shipping means healthy shipbuilding.
