National lawmakers advocate for unified support and coordination of maritime industry

A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., is calling on the White House to coordinate between the military and commercial ship sectors and offer a national strategy for the maritime industry. They note China’s strategic influence and intimidation in the maritime domain and recent risks in the South China Sea and the Red Sea. The lawmakers seek three key changes, including the establishment of an interagency maritime policy coordinator and a national strategy focused on “de-risking” the U.S. maritime domain from China and other maritime threats. In December, Sen. Kelly unveiled plans to support the U.S. maritime industry, seeking incentives to build more merchant ships and calling on the Navy to commit to buying more sealift ships. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro has also pushed for improvements to the commercial shipbuilding and ship repair industries. Matthew Paxton, president of the Shipbuilders Council of America, emphasized the importance of a “holistic view” of how U.S. shipyards and companies can participate in building up a fleet of U.S. naval warships and more.