It’s Time to Act Against China’s Maritime Tsunami and Rebuild America’s Shipyards

In this Daily Caller article, retired Air Force Col. Rob Maness argues that China’s massive dominance in commercial shipbuilding has become a direct national security threat that America can no longer afford to study instead of confront.

• Maness says China’s share of global commercial shipbuilding has surged from 51 percent in 2022 to 70.9 percent in 2025, while U.S. capacity has fallen below 1 percent of the global total.
• He warns that China’s commercial shipyards serve as a dual-use industrial base that could rapidly support naval production during a crisis.
• The article frames shipbuilding as a deterrence issue, arguing that military strength depends on steel, welders, ports, and industrial capacity rather than speeches and reports.
• Maness says America builds only about five large oceangoing commercial vessels per year, while China now builds thousands.
• He calls on Congress to pass and fully fund the bipartisan SHIPS for America Act, which includes tax credits, loan guarantees, port-fee funding, and a goal of expanding the U.S.-flag fleet by 250 ships over ten years.
• He urges Washington to expand existing shipyards, build new “greenfield” mega-yards, and use federal tools such as the Defense Production Act to encourage private investment.
• The article also calls for stronger enforcement of the Jones Act, expanded cargo preference laws, and a national apprenticeship pipeline for veterans, military spouses, and young workers.
• Maness supports funding a Maritime Security Trust Fund through fees on Chinese-built ships entering U.S. waters, saying Chinese dominance should be made to pay for American resurgence.
• He argues that President Trump’s maritime executive order and action plan have provided the vision, but Congress and the administration must now deliver concrete action.

Read the full story: https://dailycaller.com/2026/06/02/opinion-china-america-us-shipbuilding-rob-maness/