Imposing Fees on Chinese Ships,
Raising Wages, and Establishing a New Office
The Donald Trump administration is preparing an executive order aimed at revitalizing the U.S. shipbuilding industry and weakening China's dominance in the global shipping industry, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 4th (local time).
According to a draft summary reviewed by WSJ, the executive order includes 18 measures to strengthen the U.S. shipbuilding industry. These measures include imposing fees when ships built in China enter U.S. ports or when Chinese-made cranes are used at U.S. ports, raising wages for workers at nuclear-powered shipyards, and directing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to review government procurement procedures including those for the Navy. Additionally, the order calls for establishing a new office within the White House National Security Council (NSC) to strengthen the domestic maritime industry. This draft is subject to change.
Donald Trump, President of the United States, is delivering a speech at Congress on the 4th (local time). Photo by AP Yonhap News
President Trump stated in his evening address to Congress, "We will revive the U.S. shipbuilding industry, including the construction of commercial and military vessels," adding, "We will establish a new shipbuilding office at the White House and provide special tax benefits to bring this industry back to where it belongs?in America." He also emphasized, "We once built a great many ships, but now we do not build as many. However, we will build ships very quickly."
This initiative is based on bipartisan measures that have been discussed in U.S. political circles for years. Previous proposals stalled due to review processes and political uncertainties, but as an executive order, it can be implemented with a single signature from President Trump.
Last month, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) proposed imposing fees on Chinese-built ships entering U.S. ports to curb China's expanding influence in the shipbuilding and shipping industries.
A shipping industry official told WSJ that National Security Advisor Mike Waltz influenced this executive order. Waltz, who served as a member of the House of Representatives last year, co-sponsored legislation providing financial support and tax benefits to U.S. shipbuilders.
China is the world's largest producer of container ships. According to Linerlytics, about 29% of the container capacity of ships currently in operation was built in China. Chinese shipyards account for approximately 70% of new container ship order capacity. Consequently, concerns have grown in the U.S. Congress that the shipbuilding industry is decades behind China, leading to a bipartisan consensus on the need to strengthen the maritime industry.
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