February 17, 2026 at 9:22 PM
Trump admin pushes Maritime Prosperity Zones in new action proposal
Maritime Prosperity Zones would encourage investment in new waterfront communities separate from the traditional coastal shipyards.
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s plans for a “Maritime Golden Age” hinges on bolstering the US shipbuilding industry —which has lagged behind China — and boosting US-built and flagged ships for global commerce, according to its new Maritime Action Plan. The plan, which comes just after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth launched his “Arsenal of Freedom” tour last month calling for a reinvigoration of the US industrial base and shipbuilding, was released Friday and proposes establishing Maritime Prosperity Zones to encourage investment in new waterfront communities separate from the traditional coastal shipyards. Likewise, these zones would receive certain regulatory relief, according to the plan.
The administration and lawmakers have previously suggested regions like the Great Lakes that have a track record of hosting shipbuilders for these communities. “The Great Lakes are already home to shipbuilders, manufacturers, steel producers, casting and forging, and maritime industry suppliers,” a bipartisan group of lawmakers said in a letter to the White House in December. “Additionally, efforts are underway to connect industry leaders in the Great Lakes and develop a shipbuilding consortium for organized and strategic collaboration.