U.S. Commercial Shipbuilding Competitiveness and Global Market Share

China dominates global shipbuilding with 1,794 ships under construction versus five in the U.S., while the U.S. builds approximately 0.2% of world tonnage. Federal programs including the Jones Act, loan guarantees, and tax shelters support domestic construction, but worldwide overcapacity, high U.S. labor costs, and price differentials limit export competitiveness and economies of scale.