Todd Young Pushes SHIPS Act to Expand US-Flagged Fleet to 250 Ships by 2035

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 8

Senator Todd Young is pressing the SHIPS Act as a national-security response to China’s maritime reach, arguing the bill would rebuild a depleted U.S. commercial fleet and strengthen port resilience.
Fewer than 100 U.S. oceangoing commercial vessels now operate versus nearly 6,000 for China, which Young says is retrofitting cargo ships with missiles, drones and tracking systems that could threaten ports such as Houston.
The legislation would use tax incentives, deregulation, permitting reform and maritime-academy upgrades to spur shipbuilding, while creating a Maritime Security Trust Fund to help finance the effort.
By 2035, the bill targets a U.S.-flagged international fleet of 250 ships, part of a broader push aligned with President Trump’s Maritime Action Plan to reduce reliance on Chinese-linked shipping.