Reviving American Shipping: Opportunity Meets Obstacle in the Maritime Workforce

As geopolitical tensions rise and global trade realigns, President Trump’s administration has made it clear: revitalizing America’s commercial shipping sector is not just an economic ambition, it’s a matter of national security. Through a new executive order, the White House has called for an aggressive resurgence of U.S. flagged commercial vessels, aimed at reducing dependence on foreign shipping and ensuring wartime readiness.

But while the plan signals renewed industrial ambition, its success depends on a vital but limited resource: qualified American merchant mariners.

The National Security Imperative Behind the Maritime Push

The current U.S. commercial fleet comprises fewer than 200 U.S.-flagged vessels capable of being deployed in times of military need. This limited capacity has long been viewed as a strategic vulnerability, especially as China rapidly expands its maritime influence, modernizes its navy, and tightens its grip on major shipping routes, including the South China Sea.

The Pentagon’s Military Sealift Command, which depends heavily on civilian mariners to transport fuel, equipment, and humanitarian aid, has already begun decommissioning 17 ships, approximately 6% of its force, because it lacks the personnel to crew them.

Trump’s executive order, backed by bipartisan support in Congress, includes initiatives to strengthen domestic shipbuilding, offer financial support for U.S.-flag carriers, and enhance workforce development pipelines. It’s an ambitious blueprint, but one that's fundamentally limited by human capital.

America’s Maritime Labor Gap

The U.S. merchant marine labor force has been in long-term decline. In the 1960s, there were roughly 50,000 American mariners available to crew the commercial fleet. Today, fewer than 10,000 remain actively licensed and available, a number insufficient to meet the demands of the current fleet, let alone an expanded one.

Merchant mariner positions offer lucrative starting salaries, often ranging from $90,000 to $120,000 for academy graduates. Yet these jobs remain hard to fill. Life at sea is physically and emotionally demanding. Mariners often spend months away from family, with unpredictable hours, limited connectivity, and increasingly challenging working conditions. As a result, retention is low, with many licensed professionals leaving the industry within five to six years.

There are currently seven U.S. maritime academies that produce approximately 800 new officers annually, but not all enter the merchant marine workforce; many pursue land-based roles or leave the industry entirely within a few years.

Private Sector Commitment: CMA CGM and Others Step Up

In response to this labor bottleneck, major players in the global shipping industry are beginning to invest in the U.S. system. French shipping conglomerate CMA CGM, the world’s third-largest container line, has pledged to add 20 new U.S.-flag vessels through its American subsidiary, American President Lines.

To operate these vessels, CMA CGM estimates it will need at least 1,000 American mariners annually, highlighting the scale of the workforce challenge. CEO Rodolphe Saadé met with President Trump in early March and committed to supporting the administration’s maritime ambitions through long-term investment, signaling renewed foreign confidence in U.S. maritime logistics.

Other firms, such as Hapag-Lloyd’s U.S. subsidiary, echo the same concerns. Their executives report that post-pandemic retirements, resignations, and low interest in maritime careers have made it harder than ever to crew existing vessels, let alone expand operations.

Bridging the Gap: From Strategy to Execution

To realize the full potential of this policy push, the U.S. must take a multifaceted approach to building a sustainable maritime workforce. This includes:

• Incentivizing Maritime Careers: Offering scholarships, service-based debt relief, and career pathway guarantees to cadets.

• Modernizing Life at Sea: Improving vessel conditions, providing internet access, and shortening tour lengths to make the profession more family-friendly.

• Investing in Training Pipelines: Expanding maritime academy enrollment, creating fast-track credentialing programs, and partnering with the private sector for apprenticeships.

Moreover, promoting the maritime profession through national campaigns can raise awareness among young Americans who may not even know this career path exists.

Investor Takeaways: Maritime as a Long-Term Strategic Opportunity

For Belite Capital and our investor community, this evolving scenario presents compelling opportunities across multiple sectors:

• Shipbuilding & Infrastructure: Domestic shipyards and suppliers may benefit from increased government contracts and private sector orders.

• Maritime Workforce Tech & Training: Companies providing simulation tools, credentialing platforms, or remote training solutions may see growing demand.

• Defense & Logistics Integration: As military and civilian logistics converge, dual-purpose supply chain systems become highly investable.

However, the sector is not without risk. Execution on workforce development and regulatory support will be critical to ensuring this initiative results in durable economic gains.

President Trump’s maritime revival plan is both a strategic necessity and an economic catalyst. But it faces a real and pressing challenge: rebuilding a workforce that has been allowed to atrophy over decades of offshoring and industry neglect.

As policymakers and private firms rally to solve this complex equation, Belite Capital will continue to monitor developments closely, offering guidance, insight, and access to strategic investment opportunities for our network.

Stay tuned for more updates on this and other emerging sectors reshaping America’s industrial and defense landscape.