U.S. lawmakers are launching the biggest push in decades to revitalize American shipbuilding

 

"A bipartisan group of legislators reintroduced a bill Wednesday to stimulate demand for hundreds of U.S.-built ships and to boost America's shipbuilders and sailors.

The Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security for America Act includes tax incentives for shipyard improvements, the establishment of a Maritime Security Trust Fund to pay for investments and a target to more than triple the number of U.S.-built vessels conducting international trade.

Resurrecting American shipbuilding won't be easy. Each year, U.S. shipyards produce a handful of large commercial ships, compared with hundreds of vessels that are pumped out of Chinese shipyards.

China has rapidly expanded its shipbuilding sector over the past two decades and is now the world's largest builder of commercial ships. China's order book last year of 3,419 commercial ships represented more than 62% of global production, according to BRS Shipbrokers.

The SHIPS for America Act provides a rare moment of bipartisan unity in Washington. "This bill's pretty popular right now and has broad industry support and bipartisan support in the House and Senate," said Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona who is among the co-sponsors of the bill.

"This is a serious, comprehensive, strategic, thoughtful laying out of what, if we're serious about this, we really need to revitalize our maritime industrial base," said Matt Paxton, president of the Shipbuilders Council of America.

Shipping-industry officials say U.S. ships take three times as long to build and cost at least three times more than foreign-built ships. They say a U.S. shipbuilding revival will require significant investments in yards and in training for a new generation of shipbuilders as well as generous subsidies to make American ships attractive compared with heavily subsidized foreign yards.

Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia is one of just a handful of U.S. yards capable of making large international commercial vessels.

Asian shipyards routinely build ships capable of carrying the equivalent of 16,000 containers, with some yards building ships capable of carrying more than 20,000 boxes. Philly Shipyard is working on an order for three ships each capable of carrying 3,600 boxes.

The struggling yard was recently bought by Hanwha, a South Korean conglomerate. David Kim, the yard's new chief executive, said the company plans to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in facilities and to introduce automation and efficiency practices used in Hanwha's South Korean yards.”

Triple it sounds good. But if you multiply zero by three, you still get zero. It's a tough case.

1.   U.S. News: Lawmakers Join Effort to Revive U.S. Shipbuilding. Berger, Paul.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 01 May 2025: A4.

 

Ukraina ir JAV pasirašė susitarimą dėl retų mineralų

 

„Trečiadienį Trumpo administracija pasiekė susitarimą su Ukraina, suteikdama JAV prieigą prie jos mineralinių išteklių, įveikdamos paskutinės minutės derybas, kurios stabdė prezidento Trumpo siektą kompensaciją JAV už pagalbą Ukrainai kovoje su Rusija.

 

Iždo sekretorius Scottas Bessent gyrė šį susitarimą, kaip žingsnį link derybų dėl konflikto Ukrainoje pabaigos ir šalies atstatymo pradžios.

 

Griežtai kontroliuojamose derybose Trumpo administracija atsisakė reikalavimo, kad susitarimas leistų Vašingtonui susigrąžinti milijardus dolerių ankstesnės karinės pagalbos.

 

„Kaip sakė prezidentas, Jungtinės Valstijos yra įsipareigojusios padėti užbaigti šį žiaurų ir beprasmį konfliktą“, – pareiškime teigė Bessent. „Šis susitarimas aiškiai rodo Rusijai, kad Trumpo administracija yra įsipareigojusi taikos procesui, kurio centre – laisva, suvereni ir klestinti Ukraina ilguoju laikotarpiu.“

 

Susitarimas žymi Kijevo ir Vašingtono santykių pagerėjimą, kurie pastaraisiais mėnesiais pablogėjo, ypač dėl susitarimo dėl Ukrainos mineralų. Praėjusį savaitgalį Vatikane prieš popiežiaus Pranciškaus laidotuves įvykęs Trumpo ir Ukrainos prezidento Volodymyro Zelenskio individualus susitikimas, regis, sumažino įtampą tarp lyderių.

 

Baltieji rūmai šį susitarimą taip pat numato kaip savotišką Ukrainos saugumo garantiją, jei būtų sudarytos paliaubos su Rusija. Trumpo pareigūnai teigia, kad JAV verslo buvimas Ukrainoje atgrasytų Maskvą nuo pakartotinio puolimo prieš šalį.

 

Pagrindinis susitarimo elementas yra investicinis fondas, į kurį vienodai prisidės ir kurį prižiūrės tiek Ukraina, tiek JAV.

 

Fondas investuos į Ukrainą 10 metų laikotarpiui, daugiausia dėmesio skirdamas Ukrainos atstatymui ir šalies ekonomikos atnaujinimui. Ukraina išlaikys savo mineralų kontrolę, mokėdama į fondą pagal naujas jos išduodamas licencijas. Ukrainos ministras pirmininkas Denisas Šmyhalis sakė, kad susitarimas abiem šalims yra be tarifų ir neapmokestinamas.

 

„Tai geras pasiekimas“, – sakė Shmyhalis. „Suprantame, kaip ateityje naudosime šią priemonę, bendradarbiaudami su mūsų partnerėmis – Jungtinėmis Amerikos Valstijomis.“

 

Praėjusią savaitę Šmyhalas keliavo į Vašingtoną deryboms dėl susitarimo.

 

Pasak Šmyhalo, susitarimą dar turi ratifikuoti Ukrainos parlamentas.

 

Naujausias projektas parengtas po kelis mėnesius trukusių įtemptų derybų tarp Ukrainos ir JAV.

 

Zelenskis iš pradžių pasiūlė mineralų susitarimą 2024 m. vasarą, prieš Trumpo išrinkimą, siekdamas pelnyti respublikonų paramą. Ukraina turi ličio, titano ir kitų retųjų žemių metalų atsargų, būtinų viskam – nuo ​​mobiliųjų telefonų iki gynybos pramonės.

 

Kijevas pradinį susitarimą, kurį Bessent pristatė kelionės į Ukrainą metu, laikė derybų atspirties tašku, o Vašingtonas tikėjosi, kad dokumentas bus pasirašytas vietoje.

 

Tačiau net ir blogėjant diplomatiniams santykiams tarp Kijevo ir Vašingtono, viltis atgaivinti susitarimą išliko.

 

Kai kovo mėnesį Trumpo administracija pateikė kitą, kitokį, pasiūlymą, jame buvo išdėstyti platūs reikalavimai, kurių Ukraina negalėjo priimti. Šioje susitarimo versijoje vėl buvo svarstomas skolos grąžinimas ir prašoma plačios JAV kontrolės šalies ekonomikai.

 

Užuot prieštaravę kovo mėnesio pasiūlymui, ukrainiečiai tęsė derybas. Po kelių savaičių Bessent ir Ukrainos vicepremjerė Julija Svyrydenko pasirašė susitarimo memorandumą.

 

Memorandume buvo nubrėžtas kelias į išsamesnį susitarimą. Naujausiame projekte aiškiai gerbiami Ukrainos tarptautiniai įsipareigojimai, sakė Shmyhal.

 

Praėjusią savaitę Trumpas socialinės žiniasklaidos įraše papeikė Zelenskį už tai, kad jis nepasirašė išplėstinio mineralų susitarimo. Jo tonas, regis, sušvelnėjo po susitikimo su Zelenskiu, kurį jis pavadino „paguodos akimirka“.” [1]

 

1.  Ukraine and U.S. Sign Deal On Access to Rare Minerals. Lytvynenko, Jane; Cullison, Alan.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 01 May 2025: A1.

Ukraine and U.S. Sign Deal On Access to Rare Minerals

"The Trump administration reached a deal on Wednesday with Ukraine giving the U.S. access to its mineral wealth, overcoming last-minute haggling that had held up an agreement that President Trump had sought to compensate the U.S. for helping Ukraine fight off Russia.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hailed the deal as a step toward a negotiated end to the conflict in Ukraine and a beginning of the country's reconstruction. In tightly controlled negotiations, the Trump administration dropped its insistence that the agreement allow Washington to recoup billions of dollars of past military aid.

"As the President has said, the United States is committed to helping facilitate the end of this cruel and senseless conflict," Bessent said in a statement. "This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump Administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term."

The agreement marks an improvement for relations between Kyiv and Washington, which have soured in recent months, not least over the deal for Ukraine's minerals. A one-on-one meeting of Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Vatican ahead of Pope Francis' funeral last weekend appears to have eased tensions between the leaders.

The deal is also envisioned by the White House as a kind of security guarantee for Ukraine in the event a cease-fire is reached with Russia. Trump officials argue that a U.S. business presence in Ukraine would deter Moscow from attacking the country again.

Central to the agreement is an investment fund that both Ukraine and the U.S. will contribute to and oversee equally.

The fund will invest into Ukraine for a period of 10 years, focusing on rebuilding Ukraine and renewing the country's economy. Ukraine will retain control over its minerals, paying into the fund with new licenses it issues. The deal is tax- and tariff-free for both countries, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.

"This is a good achievement," Shmyhal said. "We understand how we will use this instrument in the future in working with our partner, with the United States of America."

Shmyhal traveled to Washington last week for negotiations around the deal.

The fund will invest in Ukraine for 10 years, focusing on rebuilding Ukraine. The deal still needs to be ratified by the Ukrainian Parliament, Shmyhal said.

The latest draft follows months of tense negotiations between Ukraine and the U.S.

Zelensky initially proposed a mineral deal in the summer of 2024, before Trump's election, in a bid to woo Republican support. Ukraine has reserves of lithium, titanium and other rare-earth metals essential for everything from cellphones to the defense industry.

Kyiv saw the initial agreement presented by Bessent during a trip to Ukraine as a starting point for negotiations, while Washington hoped for the document to be signed on the spot.

Yet even as diplomatic relations between Kyiv and Washington deteriorated, hope for reviving the deal endured.

When the Trump administration sent another, different, proposal in March, it spelled out sweeping demands that Ukraine couldn't accept. That version of the agreement put repayment of debt back on the table and asked for broad U.S. control over the country's economy.

Rather than balk at the March proposal, Ukrainians continued negotiating. Weeks later, a memorandum of understanding was signed by Bessent and Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.

The memorandum spelled out a path toward a more comprehensive agreement. The latest draft explicitly respects Ukraine's international obligations, Shmyhal said.

Last week, Trump scolded Zelensky for not having signed the expanded mineral agreement in a social media post. His tone appeared to soften after the meeting with Zelensky, which he called "a moment of solace."" [1]

1.  Ukraine and U.S. Sign Deal On Access to Rare Minerals. Lytvynenko, Jane; Cullison, Alan.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 01 May 2025: A1.