Progress of the SHIPS for America Act

This article was originally published in The Arbitrator. Any opinions in this article are not those of Winston & Strawn or its clients. The opinions in this article are the authors’ opinions only.

Major U.S.-flag merchant marine promotion legislation was reintroduced in the U.S. Congress in the spring of 2025, known as the “SHIPS for America Act.” The legislation was first introduced in December 2024. The legislation is poised for a major push next year in the second session of the current Congress to become law. 

The U.S. government has a long history of supporting the U.S.-flag merchant marine, going back to the enactment of discriminatory tariffs enacted in 1789 favoring U.S.-flag vessels. The two world wars accelerated that attention, resulting in landmark legislation, particularly the Merchant Marine Act, 1920 and the Merchant Marine Act, 1936.

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