American jobs, American dominance: Vance, Abbott break ground on new shipyard in Texas

The renaissance of American shipbuilding is here, the Trump administration says, and Texas will play a leading role in it.

President Donald Trump noted early last year that “the commercial shipbuilding capacity and maritime workforce of the United States has been weakened by decades of Government neglect, leading to the decline of a once strong industrial base while simultaneously empowering our adversaries and eroding United States national security.”

The Chinese shipbuilding market grew from under 5% of global tonnage in 1999 to 54.6% in 2024. That year, China launched 1,400 merchant vessels, whereas the US launched only five.

The administration has now taken a major step in turning that ship around.

Vice President JD Vance joined Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) on Wednesday in breaking ground at the site