Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA)

08/14/2026

Step onto the yard floor, and you see it. American shipbuilding isn’t lacking. It’s rising.

In the recent Cavas Ships Podcast, Christopher Cavas and USNI News reporters Mallory Shelbourne and Sam LaGrone discuss their tour across Gulf Coast shipyards, from family-owned yards to Tier 1 primes. They found an industry that is energized and modernizing, with new fabrication halls going up, advanced robotics and automated panel lines coming online, VR welder training, and a workforce bringing real skill and pride to every hull.

The capacity is here. The technology is here. The workforce is ready.

What’s needed now is sustained demand and a long-term vision to match, so American shipbuilding can keep climbing. 🚢🇺🇸

Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. This week…we are joined today by our colleagues at USNI News, Sam Lagrone and Mallory Sh...

07/27/2026

SCA's Matthew Paxton joined Christopher Cavas on the CavasShips podcast, where he breaks down why outsourcing our shipbuilding to foreign yards weakens our maritime industrial base - from the loss of skilled labor and critical infrastructure to the long-term national security risks of depending on other nations to build our fleet.

He makes the case that now is the time to double down on investment here at home, strengthening U.S. shipyards, increasing our workforce, and growing the industrial capacity our nation needs for the fleet of the future.

Listen to the full episode below!

Welcome to the CavasShips Podcast with Christopher P. Cavas and Chris Servello…a weekly podcast looking at naval and maritime events and issues of the day – in the US, across the seas and around the world. This week…Is the Navy and its resulting shipbuilding approach prepared to take advantage...

07/20/2026

American shipbuilders aren't the problem - they're the solution.

China has surpassed the U.S. in total battle force ships. The answer isn't sending taxpayer dollars to foreign yards in Japan or South Korea; it's finally investing in the American shipyards, workers, and supply chains that are ready to scale right now.

In 535 News, SCA's Matthew Paxton lays out why offshoring naval construction risks classified technology, weakens the industrial base for a generation, and undercuts the workforce that keeps our Navy and our sailors safe.

America's shipbuilders aren't asking for protection. We're asking for the investment that lets American industry compete at full strength.

Read the full piece below!

At the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit, President Trump again stated that he wants reconciliation dollars spent on ships built overseas. But as Congress allocates those taxpayer funds, it and the White House should ask whether we’ve actually exhausted what American yards can do.The desi...

07/07/2026

The Pentagon wants $1.85B to build Navy ships in Japan & South Korea. America stands ready to meet the demand right here at home.

On Mission Critical Podcast, SCA President Matt Paxton breaks down how automation, distributed manufacturing, and U.S. workers can build the fleet of the future.

Watch here:

The Pentagon wants $1.85 billion to explore building U.S. Navy vess...

06/10/2026

SCA's Senior Defense Advisor, Kevin Terry, will be speaking at Marine Log Magazine's Ship Repair USA for a discussion on how evolving Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and MARAD budget priorities could impact maintenance and repair activity in the years ahead.

At a pivotal moment for the maritime industrial base and as the nation works to expand its fleet, domestic ship repair remains a core part of the industrial base that keeps vessels operational and mission ready. Keeping this work here at home is essential to preserving the skilled workforce and industrial capacity the US relies on to maintain fleet readiness and strengthen national security.

05/27/2026

SCA's Matthew Paxton recently shared insights in a Letter to the Editor in The Wall Street Journal regarding the critical importance of upholding the Jones Act.

Granting extensions on Jones Act waivers directly contradicts efforts to rebuild and modernize our domestic shipyard industrial base.

We must prioritize our domestic supply chains, national sovereignty, and the thousands of American workers who keep our maritime borders secure.

05/22/2026

On National Maritime Day, SCA recognizes the hardworking men and women of the U.S. shipbuilding and ship repair industry who strengthen our national security and support communities across the country. From our shipbuilders and repair workers to our mariners and skilled tradespeople, their dedication and craftsmanship power America every day.

We thank those who continue to build, maintain, and operate the vessels that support our nation at home and around the world. 🇺🇸

05/19/2026

Last week, SCA concluded its 2026 Annual Spring Meeting in Washington, DC, following two days of productive discussions, fireside chats, and remarks from leading maritime champions in Congress. SCA members came together to discuss the future of the U.S. maritime industry, strengthen partnerships across the sector, and advance shared priorities critical to America’s economic and national security.

A big thank you to our sponsors, The American Equity Underwriters, Inc., Signal Mutual, and Mensura Capital, LLC, as well as our guest speakers Senator Mark Kelly, Senator Todd Young, Congressman Joe Courtney, Congressman Rick Larsen, Congressman Mike Ezell, and many others, along with our industry partners and member companies, for joining us. Together, we are building the momentum needed to further strengthen America’s maritime industry, deliver the fleet of the future, and ensure the sector remains a cornerstone of our nation’s security and global competitiveness. 🚢🇺🇸

05/18/2026

SCA congratulates the recipients of the 2026 Safety Awards for their outstanding dedication to maintaining strong safety standards across their operations.

We thank the facilities and the hardworking men and women behind them for their continued leadership, vigilance, and commitment to fostering a culture of safety throughout the industry. 🇺🇸

05/06/2026

The recent Jones Act waiver extension is a step in the wrong direction for strengthening U.S. maritime security.

While intended as a short-term response, it risks undercutting American shipbuilding capacity, weakening investor confidence in the domestic maritime industry, and opening U.S. trade routes to increased foreign competition at the expense of U.S. yards and mariners.

The United States needs targeted, disciplined policy tools that strengthen national security without eroding the industrial base required to sustain it.

Read more from SCA Vice Chairman and Master Boat Builders, Inc.'s Garrett Rice in RealClearPolitics below.
https://www.realclearpolicy.com/articles/2026/04/30/the_jones_act_waiver_a_gift_to_china_and_natos_iran_onlookers_1179993.html