February 19th, 2026 – The Trump administration recently released a sweeping blueprint aimed at revitalizing the U.S. maritime sector, with its financial foundation centered on the creation of a Maritime Security Trust Fund (MSTF). The fund would be supported largely through new taxes on foreign-owned vessels calling at U.S. ports.
The initiative, named America’s Maritime Action Plan, proposes a universal infrastructure or security fee that would apply to all foreign-built commercial vessels. The charge would be calculated based on the weight of imported cargo tonnage carried aboard those ships. The plan also introduces a separate fee targeting imports arriving through land routes.
Although no specific rate was formally adopted, the document outlines two scenarios to show potential revenue. Under one option, a fee of 1 cent per kilogram could raise roughly $66 billion over a decade, while a higher rate of 25 cents per kilogram could yield nearly $1.5 trillion, though it remains unclear how these estimates were calculated.
Officials argue that because foreign-built vessels benefit from access to the U.S. market, requiring them to contribute financially would help support the long-term revitalization of American maritime capabilities. The proposal echoes earlier tariff discussions between the United States and China, when both nations had planned tonnage-based measures against each other until a one-year suspension was enacted last November as part of a broader trade deal.
Beyond new fees, the action plan lays out a broad strategy to rebuild domestic shipbuilding capacity, strengthen the maritime industrial base, expand the number of U.S.-built and U.S.-flagged commercial vessels operating internationally, and eliminate what it describes as burdensome regulations through deregulatory reforms.
The plan’s introduction notes that America’s strategic maritime position and shipbuilding capacity have weakened over decades, citing a lack of strategic focus, cumbersome procurement processes, and insufficient support for commercial vessel construction in domestic shipyards.
This action plan builds on an executive order issued by President Donald Trump last April calling for the restoration of American maritime dominance. Spanning 40 pages, it includes several concrete proposals, most notably the MSTF, which would be supported by new revenue streams.
The administration emphasizes that stable, long-term funding through the trust would provide consistent backing for shipbuilding investments, fleet expansion, industrial resilience, and maritime workforce development. Authorized spending would include programs designed to strengthen the domestic maritime sector.
Revitalizing shipbuilding is described as the cornerstone of the strategy to restore U.S. maritime strength and self-sufficiency. The plan highlights that only eight shipyards in the country can currently build vessels longer than 400 feet.
To address this, it calls for major investment in commercial shipyards, including upgrades to drydocks, heavy-lift and gantry cranes, panel lines, and automated handling systems to support higher production rates and large hull construction.
In addition to maritime port fees, the plan proposes a Land Port Maintenance Tax, designed as an equivalent to the existing Harbor Maintenance Tax. This would impose a levy of 0.125% on the value of merchandise entering the United States through land ports. Revenue would flow into a newly created Land Port Maintenance Trust Fund (LPMTF) to support land port infrastructure improvements.
The blueprint also recommends creating a Strategic Commercial Fleet (SCF) made up of U.S.-built vessels operating in international trade. The administration argues this fleet would provide redundancy needed to sustain global military logistics while ensuring the steady flow of goods into the U.S. economy. Vessels in the SCF would receive financial assistance for construction and operations to compete against subsidized foreign rivals.
Many elements of the plan require Congressional approval. The administration said it is preparing a legislative package to be submitted after the release of Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget request. It is urging Congress to enact the measures alongside existing legislative efforts to ensure the U.S. maritime industry can meet the demands of global competition, national defense, and economic growth.
