Bill aims to beef up US shipbuilding

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is hoping to cure America’s maritime-industry woes with the introduction Thursday of an ambitious bill cheekily dubbed the SHIPS (Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security) for America Act. The bill aims to narrow the vast gap between U.S. and Chinese shipbuilding capacity and improve the Pentagon’s ability to move forces and materiel in a conflict. Currently, the U.S. has 80 flagged commercial shipping vessels to China&rs