The British proposal extends naval investment into overseas shipyards and global fleet support. Those facilities would also develop local civil shipbuilding and maintenance. Modernizing the merchant fleet would involve newer boilers and improved construction methods, including welding. A worldwide support network would help shipping lines adopt the changes. Some form of sponsorship could encourage companies to replace or improve ships that otherwise risked stagnating through the interwar period.
Notable Point · 2:11:32-2:12:41
Modernizing the merchant fleet through overseas shipyards
Overseas yards and naval maintenance networks would support merchant-fleet modernization as well as warship operations.