Revitalizing US shipbuilding and the merchant marine

If the United States sought to revive shipbuilding and the merchant marine for military support, should it begin with existing single-customer yards or new yards?

The panel favors new yards to preserve ongoing construction during reorganization. It also distinguishes US-flag commercial shipping from reserve support fleets and questions how much spare capacity commercial operators would provide.

The question is first read as nationalization, then reconsidered as revitalization of shipbuilding and the merchant marine. New yards are preferred in the discussion because taking over and reorganizing existing yards could interrupt construction already under way. A panelist proposes congressional funding and purchase of suitable shoreline land for additional building capacity. The exchange also distinguishes a commercial fleet carrying cargo under the US flag from gray support ships and the merchant reserve. Contracting Maersk as in the Gulf War is raised as an alternative, followed by the objection that commercial operators have little reason to pay for spare capacity they are not using.