Can lessons learned in space help us revitalize america’s maritime economy?
By Bruce Kimbrell (Policy Op-Ed)
On the 249th anniversary of the U.S. Navy’s founding, America celebrated an unexpected milestone—not at sea, but in space.
On October 13, 2024, SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, successfully landed a rocket booster after launch, showcasing the technical ingenuity that has reignited American leadership in space exploration. This achievement symbolized not just progress but the revival of the U.S. space program, which had once been plagued by inefficiency and public skepticism after the Challenger and Columbia disasters.
The convergence of this “space” moment with the maritime anniversary invites reflection on the strategies and leadership that transformed the U.S. space enterprise. The principles that were integral to America’s space resurgence are: bold leadership to challenge the status quo, market-driven innovation to press technological boundaries, and public-private partnerships to harness government and private resources.
Each principle was fundamental to the recovery of space and could be equally vital to turning around the U.S. maritime sector, charting a similar course for the seas.
Maritime Woes in the Early 21st Century
Like the U.S. space industry in the late 1990s and 2000s, the U.S. maritime sector faces significant challenges. Over the past several decades, shipbuilding capacity has dwindled, maritime infrastructure rapidly deteriorated, and the size and competitiveness of the U.S.-flagged fleet steadily declined.
At the same time, the shrinking domestic workforce has created a shortage of skilled labor, leading to inefficiencies in strategic sealift capacity and military shipbuilding. These challenges hinder the industry’s ability to be cost-effective and timely. Additionally, the global energy transition, driven by international policies and market forces, has introduced cost externalities, such as regulatory compliance and the need for infrastructure upgrades, further straining industry performance.
Moreover, the absence of a unified policy combining government and industry vision has hindered the U.S. maritime industry’s ability to compete globally, particularly against competitors like the PRC, whose subsidies, low-cost labor, and state-run enterprises have allowed them to dominate global markets. In fact, the PRC now boasts the world’s largest fleet and highest shipbuilding capacity, placing the U.S. at a disadvantage.
Collectively, these structural and geopolitical challenges underscore the urgent need for bold leadership, market-driven innovation, and public-private partnerships to unlock the full potential of both government and private sectors. With over 90% of global trade, 95% of global data transmissions, and emerging maritime frontiers like the Artic, the stakes at sea are high. As foreign competitors adapt by cultivating more maritime power, and their appetite for resources grows, the U.S. will face a pivotal choice: prioritize the maritime commons, or risk losing influence on the seas to global rivals.
Lessons from Space: A Framework for Maritime Revival
While the analogy is imperfect, the transformation of the U.S. space program offers a powerful blueprint for maritime recovery. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, space faced similar challenges to those confronting the maritime sector today.
The Challenger and Columbia disasters had severely eroded public trust in NASA’s ability to conduct safe missions. The space shuttle program became outdated and costly, and NASA struggled with budget constraints, inefficiency, and a lack of long-term vision. These issues were compounded by a fragmented approach to innovation and an absence of risk tolerance necessary to push the boundaries of space exploration.
However, over time, a paradigm shift took place—marked by the rise of private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin. By moving away from a government-dominated model, the U.S. fostered a competitive marketplace where private companies could take risks and push technological boundaries.
The result was not only the resurgence of American space exploration, but also the growth of a flourishing domestic space economy. This transformation demonstrates an important lesson: with clear government goals and effective collaboration with the private industry, even struggling sectors can be revitalized—though success requires navigating risks, overcoming challenges, and making sustained effort.
The U.S. maritime market can similarly thrive, by embracing public-private partnerships and industry’s ability to innovate, while the government provides clear goals, infrastructure, legal frameworks, and incentives to promote economic growth.
Comparing the Commons of Space and Sea
Maritime power evolved over centuries, shaped by competition, territorial disputes, and the quest for vital resources. Today, global maritime activities continue to be dominated by this same fierce struggle for power, often with actors who undermine U.S. interests, leaving our maritime stakeholders vulnerable to coercion.
In contrast, space is an uncharted frontier offering new opportunities, where U.S. companies are prosperous by focusing on innovation rather than entrenched competition or balance of power dynamics.
These realities make space and the seas seem quite different, yet both share the characteristic of being domains of the “commons“—areas that are not controlled by any single actor but are fiercely contested by many. In either domain, winning will require navigating complex grey zones, where state and non-state actors compete for influence over critical resources and strategic positions.
In this context, the U.S. must closely define its national interests and leverage the full spectrum of state power—naval, mercantile, and diplomatic—to safeguard them.
From Vulnerability to Vitality: Applying the Space Model to Restore Maritime Strength
Rival economies have undeniably contributed to the decline of America’s commercial maritime industry, strategic sealift, and military shipbuilding resilience. However, this decline also underscores a more fundamental issue: the absence of a proactive U.S. maritime policy that addresses the complexities of a global commons—where actors, both rogue and great powers, compete for influence, resources, and market share.
Without a cohesive and forward-thinking strategy, the U.S. risks not only losing economic ground but also its strategic position on the seas. Therefore, it is critical that we move from vulnerability to vitality by adopting a policy that reimagines America’s role in the global maritime system, much as we have done in space.
As an illustration, the U.S. carries just 0.04% of its own international trade, instead relying disproportionally on foreign shipping, a significant share of which is from our strategic competitors. This highlights how U.S. policies have prioritized naval power, and to a lesser extent sealift readiness, while neglecting the essential maritime economy needed to sustain those capabilities. The decline of America’s maritime power and PRC’s growing dominance in global maritime affairs, signifies the consequence of this neglect.
While this assessment is grim, the analogy with space offers a potential path forward. By adapting the principles that propelled the space economy—leveraging government leadership and market-driven innovation alongside private partnerships—America can restore maritime industry’s strength, ensuring the U.S. maintains naval power, protects the economic backbone of its maritime supremacy, and enhances its ability to influence the global commons.
Dealmakers to the Helm: 5 Strategic Deals to Accelerate Change
Having highlighted the urgent need for bold leadership and a long-term vision to revitalize the U.S. maritime sector, we now turn to specific actions that can drive meaningful change in our domestic industry—the agents of our maritime economy.
The pending introduction of the Ships Act for America by Congressman Michael Waltz (R-FL) and Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) stands as a prime example of maritime dealmaking in Congress. Their efforts call for a renewed national focus on reversing the decline of U.S. maritime power—principally by unleashing the market, which is the central theme.
With this foundation in place, the stage is set for bolder action—especially with the election of a new administration that may recognize the strategic value of championing maritime agreements to strengthen the nation’s maritime position.
These proposed initiatives align with the broader vision of revitalizing U.S. maritime power to accomplish our nation’s vital interests and priorities.
Deal #1: Opportunity for America’s Next President: Look from the Stars to the Seas
During President Donald Trump’s first term, he re-energized the space program with bold vision and leadership—likely achieving more for space than any president since John F. Kennedy—setting the stage for America’s return to the Moon, establishing Space Force, and igniting a booming space economy through market-driven innovation.
Given his success in space and the growing assertiveness of adversaries in the global maritime commons, this moment presents a rare opportunity for our next president to consider looking not only to the stars, but also to the seas.
While the oceans have long been overlooked, they may now represent a crucial frontier for President Trump’s grand strategy—serving as a platform to counter the growing assertiveness of authoritarian regimes—while restoring America’s unmatched global influence and securing our trade, energy independence, and maritime borders.
Should he choose to pursue it, a presidential vision focused on realigning America’s maritime strategy with its broader national interests would be exactly what the nation needs, ensuring the continued promotion and preservation of the American way of life.
Deal #2: Opportunity for Secretary of State: Launch an M7 Dialogue for Maritime Nations
To counter the coercive tactics of Iran, North Korea, Russia, and the PRC, the U.S. must leverage the seas to its advantage. Our rivals exploit the oceans to skirt sanctions, evade accountability, and gain influence in this “grey zone” of Great Power Competition.
Incoming Secretary Marco Rubio, with his strong commitment to U.S. maritime interests, could play a key role in establishing an M7 dialogue among maritime nations to counter global rivals and capitalize on international market trends. This could foster strategic partnerships and emphasize maritime threats from rivals, organizations, and nefarious influences, versus the regionally focused maritime coalitions we lead today.
Such talks, led by the U.S., would not only demonstrate America’s global leadership but also provide a platform to implement strategies that counter adversaries in the maritime. Additionally, this initiative could promote maritime bi-lateral trade discussions with key allies, strengthening our maritime economy through shared efforts in shipbuilding, shipping, and port modernization. Such agreements could create jobs at home while ensuring U.S. access to strategic global infrastructure abroad.
Deal #3: Opportunity for Secretary of Transportation: Launch a National Waterfront Revival with Maritime Prosperity Zones (MPZs)
The strength of any maritime nation lies not only in its global reach but also in the vitality of its local maritime communities. Under the leadership of incoming Secretary Sean Duffy, there is a unique chance to deliberate on incrementally establishing MPZs at strategic points across the nation, aimed at building more ships, carrying more U.S. trade, and leading the world in port operations—modernizing shipyards, ports, and maritime infrastructure along the way.
Derived from the Ships Act for America, MPZs could attract both public and private investment by providing incentives, promoting market-driven innovation, risk sharing initiatives, and workforce development. Moreover, local communities, industries, and state governments can collaborate with the administration to counter unfair trade practices that seek to displace or restrict America’s access to markets and the seas.
MPZs could also serve as the backbone of a revitalized maritime industry, attracting billions in private capital while creating thousands of high-paying jobs in key districts. By establishing these zones, the administration can position itself as a champion of working-class Americans, particularly in coastal communities that have been left behind. Such an initiative would energize a maritime economic revival.
Just as Cape Canaveral’s public-private partnership became a symbol of space innovation, advanced maritime hubs could accelerate our nation’s adoption of maritime technology and infrastructure—while delivering tangible economic benefits to voters.
Deal #4: Opportunity for Secretary of Commerce & Secretary of Energy to Amplify Energy Dominance: Broker U.S.-Flagged LNG & Oil Tankers
The key to American energy dominance lies not only in the resources we control but also in how we transport them. Incoming Secretary Howard Lutnick and Secretary Chris Wright could consider spearheading an initiative to attract more construction, acquisition, and operation of U.S.-flagged LNG & Oil tankers within our market.
Securing additional U.S.-flagged tanker capacity would not only support America’s energy dominance but also create thousands of high-skilled manufacturing jobs with shipyards and merchant mariner billets across the nation. By steering this effort, the administration can simultaneously advance energy security, drive economic growth, demonstrate support for domestic industry, and meet DoD’s critical requirements.
Consequently, this initiative would almost certainly have support in Congress–although it would also require complex financial risk sharing agreements, strong public–private relationships, working with Allies, and bold vision.
Deal #5: Opportunity for Secretary of Defense: Modernize the Ready Reserve Fleet (RRF)
Maintaining a RRF served a purpose within the historical context of strategic sealift readiness, however, times have changed. Rather than investing billions more to recapitalize the outdated RRF model, incoming Secretary Peter Hegseth might entertain debate over more efficient alternatives, such as a hybrid Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA) program that leverages commercially active American vessels for latent reserve capacity. We must evolve, which requires pragmatism and creativity.
A hybrid RRF model would allow American ships under VISA agreements to remain in commercial operation while still being ready for deployment when needed. With the right vessel mix, this approach could offer the same strategic sealift capabilities as the current model—with all the savings and none of the inefficiencies.
By shifting to a hybrid commercial model, the administration can eliminate waste, ensure strategic sealift capacity, and demonstrate fiscal responsibility—a priority for voters concerned about government spending. This reform could also strengthen public–private maritime partnerships, creating a win-win for both national security and the economy.
The Path Forward: A Bold Maritime Vision
Together, these five maritime deals offer a pathway to harnessing the instruments of national power—unleashing market forces that will fuel a robust maritime economy, strengthen naval power, and create a mutually reinforcing maritime ecosystem.
This ecosystem will provide options for reshaping our relationship with the seas and asserting sovereignty in the global commons, driven by our national interests and supported by a coalition of like-minded maritime Allies.
For the incoming administration, crafting a Presidential vision akin to Space Policy Directive-1—focused on an ambitious high level goal similar to returning to the moon—could be highly instructive. The prospect of defining America’s maritime future carries significant weight in a multipolar world, where securing and influencing the commons is increasingly pivotal to the American way of life and the world’s strategic environment.
Under President Trump’s leadership, the new administration will have the opportunity to determine the scope and scale of this vision—and assess whether these proposals are actionable—considering the many competing strategic challenges facing our nation.
READ NEXT: Op-Ed: U.S. Merchant Mariner Shortage Demands Action Now
Commander Bruce Kimbrell is a career naval officer with deployments in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. He has previously supported strategic maritime initiatives for the Offices’ of the Chief of Naval Operations, Secretary of the Navy, and U.S. Congressman Michael Waltz.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Navy, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
Unlock Exclusive Insights Today!
Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.