President Donald Trump’s administration is touting a two-pronged strategy to push domestic manufacturing and offset Chinese dominance, as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, as well as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, showcase domestic steel and nuclear-powered cargo vessels.
Nuclear-Powered Vessels With Unlimited Range
In a video posted on the social media platform X on Saturday, Duffy said that the Department of Transportation (DOT) was fast-tracking the construction of a new fleet of vessels that will help “dominate China” in the sector.
Duffy said the planned nuclear-powered cargo ships would have more cargo capacity because they would not need conventional fuel tanks, could offer crossings up to 75% faster and operate for 20 years without refueling. He also touted a 2028 timeline. “The first NUCLEAR-POWERED vessel is set to be built in 2028,” he said.
Duffy had earlier shared details about incorporating small modular nuclear reactors for commercial shipping, with the U.S. Maritime Administration, or MARAD, seeking industry’s input on how Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) could help commercial cargo fleets.
Notably, China’s state-owned China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) is the largest shipbuilding company in the world and accounted for more than 30% of the world’s shipbuilding orders, according to a 2024 report by South China Morning Post.
Lutnick Touts Steel Push
On the other hand, Lutnick also took to X on Saturday, touting the U.S.’s domestic metal manufacturing push. “American workers are building massive steel components for our submarines, naval ships, and nuclear industry,” he said, visiting a facility in Pennsylvania. He called it the “strength of American manufacturing.”
The post comes days after U.S.-Canada trade talks collapsed amid disagreements over tariffs and market access, including Washington’s treatment of medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Lutnick subsequently blamed Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for the breakdown, accusing him of prioritizing political ambitions
On the other hand, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said that the topic of medium- and heavy-duty pickup trucks was separate from the Section 232 tariffs on automobiles.
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