〆Breaking News〆SHIPS for America Act Reintroduced by US Lawmakers　船舶法、米議員が再発議。日本など同盟国の船舶を米国籍として短期利用

In a significant move aimed at bolstering the US maritime sector, a bipartisan group of US lawmakers has reintroduced the “SHIPS for America Act” (Shipbuilding and Harbour Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security Act) on 30 April 2025 (local time) in the 119th US Congress. Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat, and Republican lawmakers spearheaded the initiative.

The bill, which had originally been introduced in December 2024 but was automatically discarded following the end of the 118th Congress, is now back on the legislative agenda. At a press conference on 30 April, Senator Kelly, the driving force behind the bill, declared, “The message is simple: Make American ships again.”

A key feature of the reintroduced legislation is the plan to secure a fleet of 250 vessels by allowing the short-term use of ships from allied nations, including Japan, under the US flag. The bill also allocates an annual budget of USD 250 million from fiscal years 2026 to 2035 for US shipbuilding projects.

Importantly, the bill sets out how the US intends to concretely respond to measures announced on 17 April by the US Trade Representative (USTR) under Section 301 of the Trade Act, targeting Chinese-related vessels, China-built ships, and foreign-built PCTCs (Pure Car and Truck Carriers) and LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) tankers.

Text by Hirofumi Yamamoto
Photo by Senator Mark Kelly Talks SHIP | SHIPs Act 2.0 Re-Introduced Into Congress | Between Two Sterns

〆Breaking News
「SHIPS for America（船舶法）」、米議員が再発議。
　250隻確保に向け日本など同盟国の船舶を米国籍として短期利用、米造船所プロジェクトに年間2億5000万ドル（2026～2035年度）盛り込む。

民主党のマーク・ケリー上院議員と共和党の議員は2025年4月30日（現地時間）、米国第119代議会、上院・下院に「米国の繁栄と安保のための造船業と港湾施設法」（SHIPS for America Act、船舶法）を再発議した。同法案は2024年12月に発議されたが、議会会期（第118代）の終了により自動的に廃棄されていた。法案が再提出された4月30日、法案を主導したマーク・ケリー上院議員（民主党）は記者会見を開き、「メッセージは単純だ。Make American ships again（アメリカの船を再び造ろう）」と述べた。

この再発議された船舶法は、4月17日に米国通商代表部（USTR）が発表した通商法301条に基づく中国関連船や中国建造船、外国建造のPCTCやLNG（液化天然ガス）タンカーへの措置に対し、米国が具体的にどのように目的を実現していくかを明らかにしたものである。

Text by Hirofumi Yamamoto

Photo by　Senator Mark Kelly Talks SHIP | SHIPs Act 2.0 Re-Introduced Into Congress | Between Two Sterns