The Crisis in U.S. Shipbuilding: A 60 Minutes Investigation
In a sobering examination of the state of the U.S. shipbuilding industry, “60 Minutes” delves into a reality where the nation is facing serious economic and national security risks. As highlighted in the report, China produces over 1,000 cargo ships annually, while the United States is barely managing to deliver three. This stark contrast raises alarms about the future of American maritime capabilities.
The report, set against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s warnings, underscores the urgent need for a revitalization of American shipbuilding. The implications extend far beyond the docks; national defense, trade security, and job creation are all at stake as the industry crumbles.
“60 Minutes,” which has been delivering hard-hitting investigative journalism since 1968, continues its legacy of revealing critical issues that impact everyday lives. With its signature blend of in-depth interviews and powerful features, this episode probes the consequences of a weakened shipbuilding sector and poses crucial questions about the U.S.’s ability to compete on the global stage.
For further insights and to explore this critical issue, be sure to subscribe to the “60 Minutes” YouTube channel and stay connected through their various platforms.
Watch the video by 60 Minutes
About 60 Minutes
“60 Minutes,” the most successful television broadcast in history. Offering hard-hitting investigative reports, interviews, feature segments and profiles of people in the news, the broadcast began in 1968 and is still a hit, over 50 seasons later, regularly making Nielsen’s Top 10.
Video “Collapse of U.S. shipbuilding poses national and economic security risks | 60 Minutes” was uploaded on 03/23/2026 to Youtube Channel 60 Minutes

































I have to say they are misleading on LNG barges. They make them at Fincantieri in Wisconsin.
Pretty poorly told story
Thanks for another fear based news article!
What crisis? We build only an handful of ships a year. It’s nothing, and peasily. Nothing will happen. You are making it out like we are Korea, China or Japan. Heck the Philippines makes more ships than the US.
Thank God for Donald trump. Unlike all of our previous presidents he doesn’t ignore pressing issues.
You should be ashamed of yourself for asking that question! South Korea is a trusted ally!!! China is not! Yet the make our power grids! China delivers our oil! China makes our pharmaceuticals! China makes and copies alot of our goods!!! China has laces our fields with pesticides!!! China workers found in our rural counties especially California to work on bio labs! China made ALL OF OUR PPE during COVID!!! LIKE, DO I NEED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH MORE? BECAUSE THERE IS A LIST OF THINGS THAT OUR VERY OWN ADVERSARY "PROVIDES FOR US" DONT GET ME STARTED ON THE FOOD INDUSTRY!!!! 😤😡 YOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF YOUR SELF FOR ASKING IF THIS SHOULD BE AN EMBARRASSMENT TO US AS A NATION FOR ALLOWING A TRUSTED FRIEND TO HELP US BUILD AND RESTORE WHAT THESE DEMOCRATS HAVE DESTROYED!!!!!! UGHHHH YALL DSIGUST ME!!!
We get tariffs against the USA and now Trump increased tariffs on other countries to level the playing field!!!! That's a fact!!! Maybe if other countries would lower their tariffs then the US would lower theirs as well!!!! Funny how 60 minutes doesn't talk about that problem!!! The US has been paying crazy tariffs to other countries for years so it's about time we finally have a president hitting back at them!!!! If people can't see this then you have zero common sense!!!!
If our navy got wiped out this country would be gone.
I work for a ship builder and a rear-Admiral from the US Navy to take a tour of one of our facilities and then spoke to everyone afterwards, and he expressed his concern about China building 3-4 ships to our one but he did not mention that those ships are required to meet military specs so they can be easily weaponized during a conflict? – Tennessee Strong
U.S. no.1 enemy is the U.S.
You won't find this type of coverage on Fox News
Looking at the VR training, there is a program in Florida for disabled folks to learn trade jobs using VR training. timelines for training are shortened because of it.
to be fair, Puerto Rico has been asking for YEARS to get the Jones act waived because as a US territory, they are extremely limited by the Act. The US government for YEARS and multiple administrations haven't given relief. So if they are importing from Russia, that's on the US's fault.
This is sad for America bring our manufacturing back . This hurts to watch 😢
If China 🇨🇳 is not under constant threat of attacks and sanctions from America… why would they spend the last 20 years spending billions of dollars building up their Military capabilities? ❤
The rest of the world is revelling in the sight of America collapsing in on itself. It's even funnier watching the MAGA crowd put so much faith in trump, when it's obvious to many outside of America that trump is just accelerating the demise 😂
What kind of fool insults and punishes his friends and allies? It doesn't take long before you have no allies.
Let MAGA make everything more expensive and make sure the US has no workers for the new industrialization 😂😂😂😂
but you didn't report on this 10 yearas ago
See jobs are gone in the United States of America
BS !!!!!!!!!
Ha, social media seems to be paying well enough in America as a result (partly, if not largely) a lot of traditional jobs look a lot less appealing.