On Dec. 19, U.S. Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Todd Young (R-IN), along with Congressmen John Garamendi (D-CA) and Trent Kelly (R-MS) introduced the SHIPS for America Act in response to a perceived need to bolster America’s maritime industry. The bill aims to revitalize the U.S. Merchant Marine to transport vital goods and military cargo during times of conflict while reinforcing American supply chains in peacetime. Currently, about 80 U.S.-flagged ships are engaged in international commerce compared to over 5,500 China-flagged vessels, and U.S. shipyards’ growing industrial base cannot produce oceangoing vessels at scale, the officials said in a statement.…