There is fourth industrial revolution about to begin, and it is using technology to de-carbonize much of how we do things. Shipping will not be immune to this. Efforts are well underway to de-carbonize ocean shipping. Most of these efforts involve tweaking and tuning of existing technologies. And most of the worlds major shipbuilders seem complacent in this gradual approach, driven not by the sector, but by imposed regulations.
Due to the nature of shipbuilding, those countries with major investments in existing methods and technologies will be resistant to change. This is an opportunity for the US. The things that the US is very good at can be used here. Entrepreneurial spirit, innovation, cutting edge technology are competitive advantages for us.
Maybe it is time to stop blaming the lack of US shipbuilding on cheap labor in the east, and start looking at it as a new technology that we can not only compete in, but win.
Happy to hear thoughts.