We're gonna need a bigger boat-building industry

During World War II, the U.S. shipbuilding industry flourished. Now, it's nearly non-existent. China is the dominant shipbuilder in the world economy., On today's show, we look at what happened to American shipbuilding and the protectionist impulses that could stifle a revival.<br /><br /><strong>Related episodes:<br /></strong><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/06/24/1254640146/will-iran-block-the-strait-of-hormuz" target="_blank">Will Iran block the Strait of Hormuz?</a><br /><a href="https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1150847969" target="_blank">The great turnaround in shipping</a><br /><a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/03/23/1165688010/the-wide-open-possibility-of-the-high-seas" target="_blank">The wide open possibility of the high seas</a><br /><br /><em>For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at </em><a href="http://plus.npr.org/" target="_blank"><em>plus.npr.org</em></a><em>.<br /><br />Fact-checking by Tyler Jones. Music by </em><a href="https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/" target="_blank"><em>Drop Electric</em></a><em>. Find us: </em><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney" target="_blank"><em>TikTok</em></a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/" target="_blank"><em>Instagram</em></a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a>, <a href="https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money" target="_blank"><em>Newsletter</em></a><em>.</em><br /><br />See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>