Designing the Fleet

(Article originally published in May/June 2026 edition.)

In February, the U.S. government released the long-awaited Maritime Action Plan (MAP).

For decades, American shipbuilding capacity has shrunk while strategic competitors have expanded and solidified their market share. Less than one percent of new commercial ships are now built in the U.S.

With only 66 total shipyards – consisting of eight active shipbuilding yards, 11 shipyards with build positions, 22 repair yards with drydocking and 25 topside repair yards – the report posits that the U.S. does not have the capacity to scale up to the rate required to meet national priorities.

The plan has four core pillars:

Rebuild shipbuilding capacity
Reform workplace education
Protect the maritime industrial base
Support national security resilience.

The first pillar seeks to stimulate growth of the U.S.-flagged fleet by developing reliable revenue streams and targeted procurement commitments to encourage private investment in U.S.-built and U.S.-flagged commercial vessels.

But there's a very big step that takes place before the first steel can be cut.

TRANSFORMING VISION INTO DESIGN

"Ships don't begin in a shipyard," says Morgan Fanberg, CEO of Glosten – a full-service, Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy founded in 1958 – "shipbuilding begins at the design desk."

Naval architects, marine and electrical engineers and production teams work to translate the client's operational needs into practical, buildable vessels. Expanding shipyard capability means maintaining and developing ship design and engineering capability as well.

The successful execution of MAP requires investment across the entire building supply chain: shipyards, tradespeople, mariners, owners, regulators and the independent engineering and naval architecture firms that transform vision into practical vessel designs.

This becomes especially important when you consider that shipbuilding itself is becoming increasingly complex.

"The industry is dealing with alternative fuels, hybrid propulsion, autonomy, aging fleets, workforce shortages, supply chain issues and increasing regulatory requirements, often all within the same project," says Fanberg. "A primary challenge is that technology is moving faster than real-world operating experience, which requires not just smart, adaptive people to adapt to these changes but a steadfast philosophy on how to manage these changes effectively."

The design and architecture work performed by these smart, adaptive people is just as important to preserve and grow as the shipyard infrastructure itself. It's the technical foundation upon which the modern shipbuilding industry relies and should be considered as playing a key role in any discussion of expanding shipbuilding capability.

Training, education and opportunities for advancement through an exciting career are all key considerations and require investment across the entire industry.

"Rebuilding the U.S. maritime industry is not simply about building more ships," Fanberg explains. "It's about rebuilding and sustaining the technical capability that made American maritime innovation strong in the first place."

ADVANCED ENGINEERING

Marine engineering is evolving rapidly as new technologies, aging fleets and changing operational requirements reshape the way vessels are designed and maintained.

Robert Ekse, President of Elliott Bay Design Group, is charting the course for the next generation of engineers after decades spent working at the intersection of engineering innovation and real-world vessel operations.

In this new, data-driven world, designers have more visibility into how vessels behave in service – fuel use, load profiles, routes and environmental conditions – that may otherwise be difficult to articulate. This creates a feedback loop that improves how to approach new vessel designs or modifications.

"AI will add the most value in areas where engineers benefit from faster iteration, automation of tasks and better model prediction," Ekse explains. "This may include getting to visual concept design, structural and hydrodynamic optimization and, eventually, automated checks for regulatory compliance. The work ahead of us is to iterate these tools to ensure the output can be appropriately used by humans to allow this product to inform our work."

Elliot Bay's modern practices extend beyond technology and extend to the people as well as the company embraces both in-house collaboration and remote flexibility.

"Switching to a hybrid office environment has allowed us to recruit from a much wider pool of talent," Ekse says, "It supports more diverse perspectives and working styles, which strengthens our teams and our solutions. We've also found that we have much better local access to a greater number of our clients."

This approach to work-life balance is a welcome one for the next generation of engineers and designers, for whom Ekse offers this final piece of advice: "The engineers who excel in the coming decades will combine strong fundamentals with comfort in digital tools, data analytics and emerging technologies. Just as important is the mindset: Be collaborative. Be customer-focused, and never lose sight of the operational realities that drive our clients' decisions. The industry is changing quickly, but the need for thoughtful, practical engineering remains constant."

FAMILY AFFAIR

The marine industry is steeped in tradition, and the engineering side of the business is no different.

Massachusetts-based Gilbert Associates is a naval architecture and engineering firm with decades of experience in vessel operations, construction and design. Founded by John W. "Jack" Gilbert in 1964, nine years after graduating with a B.S. in Marine Engineering & Naval Architecture from the University of Michigan, Jack was a licensed Professional Engineer who also served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

During his career as President of John W. Gilbert Associates, Jack oversaw the design and construction of over 400 vessels, beginning with the company's first-ever design – the 33' wooden steam tug C.L. Churchill.

Continuing this proud tradition is John W. Gilbert Jr. With 50 years' experience in ship design and related operations, as well as project coordination and management, John oversees all the company's contracts to ensure milestones are on track and budgets are met, not to mention the duties associated with management and the acquisition of new work.

Not stopping there, John's brother, Peter Gilbert, returned to the company as a mechanical engineer in 2023 following an accomplished career in engineering and consulting.

From that first tug design the firm has steadily progressed to the present day, adding the requisite skills and addressing the realities of modern operations: stricter emissions standards, energy efficiency and new onboard technologies. A prime example is the M/V Capt. Almer Dinsmore, a hybrid passenger vessel for the Maine State Ferry Service. Gilbert Associates adapted the vessel design to accommodate complex lithium-ion batteries and advanced electrical systems.

Another recent example is the M/V Charles Norman Shay, designed using full 3D modeling and finite element analysis. These digital tools played a key role in modeling, construction and Coast Guard verification.

Ultimately, innovation in workboat design isn't about novelty – it's about necessity. The best designs solve real problems, making a vessel work better, safer and longer.

CONSTANT EVOLUTION

As the maritime industry continues to evolve, the balance between innovation, operational realities and long-term fleet strategy will remain central to the work of marine engineers. Firms like Glosten, Elliot Bay and Gilbert Associates bring unique perspectives, shaped by decades of technical experience and industry leadership.

Without these strong domestic technical capabilities supporting the commercial maritime sector, we risk losing not only engineering jobs but also the intellectual infrastructure that allows

America to innovate, respond to evolving market needs and remain globally competitive in an increasingly complex and technically demanding maritime environment.

Rebuilding the U.S. maritime industry doesn't just mean more shipyards building more ships. It means preserving and strengthening the technical capability that allow those vessels to be built in the first place.

Sean Hogue is a Master Mariner and Vice President of Marine Assurance at Baker Marine Solutions

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.