New Southeast Michigan coalition supports federal efforts to revitalize US shipbuilding
University of Michigan, Macomb Community College partner with major ports, innovation leaders in regional effort to obtain Maritime Prosperity Zone designation.
Experts
Thomas McKenney
Southeast Michigan is one of the nation’s most promising regions for catalyzing growth in the United States’ maritime sector, according to a new coalition that aims to help federal efforts to reinvigorate the nation’s shipbuilding industry with support from over 30 organizations across four counties.
The coalition includes the University of Michigan, the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority, Newlab, LIFT and Macomb Community College. It brings together leaders in the maritime industry, manufacturing, welding, workforce training and local governments to harness and expand the region’s expertise and infrastructure to advance America’s commercial and military shipbuilding industry.
With 3,200 miles of shoreline, 33 active ports and a central position along the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway, Michigan provides a secure inland alternative to traditional coastal shipbuilding regions. And Southeast Michigan is a critical hub, coalition members say.
“Southeast Michigan has extensive expertise in its world-class R&D institutions and strong military and commercial manufacturing sector,” said Thomas McKenney, U-M professor of practice in naval architecture and marine engineering who co-led the formation of the coalition.
“These assets, combined with the region’s industrial capacity, central location and unique access to inland, deepwater ports position it as one of the nation’s most promising locations for a Maritime Prosperity Zone. A designation here would transform America’s industrial heartland into a vital inland hub for resilient shipbuilding, energy innovation and maritime security.”
Maritime Prosperity Zones were established by Executive Order in April 2025 to incentivize domestic and allied investment in shipbuilding, maritime manufacturing and port infrastructure. The coalition is advocating to receive the designation. MPZs become top priorities for federal support and private investment to rebuild U.S. shipbuilding.
Michigan is primed to deliver on the opportunity. The state has been developing a statewide maritime strategy under the leadership of McKenney and a $50 million partnership with the U.S. Navy, Department of Defense and Department of Labor called the Michigan Maritime Manufacturing Initiative. Through the initiative, Macomb Community College has received a $15.4 million investment from the Navy to fast-track a maritime welding and machining program.
The Maritime Prosperity Zone endorsed by coalition supporters encompasses Washtenaw, Monroe, Wayne and Macomb counties, which offer unique geographical, educational and industrial assets that form a robust maritime innovation ecosystem.
Through Lake St. Clair, the Detroit River and Lake Erie, the region provides access to:
- Iron mines and limestone quarries along the Upper Great Lakes
- The St. Lawrence Seaway and Atlantic Ocean
- The industrial and economic core of Canada, which is collaborating with the U.S. on shipbuilding via the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort
- Two major ports in Detroit and Monroe that are actively developing new technologies and undergoing major improvements
The Port of Detroit is collaborating with U-M on advanced fuel technologies—including a barge that could potentially power docked ships with nuclear energy, biofuels or hydrogen rather than from the electric grid. The Port of Monroe has been receiving upgrades that could make it Michigan’s first port that can manage shipping containers from international, ocean-going trade. It also serves as a real-world testing environment for projects such as Newlab’s prototype autonomous boats for underwater mapping.
“The Port of Detroit has the capacity, expertise and existing collaborations to serve as the perfect springboard for new federally supported projects between academia, industry and local government to advance our nation’s maritime strength,” said Jonathan Kinloch, chair of the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority.
The R&D and industrial assets that contribute to the region’s maritime leadership include:
- The University of Michigan, a national leader in shipbuilding and maritime research. It hosts one of the nation’s largest tanks for testing and designing ships and the nation’s only devoted naval architecture and marine engineering program at a university with very high research output (R1 classification).
- Newlab Detroit, a venture platform fostering maritime and logistics solutions, and LIFT, an institute that accelerates the development and adoption of advanced materials and manufacturing processes. These organizations connect academic researchers and startups with commercial partners to prototype new ideas and bring them to scale.
- A supply chain network with over 300 suppliers already used for naval shipbuilding that can be expanded and adapted to support growing commercial maritime manufacturing and repair needs.
“What makes Southeast Michigan especially compelling is that its geography and supply chain strength are now intersecting with a new wave of maritime startups looking for places where they can test, deploy and scale,” said Colleen Hau, managing director at Newlab. “A Maritime Prosperity Zone would help convert that early startup momentum into durable commercial activity.”
The region’s colleges and universities provide world-class educational opportunities and a robust workforce spanning from technicians to leaders:
- Macomb Community College trains skilled workers specialized in maritime manufacturing, building up to 200 students graduating each year from their maritime skilled training program.
- U-M naval architecture and marine engineering graduates, totaling more than 1,800 over the past 30 years, including more than 800 doctoral students.
- Avenues for the region’s students to learn from important allies in the Pacific through U-M’s growing educational partnerships with South Korea’s leading university and shipbuilding company.
“Michiganders know how to harness the opportunities for innovation, exploration and prosperity presented by the waterways that flow through our state and surround it,” said Karen A. Thole, the Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering. “The University of Michigan has played a pivotal role in those efforts for more than a century and we’re proud to align our efforts with this regional coalition to amplify our impact across this state and beyond.”
The following organizations support the coalition’s bid for the Maritime Prosperity Zone designation:
Industrial and professional partners
Accu-Tech Manufacturing, a metal and plastic fabrication, machining and assembly in Macomb County; Bay Shore Steel Works, a machining, fabricating and finishing company located in northwest Michigan; Butzel Attorneys and Counselors; JZ Global Solutions, a global provider of technical documentation, translation and industrial task support software based in Sterling Heights; Lank Mark Industries, a provider of quality and assembly services to the automotive and other manufacturing industry leaders, based in Dearborn; NTL Industries, a manufacturing company in Sterling Heights; Sapa Transmission, a developer of defense mobility technologies; Vivet Technology, a manufacturing company in Dearborn
Business incubators, accelerators and associations
Ann Arbor SPARK, a startup accelerator; Arsenal Alliance Executive Committee, a regional initiative by Sterling Heights and Warren to grow the defense industry in Southeast Michigan; BlueForge Alliance, a nonprofit, neutral integrator that supports the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base initiatives; Detroit Regional Partnership, an economic development program in the Detroit Region; LIFT, the National Advanced Materials and Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Institute; Macomb Regional APEX Accelerator; National Defense Industrial Association–Michigan; Newlab; Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological University
Local government bodies
City of Ecorse; City of Sterling Heights; Detroit Wayne County Port Authority; Macomb County; Port of Monroe
Educational and research institutions
Macomb Community College; University of Michigan Economic Growth Institute; University of Michigan Innovation Partnerships