Tanker Security Program (Maritime Administration Final Rule)

Current understanding

To be populated as evidence accumulates.

Evidence log

• 2025-04-30 — SHIPS for America Act of 2025: cross-connection with ships-for-america-act: SHIPS Act would expand sealift/merchant marine capacity, building on existing Tanker Security Program authorities administered by MARAD. (novelty: 3)
• 2026-07-23 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to support the national defense and economic security of the United States by incentivizing the construction of United States shipyards.: cross-connection with us-shipyard-construction-incentives: Shipyard construction incentives would expand domestic building capacity that programs like the Tanker Security Program rely on for U.S.-flag/U.S.-built tonnage. (novelty: 2)
• 2025-12-18 — National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026: NDAA FY2026 (P.L. 119-60) authorizes DOD sealift and maritime security policies for FY2026, the broader national-defense context that the Tanker Security Program’s militarily useful U.S.-flag tanker fleet is designed to support. (novelty: 2)
• 2026-06-04 — Establishing United States Citizenship for MARAD Program Participation; Simplifying the Application Process: Related MARAD final rule simplifies U.S. citizenship establishment for program participation (eliminating birth-date/place disclosures, notarization, and certain stock-ownership reporting), affecting the application process participants use to qualify for MARAD fleet programs including the Tanker Security Program. (novelty: 2)
• 2026-06-23 — Tanker Security Program: MARAD issued the final rule adopting the 2022 interim final rule with incremental changes from public comments, formalizing the fleet of privately owned U.S. product tank vessels to support national defense and U.S. presence in international commercial shipping. (novelty: 2)

Open questions

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