Abstract : The United States Shipbuilding Industry is a dichotomy. The US builds the world s most technologically advanced warships but remains non-competitive in the large commercial vessel international market. High labor and material costs and low productivity have essentially erased the global market share for large US-built commercial ships. On the other hand, cheap labor and materials, smart business practices, and heavy government investment have led to substantial market shares for the Asian rim. Fortunately, the lack of a viable commercial market doesn't negatively impact US national security, but keeping the industry afloat does affect the nation's economy.