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United States and Denmark signed a memorandum of understanding on maritime cooperation Thursday. The deal aims to speed up training for American shipyard workers, draw Danish investment to U.S. shipyards and give American builders access to advanced technology, the U.S. State Department said.
Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen signed the document on behalf of their governments.
The State Department said the partnership is meant to help train the American shipbuilding workforce faster and attract Danish investment to U.S. shipyards.
It also would give American shipbuilders advanced technology to build and repair vessels more quickly and at a lower cost.
The department said the result would be more well-paid blue-collar jobs in American communities and a stronger U.S. maritime industrial base.
It said the memorandum “will help create American jobs, strengthen U.S. security,” and serve as a first step toward a broader U.S.-Denmark maritime partnership.
The department framed the agreement as part of an effort by the United States to rebuild its maritime strength with trusted allies.
It cited President Donald Trump’s Executive Order on Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance and the Maritime Action Plan.
Under those measures, the department said, Washington is expanding shipbuilding capacity, growing a skilled workforce and securing its supply chains.
The State Department and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs will lead implementation of the memorandum. The announcement did not give a timeline, financial figures or details on specific shipyards, projects or technologies.
Denmark has long been one of the world’s prominent maritime nations and is home to A.P. Moller-Maersk, one of the largest container shipping companies.
The United States, by contrast, has seen its commercial shipbuilding capacity shrink for decades, and Washington has increasingly looked to allies with established shipbuilding and shipping expertise.
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