AUVSI Continues to Lead on Maritime Innovation During Government Shutdown 

October 31, 2025

Even amid a government shutdown, America’s progress in uncrewed maritime systems is not slowing down- and neither is AUVSI. This week, AUVSI reaffirmed its leadership in advancing the nation’s maritime autonomy and innovation. 

On Monday, October 27, we convened our Maritime Advocacy Committee Meeting, bringing together industry leaders to discuss the future of uncrewed maritime systems (UMS), including uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) and uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs). On October 28–29, we hosted our Defense Conference, underscoring the critical role of autonomy and innovation in strengthening national security and economic competitiveness. 

In parallel, AUVSI submitted a statement for the record to the Senate Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries, highlighting the urgent need to revitalize the U.S. commercial shipbuilding industry and advance the SHIPS for America Act. U.S. maritime security and efficiency demand vigilance, innovation, and progress. Our message to Congress was clear: 

“We must modernize shipbuilding to meet current and future challenges — and leverage autonomy to enhance safety, efficiency, and resilience in the maritime ecosystem.” 

The United States faces a pivotal moment. While our nation has fewer than 80 oceangoing commercial vessels and limited shipbuilding capacity, the People’s Republic of China commands more than 50% of global shipbuilding and over 70% of new orders. This imbalance presents a serious concern for U.S. national security and economic competitiveness — one that demands urgent, sustained investment and action. 

AUVSI and our members are ready to meet that challenge. The uncrewed maritime systems industry is already driving innovation across commercial shipping, environmental monitoring, offshore energy, fisheries, infrastructure assessment, and defense. U.S. companies are investing in high-rate production facilities that create thousands of skilled manufacturing jobs nationwide. 

To fully realize this potential and restore U.S. maritime leadership, AUVSI is urging Congress to: 

• Pass the SHIPS for America Act to expand the U.S.-flag fleet and rebuild the industrial base. 
• Increase federal investment in UMS for research, development, and deployment. 
• Develop collaborative UMS traffic management frameworks that enable innovation. 
• Expand workforce training programs to strengthen the future maritime workforce. 
• Implement innovation-friendly regulations for safe, flexible UMS integration. 
• Incentivize automation and digital tools that enhance safety and efficiency. 
• Advance AI-driven navigation and data systems for smarter maritime operations. 

A revitalized maritime industry — built on autonomy, innovation, and partnership — is essential to ensuring U.S. safety, efficiency, and global leadership. 

Despite current challenges, AUVSI and our members are moving forward with purpose. We stand ready to collaborate with Congress, federal agencies, and industry stakeholders to secure a resilient, future-ready maritime ecosystem. 

Read AUVSI’s full testimony here.