The United States and Denmark have signed a maritime cooperation agreement aimed at attracting Danish investment to U.S. shipyards, accelerating workforce training and introducing technology to help American builders construct and repair vessels more efficiently.
Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen signed the memorandum of understanding Oct. 22. The U.S. State Department and Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs will lead implementation, according to the State Department.
American shipyards need skilled hands, capital, and speed. Today, Danish Foreign Minister @larsloekke and I signed a U.S.-Denmark maritime cooperation MOU to deliver all three: faster training, Danish investment, and quicker, cheaper builds and repairs. More jobs for American workers, resilient supply chains, and a stronger U.S. maritime industrial base. Under @POTUS, America is building ships again!
— Under Secretary of State Jacob S. Helberg (@UnderSecE) October 22, 2026
The agreement comes as the U.S. seeks to expand domestic shipbuilding capacity and strengthen maritime supply chains under President Donald Trump’s executive order on restoring America’s maritime dominance and the administration’s Maritime Action Plan.
The partnership is intended to bring advanced Danish technology and investment to U.S. shipyards while supporting the training of American shipyard workers. According to the State Department, the effort aims to help shipbuilders construct and repair vessels more quickly and at a lower cost.
“American shipyards need skilled hands, capital, and speed,” Helberg said in a post on X. “Today, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke and I signed a U.S.-Denmark maritime cooperation MOU to deliver all three: faster training, Danish investment, and quicker, cheaper builds and repairs.”
The State Department described the memorandum as a first step toward a broader maritime partnership between the two countries. The department did not announce specific investments, shipyard projects or workforce training programs in its statement.
