Suisun City wants to be a leader in the American shipbuilding renaissance.
The Solano County city is all in on President Donald Trump’s efforts to rebuild the nation’s diminished shipbuilding industry to compete with industry dominator China.
Trump has verbally signaled his desire to “make shipbuilding great again” when discussing how to increase American manufacturing.
In his March 4 address to Congress, Trump announced the creation of the Maritime Industrial Base program, which will focus on revitalizing U.S. shipbuilding through tax incentives and subsidies to U.S. shipyards.
While Suisun City doesn’t have a history of shipbuilding like nearby Mare Island in Vallejo, it has maritime access. It sits along the Suisun Slough, which traverses wetlands to connect with Grizzly Bay. From there, boats and ships can access San Pablo Bay and San Francisco Bay before heading out to sea.
FILE: The Suisun City Marina in Suisun City on Saturday, April 15, 2023. The marina connects pleasure boaters with the San Francisco Bay through the Suisun Channel. The adjacent waterfront has parks and a dining and retail district. (Sarah Stierch via Bay City News)
The city touts its accessibility as one of the reasons it is primed to support the president’s efforts. Suisun City is located on Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor rail route, which runs between the San Jose and Sacramento regions. The route is also used by freight companies to transport materials. This makes for “seamless movement of personnel and materials critical to defense manufacturing,” the city said.
The city also has a long history of military involvement, it said. Travis Air Force Base is located approximately 10 miles southwest of Suisun City. Veterans, defense industry professionals and skilled workers call Suisun City home, the city said, providing a workforce that is ready to support the administration’s efforts.
“Suisun City stands in support of a regional effort to invite the U.S. government and leading defense contractors to invest in Solano County’s future,” said Mayor Alma Hernandez. “Our region has a proud history of shipbuilding — it is part of our identity. We are eager to contribute in every way possible to ensure maritime success in our region.”