TAMPA, Fla. — President Donald Trump wants to rebuild the United States’ shipbuilding capabilities to reduce China’s control over the industry.

An executive order signed on Thursday calls for a revitalization to “promote national security and economic prosperity.”

Richard McCreary, the President of Gulf Marine Repair, is happy the shipbuilding industry is in the spotlight.

“The mere fact that we are actually talking about shipbuilding and ship repair at the executive level now in the United States is a huge change and a very positive one for the industry,” he said.

McCreary said there has been a lack of funding into port facilities for decades and is hoping this executive order change things.

“I think under the president’s executive order, there are a number of initiatives that look as though they will be very conducive to more shipbuilding in the United States,” he said.

That includes funding, a preference for U.S. ships for cargo, and training for additional personnel.

McCreary believes that as long as the administration continues on this path, the country will see positive results but still expects challenges.

“The short-term disruption is clearly going to be there because a great deal of material is presently sourced out of China, but as that material continues to be onshore or developed by other countries that don’t have the same level of tariff, we’ll see that start to even out over time,” he said.

According to the order, a maritime action plan needs to be submitted to the president within the next 210 days.