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I frequently point out that U.S.-built Jones Act ships cost 4-5x as much as those built abroad. So why are they so expensive? Two leading reasons:
* Lack of scale
* Lack of specialization
#EndTheJonesAct
* Lack of scale
* Lack of specialization
#EndTheJonesAct
A 1975 @USGAO report notes that major shipbuilding countries not only build lots of ships but import them as well. That's because importing ships allows shipyards to become specialized and focus on what they're really good at. https://www.gao.gov/assets/120/114112.pdf
"The link between Government support of the merchant fleet and support of the shipbuilding industry limits the practicality of specializing yard facilities." 
Also note that expensive U.S.-built ships are *not* a result of high shipbuilding wages: https://www.nassco.com/pdfs/Shipbuilder-Assessment-American-Marine-Highway-NASSCO.pdf
Look at what U.S. commercial shipyards are building right now in terms of larger vessels. You find small numbers of a variety of vessels ranging from dredgers to a wind turbine installation vessel. In other words, no scale and decreased specialization.
Expensive ships are baked into the Jones Act cake. U.S. shipyards cannot become highly specialized because the Jones Act forbids the use of imported vessels in domestic commerce. So domestic shipyards are jacks of all trades, masters of none. And their prices reflect that.
