US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has announced the withdrawal or termination of $679m in funding allocated for 12 offshore wind projects across the country.

“This action will ensure federal dollars are prioritised towards restoring America’s maritime dominance and preventing waste,” the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) stated in its press release.

The current administration has shifted the focus of the Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Maritime Administration (MARAD) to rebuilding the shipbuilding industry and promoting traditional energy sources.

Funding from the cancelled projects will be reallocated, where feasible, to support critical port improvements and other vital infrastructure requirements in the US.

During a review of discretionary grant programmes, USDOT identified these offshore wind grants and projects as misaligned with the administration's objectives.

The funding retraction includes one project from the Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects (INFRA) programme, which accounts for $427m.

MARAD has also withdrawn six projects and terminated five within its Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), resulting in a total withdrawal of $177m and $75m, respectively.

Duffy stated: “Wasteful wind projects are using resources that could otherwise go towards revitalising America’s maritime industry.

“Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg bent over backwards to use transportation dollars for their Green New Scam agenda while ignoring the dire needs of our shipbuilding industry.

“Thanks to President Trump, we are prioritising real infrastructure improvements over fantasy wind projects that cost much and offer little.”