China rolls out over 1,000 cargo ships a year, while the U.S. – maybe three. The Trump administration has called this a crisis with both economic and national security risks.

President Donald Trump is cycling through what seems to be an increasingly desperate list of options as he searches for a solution to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz.

Global energy shocks can ripple into everyday expenses, squeezing consumers’ budgets and potentially fueling inflation that, ...