Brief

President Trump has issued Executive Order 14285 to accelerate U.S. access to seabed critical minerals and assert global leadership in deep-sea mining.

The order mandates rapid permitting, expanded exploration, and strategic partnerships to counter foreign influence over oceanic mineral resources.

Stakeholders in energy, defense, industry, and environmental oversight must prepare for intensified federal engagement and international outreach in offshore mineral development.

Origins

Signed on April 24th, 2025, Executive Order 14285 is framed as a national security and economic imperative, citing the need to secure critical mineral supply chains and reduce reliance on adversarial nations.

The policy responds to escalating geopolitical competition over seabed resources, particularly polymetallic nodules and crusts rich in cobalt, manganese, and rare earth elements, which are essential for clean energy, electronics, and defense manufacturing.

The Order draws statutory authority from the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (30 U.S.C. §1401 et seq.) and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. §1331 et seq.), reflecting a calculated use of existing domestic law to position the U.S. for a leadership role beyond national waters.

Provisions & Mechanisms

1. Streamlined Domestic Permitting

The Department of Commerce and Department of the Interior must fast-track license and permit reviews for seabed mineral exploration both within the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf and in international waters, consistent with existing law. The order emphasizes efficiency and competitiveness while pledging not to dilute environmental or transparency standards.

2. Federal Coordination

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is tasked with mapping priority seabed zones, particularly areas expected to contain abundant mineral resources. This initiative is coordinated with the Departments of State, Interior, and Energy.

3. International Partnerships

The U.S. will proactively engage with allies — particularly those with mineral-rich Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) — to provide technical and commercial support for seabed development. The order directs development of a prioritized list of partner countries and calls for feasibility analysis of a benefit-sharing mechanism for extraction activities in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

4. Supply Chain & National Defense

The Secretaries of Defense and Energy must assess the potential for storing seabed-derived materials in the National Defense Stockpile and support processing infrastructure using tools like the Defense Production Act (50 U.S.C. §4501 et seq.). Coordination is mandated with the Strategic and Critical Materials Board to align seabed resources with national security priorities.

5. Export

Agencies such as the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and the Export-Import Bank are directed to identify financial tools that support domestic and allied seabed mining activities.

Stakeholder Implications:

Vendors: 

  • Contractors in offshore environmental surveying and mineral processing are positioned to benefit from expedited permitting. Domestic processing capacity is likely to receive grant and loan support under defense-related authorities.

Federal and State Regulators: 

  • Agencies will face pressure to coordinate their licensing processes across jurisdictions and to clarify legal interpretations of “applicable law” regarding seabed access. Coordination across departments will be essential, particularly on data collection and international agreements.

Environmental and Civil Society Groups: 

  • Plume thresholds and habitat-recovery metrics are still to be finalised. Those standards are expected to be defined in two venues over the next 18 months: the ISA Mining Code negotiations and NOAA’s deep-plume monitoring study. NGOs indicate they will track both processes and use established oversight tools to ensure commitments translate into practice.

International Partners: 

  • Nations with large EEZs may find themselves engaged by U.S. agencies and companies offering mining support, scientific collaboration, and development financing. However, those not aligned with U.S. policy preferences may see increased competition or diplomatic tension.

Geopolitical Considerations: 

  • The order names China’s seabed mineral dominance as a strategic concern, indicating that seabed policy is now tightly linked to broader competition over supply chains. U.S. activity in international waters could raise diplomatic and legal challenges under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which the U.S. has signed but not ratified.

Key Takeaways

  • Accelerates federal permitting for seabed mineral exploration and mining on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf and in international waters.
  • Mandates inter-agency coordination to map priority mineral zones and streamline licensing.
  • Targets supply chain security by linking seabed resources to defense stockpiles and domestic processing infrastructure.
  • Seeks to counter China’s influence in seabed mining through international partnerships and U.S. commercial expansion.
  • Introduces financial support mechanisms via U.S. development and export credit agencies.