PORTLAND — The United States must work to rejuvenate the American shipbuilding industry so an upcoming surge in commercial ship orders doesn’t pass it by, Rep. Tom Andrews said Monday.

Andrews said a revival in commercial shipbuilding could create 250,000 jobs, including “thousands and thousands” at Maine’s Bath Iron Works.

“Over the next decade a bullish worldwide market is predicted in the construction of commercial ships, including barges, tankers and cruise lines,” Andrews said at a news conference.

The 1st District Democrat said that market is expected to be worth more than $365 billion.

Andrews warned that American shipyards will not make it in that market unless the federal government helps them compete against foreign companies that are subsidized by their governments.

He said the country needs to develop strategy to revive commercial shipbuilding and insist that foreign trade barriers be removed. The government should encourage investment in shipbuilding development and finance shipyard ventures through loan guarantees, he said.

The government should also help market U.S.-made vessels abroad, he said.

The U.S. government is taking its first steps to help commercial shipbuilding with the creation of the Interagency Task Force on Commercial Shipbuilding, a panel proposed by Andrews and recently endorsed by President Clinton.

“President Clinton’s decision says we aren’t going to stand still while an entire industry is wiped out, an industry that is not only important for the jobs it provides, but for the national security of this country,” Andrews said.

He said the White House has notified him that the panel will be headed by Robert Rubin, chairman of the National Economic Council and the president’s top economic adviser.

For years, BIW and other American shipbuilders have focused almost exclusively on defense contracts.

With defense contracts drying up, BIW has sought out new commercial work to fill the gap.

Andrews said the plans such as those he’s calling for are essential for the industry to convert from defense shipbuilding to commercial shipbuilding.

“All the planning in the world isn’t going to get you very far unless you know where you are going,” he said.