U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., toured Bollinger Shipyards Lockport, La., facility this week to see the ongoing recovery efforts following Hurricane Ida in late August.
Bollinger’s facilities in Lockport, Port Fourchon, Larose and Houma suffered significant damage as a result of the storm, which tied with last year’s Hurricane Laura and the Last Island Hurricane of 1856 as the strongest on record in Louisiana.
“Our community, like many across South Louisiana, took a direct hit from Hurricane Ida — in many regards, this storm was worse than Katrina,” Bollinger’s Ben Bordelon, president and CEO, said in a statement. “It’s important for our leaders in Washington to see the impacts of storms like this firsthand. Despite our extensive rebuilding efforts, Rep. Scalise was still able to see the remaining debris and damage to our buildings and equipment. But more importantly, he was able see that our skilled workforce can walk and chew gum — you’ve got folks repairing holes in the roof above and replacing siding while others are building FRCs directly below.”
On Sept. 24, following an extensive multiweek recovery and rebuilding effort, Bollinger welcomed employees back to all 11 of its facilities across Louisiana.
Bollinger’s Lockport facility is home to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Sentinel‐class fast response cutter (FRC) program, which directly supports 650 jobs. This past Sunday, the 46th FRC, USCGC John Scheuerman, departed Lockport for Port Fourchon where it will undergo shakedown exercises in preparation for its delivery to the Coast Guard in Key West, Fla., later this month.
