The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (Marad) announced $19.6 million in grants to support capital improvements at 28 U.S. small shipyards as a part of its Small Shipyard Grant program. The funding supports employee training and related improvements that foster increased efficiency and economic growth.
Since 2008, Marad’s Small Shipyard Grant Program has awarded over $226 million for a total of 216 grants. These grants help fund upgrades and expansions that often lead to more competitive operations, quality ship construction and improved employee skill.
“These grants help create jobs in America’s small shipyards, which play a significant role in our country’s maritime sector,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao said in a statement announcing the awards.
Typically family-owned and employing less than 1,200 workers, small shipyards play a critical role in contributing to the U.S.’s economy. Supporting more than 400,000 jobs, they create employment opportunities for working families and small communities.
“Small shipyards are an irreplaceable aspect of America’s shipbuilding industry,” said Maritime Administrator Mark. H. Buzby. “They are a key component to national security and our economic viability as a whole; providing good jobs for hardworking Americans.”
Having produced some of the most innovative vessels in the world, U.S. small shipyards have become economic backbones throughout the country. Small shipyard grants are a proven, wise investment; leveraging the skills and expertise of our shipyard community, which in turn empowers our entire maritime industry.
A complete list of grant recipients is below:
• All American Marine, Bellingham, Wash., will be awarded $397,725. These funds will go towards painting area improvements that will allow them to accommodate the building of larger and multiple vessels while also meeting environmental requirements.
• Biblia Inc., Savannah, Ga., will receive $1.3 million in funding. This grant will support the construction of a 500-ton floating drydock which will, in turn, directly support DOT’s Safety Objective.
• Detyens Shipyards Inc., of Charleston, S.C., will be awarded $781,315. This grant will support the electrical upgrades for mobile equipment, a 130-ton rough terrain crane and additional forklifts. These additions will enhance the quality of ship repair and reconfiguration offered to the yard’s customers.
• East Coast Repair & Fabrication LLC, Norfolk, Va., will receive $860,000 in funding. These funds will go towards the purchase of a new Link-Belt HTT-86110 110-ton Telescopic Boom Hydraulic Truck Crane which will enable the yard to directly pursue work on government-owned, government-operated ships.
• Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc. (Nelson Street), Panama City, Fla., will receive $640,618 in funding. The grant award will go towards several pieces of equipment that will increase overall shipyard productivity.
• Heartland Fabrication LLC, Brownsville, Pa., will be awarded $1 million in funding. This grant will allow the shipyard to acquire and install an automated coating application system and conveyor line to support the Heartland Fabrication Structural Steel Coatings Improvement Project. This project will foster efficiency, competitive operations and high-quality ship construction and repair.
• Hughes Bros. Inc., Edison, N.J., will receive $363,957 in funding. The award will go towards the partial funding of equipment in support of an abrasive blasting operation. This equipment will increase project efficiency, enhance production rates and enable cost-competitiveness with local shipyards.
• Goodison Company Inc., Kingstown, R.I., will receive $518,538. This funding will support the upgrade of equipment used in accessing elevated workstations and mobile equipment. This will reduce the shipyard’s reliance on rental equipment and increase its efficiency.
• JAG Alaska Inc. Seward Shipyard, Seward, Alaska, will be awarded $976,298. The funds will go towards the improvement of the shipyard’s water wash-down/recovery system and upgrades for its vessel transport system. These upgrades will allow the facility to increase the utilization of its existing berthing areas and improve its overall efficiency.
• LaShip, Houma, La., will receive an award of $402,900. This grant will support the acquisition and integration of an advanced technology piece of equipment that will allow the organization to efficiently manufacture metal and metal alloy parts.
• Marinette Marine Corp., located in Marinette, Wis., will receive an award of $1.1 million These funds will support the Marinette Marine additional cranes project by allowing for the acquisition and installation of three 100-ton bridge cranes. The installation of these cranes will increase the facility’s construction capacity and productivity.
• MBLH Marine LLC dba Vessel Repair, Port Arthur, Texas, will receive $1.3 million in funding. These funds will go towards the acquisition and construction of a new drydock. The new drydock will allow the facility to promote more efficient and competitive shipyard services.
• Mike’s Inc., South Roxana, Ill. will receive $709,405. The grant will assist in the acquisition of a 110-ton lattice boom crawler crane. The purchase of this crane will decrease the shipyard’s need to hire a third-party crane service, therefore, increasing its production capability and efficiency.
• Moose Boats, Vallejo, Calif., will receive $555,429 in funding. This award will go towards the purchase of a Travelift Transporter and a computer numerical control (CNC) router table. This equipment would greatly improve the shipyard’s efficiency.
• Moran Iron Works Inc., Onaway, Mich., will receive $564,300 in funding. The grant will support the purchase of a PythonX CNC Fabricating System that will replace three outdated and inefficient machines. The acquisition of this fabricating system is expected to increase the facility’s efficiency, accuracy, quality and profitability.
• Norseman Shipbuilding and Boatyard LLC., Miami, Fla., will receive $255,131 in funding. The funds will enable the shipyard to improve its operational efficiency and address long-deferred repairs through the acquisition of three major pieces of equipment.
• Northern Enterprises Boat Yard Inc., Homer, Alaska, will receive $604,053 in grants. This grant funding will support a new 150-metric ton Travelift, enabling the shipyard to increase its project efficiency, enhance production rates and become more cost-competitive.
• Paducah Barge LLC, Paducah, Ky., will receive $700,570 in funding. The award will support the acquisition and construction of a new drydock. This new drydock will enable the yard to start hauling barges for vessel repairs, providing additional scheduling flexibility and reliability and increasing the entire facility’s efficiency.
• Port Bolivar Marine Service Inc., Port Bolivar, Texas, will receive $390,451 in funding. The award will go towards the purchase of several pieces of equipment that will significantly improve the efficiency of ship construction and repair activities at their facility.
• Port of Toledo, Toledo, Ore., will receive $261,285 in grants. This funding will be used to provide welding career training in a credited college program.
• Rhoads Industries Inc., Philadelphia, and will receive $999,250 in awards. This funding will go the purchase of a new mobile crane which will significantly improve the efficiency of ship repair activities and the competitiveness of their facility.
• Rockland Marine Corp., located in Rockland, Maine, will receive $351,956 in funding. The award will allow the yard to purchase new equipment that will further increase production and efficiency to enhance the new marine railway years ahead of schedule.
• Shark Tech LLC, Bayou La Batre, Ala., will receive $511,671 in funding. The grant funding will go towards the purchase of welding enhancements and material handling equipment. This equipment will contribute to the significant improvement of the efficiency of ship repair and new construction activities at the facility.
• St. Johns Ship Building Inc. Palatka, Fla. will receive $800,000 in funding. This grant will go to the purchase of new metal working equipment, yard process improvements and material handling upgrades. These projects will significantly improve the efficiency of ship construction and repair activities at the shipyard.
• Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors, Lockport, La., will receive $738,645 in funding. The award will be used to purchase three overhead cranes which will serve as the primary lifting capacity at the facility, increasing project process efficiency and dropping construction costs.
• TPG Chicago Dry Dock, Chicago will receive $1.2 million in funding. The grant will go towards the purchase of a dry dock and the support of a welder training program. These two additions will increase the efficiency of shipyard operations as well as improve the competitive shipyard services for the facility’s customers.
• VT Halter Marine, Pascagoula, Miss., will receive $536,000 in funding. This grant will support the purchase of several pieces of equipment that will improve the efficiency of ship construction and repair activities at the facility.
• Yank Marine Services LLC, Dorchester, N.J., will receive $692,558 in funding. This funding will support the Yank Marine Services facility modernization project, a long-term plan to revitalize the facility. The current phase will include the acquisition and installation of temporary shelters that will allow for greater control over atmospheric conditions in vessel work spaces.
