The U.S. Navy has awarded a $28.3 million contract modification to Conrad Shipyard, Morgan City, La., for the design and construction of another yard repair, berthing, and messing (YRBM) barge. The modification to the existing contract (N00024-22-C-2253) includes options that could raise the total value to $59.9 million.
Construction will take place at Conrad Shipyard’s Amelia, La., facility, with completion expected by March 2027. The project is funded through the Navy’s fiscal 2024 shipbuilding and conversion budget, with funds obligated at the time of the award, according to the Department of Defense. The contract was awarded on a sole-source basis under 10 U.S. Code 3204(b)(B), citing a single available provider for these services. The Naval Sea Systems Command, based in Washington, D.C., is overseeing the contract.
Conrad Shipyard delivered its first YRBM, YRBM 57, to the Navy in October 2024. Designed and built by Conrad, the barge will be stationed in Japan to support naval operations in the region. While the Louisiana-based shipyard has been in operation since 1948, YRBM 57 marked the yard's first delivery to the U.S. Navy.
Conrad’s YRBMs are designed to provide functional spaces for sailors to work, sleep, and eat comfortably. YRBM 57, classified as an American Bureau of Shipping A1 accommodation barge, has a full load draft of 6'8", an air draft of 60'11", and a full displacement of 1,270 tons. It can accommodate 199 mixed-gender duty crew, provide dining for 300 personnel, and includes medical offices, classrooms, workspaces, laundry facilities, storerooms, and lounge areas.
Key features include a 12-person officers’ mess, a 12-person chief petty officer mess, a 60-person enlisted mess, a five-person medical examination area, a four-person medical officer’s office, and multiple lounges and conference spaces. The barge also includes classrooms for 72 personnel and a 25-person conference room.
WorkBoat reached out to Conrad Shipyard for additional specifications on the YRBM.
