The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (Marad) today awarded $19.6 million in discretionary grants to 24 U.S. small shipyards through the Small Shipyard Grant Program. The funding will help modernize U.S. small shipyards, making them more efficient in constructing commercial vessels.
“This $19.6 million federal government investment in the nation’s small shipyards will help maintain the U. S. shipyard infrastructure of our country,” U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao said in a statement.
Marad’s Small Shipyard Grant Program provides funding to assist eligible shipyards modernize operations, improve efficiency, and reap the benefits of increased productivity by investing in emerging technologies and a highly skilled workforce. Projects under the program include capital and related improvement projects that foster efficiency, competitive operations, and quality ship construction, repair, and reconfiguration. In addition, the program can fund training projects that foster employee skills and enhance productivity.
“Small shipyard grants play a significant role in supporting local communities by creating jobs for working families,” said Maritime Administrator Mark H. Buzby. “These shipyards are a tangible investment in our nation’s maritime infrastructure and the future of our maritime workforce.”
U.S. shipyards provide nearly 400,000 jobs, $25 billion of labor income, and add $37.3 billion to the GDP, Marad said. Providing funding to shipyards to upgrade and expand empowers this critical industry helps them to compete more effectively in a rapidly changing global marketplace. The capital provided to shipyards increases their repair and production footprints and creates more jobs throughout the U.S., Marad said.
The small shipyard grant recipients are:
ALABAMA
Alabama Shipyard LLC, Mobile, Ala., will receive $571,887 to upgrade four travel trucks with new assemblies on 150‐ton portal crane.
Blakely BoatWorks Inc., Mobile, a full-service shipyard focused on new construction and marine repair projects, will receive $379,408 for a 500-ton press brake, welding machines, overhead cranes, and man lifts.
CALIFORNIA
Mare Island Dry Dock, Vallejo, Calif., which offers drydocking, ship repair and other services, will receive $1.07 million for a 165‐ton rough terrain crane.
FLORIDA
Gulf Marine Repair Corp., Tampa, Fla., which specializes in the repair, conversion and modification of large oceangoing commercial and other vessels, will receive $692,100 for a CNC plasma cutting machine and 100‐ton rough terrain crane.
GUAM
Cabras Marine Corp., which provides pilot, tug, barge, spill response, firefighting, and ferry services in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana’s Islands, will receive $1 million for the purchase of a 275‐ton truck crane.
HAWAII
Marisco Ltd., Kapolei, Hawaii, which offers ship repair and other services, will receive $745,872 for a blast and paint booth.
LOUISIANA
C&C Marine and Repair LLC, Belle Chasse, La., which provides general steel repairs on inland barges, will receive $979,638 for a 275‐ton crawler crane.
Cooper Consolidated LLC, Convent, La., which provides midstream stevedoring, barge, marine, and logistics services, will receive $1.2 million for a 620‐ton Marine Travelift boat hoist.
MARYLAND
Chesapeake Shipbuilding Corp., Salisbury, Md., which designs and builds commercial ships up to 450', will receive $830,622 to purchase a 130‐ton rough terrain crane.
MICHIGAN
Mackinac Island Ferry Co. dba Mackinac Marine Service, St. Ignace, Mich., which services commercial and recreational vessels, will receive $752,933 for a Marine Travelift boat hoist and welding equipment.
MISSISSIPPI
VT Halter Marine, Pascagoula, Miss., which provides ship design, construction, repair and conversion, and maintenance and support, will receive $1.7 million for a 1,250‐ton press brake.
NEW YORK
Smith Boys Marine Sales Inc., North Tonowanda, N.Y., a family-owned boat service and repair company, will receive $317,641 for a transporter and CNC plasma cutter.
OHIO
The Great Lakes Towing Company, Cleveland, will receive $1.4 million for an 820‐ton Marine Travelift.
OREGON
WCT Marine & Construction Inc., Astoria, Ore., which specializes in marine services, new construction, welding, boat repair, boat building and fabrications, will receive $573,075 for a big top enclosed work structure, work pad with drains, filtration system.
Diversified Marine Inc., Portland, Ore, which repairs, retrofits and builds tugs, barges and other commercial steel vessels, will receive $1.25 million for a 275‐ton crawler crane.
PENNSYLVANIA
Philly Shipyard Inc., Philadelphia, which builds vessels for operation in the U.S. Jones Act market, will receive $640,158 for a Messer cutting system.
RHODE ISLAND
Goodison Company Inc., North Kingstown, R.I., which offers a full range ship repair services, will receive $504,237 for its shipyard rough terrain crane project.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Metal Trades Inc., Hollywood, S.C., which specializes in heavy steel fabrication, manufacturing, machining, vessel construction and vessel maintenance and repair, will receive $492,128 for a 55‐ton Grove all-terrain crane and three SkyTrak telehandlers forklifts.
TEXAS
Gulf Copper Ship Repair Inc., Corpus Christi, Texas, which specializes in the installation of copper piping on marine vessels, will receive $423,186 for a 110‐ton crane.
Bludworth Marine LLC, Houston, which services ships, ATBs, inland and offshore tugs and barges, and other vessels, will receive $1.34 million for a 275‐ton crawler crane.
VIRGINIA
Colonna's Shipyard Inc., Norfolk, Va., which offers ship repair, machining and steel fabrication services to the commercial and government markets, will receive $800,000 to purchase welding machines.
WASHINGTON
Safe Boats International LLC, Bremerton, Wash., an aluminum boat manufacturer for military, federal, state and local law enforcement, fire and rescue agencies, will receive $587,035 for a router and press brake.
Mavrik Marine Inc., La Conner, Wash., which specializes in the construction of aluminum workboats, will receive $564,850 for a bridge crane, welding system, and compressor.
WISCONSIN
Fraser Shipyards Inc., Superior, Wis., which offers emergency repairs, new construction and large industrial fabrication, will receive $793,162 for overhead material handling and steel brake processing improvement.
