Small shipyards get $20 million in MarAd grants

The following is text of a news release from the U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd):

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration on Tuesday awarded more than $20 million in grants to support capital improvements at 29 U.S. small shipyards as a part of its Small Shipyard Grant Program. The funding supports capital improvements that foster increased efficiency and economic growth.

“These grants are an investment in our country’s small shipyards and will help create good jobs for America’s workers,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

America’s shipyards support more than 400,000 jobs and contribute more than $37 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) to the nation’s economy. Small shipyards vary in size, but have under 1,200 production employees to be eligible for grant awards. They play a significant role in our country’s maritime sector, contributing to our nation’s economy, supporting national security, maintaining critical infrastructure, and creating employment opportunities for working families and in small communities.

“By supporting small shipyards, we are investing in the maritime infrastructure of the country,” said Maritime Administrator Mark Buzby.

Since 2008, MarAd’s Small Shipyard Grant Program has awarded over $183 million to more than 180 small shipyards. These grants help fund the upgrades and expansions to empower this critical industry, allowing them to compete more effectively in a rapidly changing global marketplace. By providing the capital that will let shipyards increase their repair and production footprints these grants are helping to create more jobs throughout the country.

A complete list of grant recipients:

• Catalyst Marine Engineering Inc. in Seward, Alaska, was awarded $400,097 to support the purchase of a Mach 500 waterjet cutting system.

• Master Boat Builders Inc. in Bayou La Batre, Ala., was awarded $1,332,607 to support the purchase of a 182-ton capacity crawler, 55-ton mobile crane and a 30-ton rough terrain crane.

• Marine Group Boat Works LLC in Chula Vista, Calif., was awarded $392,037 to support the purchase of a CNC plasma table, 125-foot boom lift and a 33,000-pound forklift.

• Patti Marine Enterprise Inc. in Pensacola, Fla., was awarded $449,231 to support the purchase of a plasma cutting machine and iron worker.

• Glasstech Corp. in Miami, Fla., was awarded $715,688 to support the purchase of a 165-ton marine Travelift and a 65-ton vessel transporter.

• Pacific Shipyards International in Honolulu, Hawaii, was awarded $731,159 in support of the purchase of a spray paint sandblast booth, hydraulic press with tooling, universal valve tester package with console and tooling, and four base plate-mounted jibs.

• National Maintenance and Repair Inc. in Hartford, Ill., was awarded $217,538 to support the purchase of a plasma cutting system.

• James Marine Inc., dba Walker Boat Yard of Paducah, Ky., was awarded $1,125,000 to support the purchase of an 80-ton rough terrain crane.

• Gravois Aluminum Boats LLC in Jeanerette, La., was awarded $451,860 to support the purchase of an 80-ton rough terrain crane and welding equipment.

• Bollinger Shipyards, Lockport LLC in Lockport, La., was awarded $521,753 to support the purchase of a lathe mill multi-task machine and a Python X Robotics CNC plasma cutting structural fabrication system.

• Chesapeake Shipbuilding Corp. of Salisbury, Md., was awarded $492,047 to support the purchase of four extending boom forklifts, a mobile crane and construction of larger mobile launching ways.

• Washburn & Doughty Associates Inc. in West Boothbay, Maine, was awarded $618,750 to support the purchase of robotic welding machines and a CNC lathe.

• Front Street Shipyard in Belfast, Maine, was awarded $667,028 to support the purchase of a waterjet cutting machine.

• North Shore Marine Terminal & Logistics Inc. in Escanaba, Mich., was awarded $713,468 in support of the modernization, safety and uptime improvements of material cutting and handling equipment.

• SCF Services Inc. in St. Louis, Mo., was awarded $489,917 in support of the purchase of a 110-ton crawler crane and employee skills training.

• United States Marine Inc. in Gulfport, Miss., was awarded $313,270 in support of the establishment of a lamination apprentice program and the purchase of a CNC core cutting machine and paint booth.

• Jarrett Bay Boatworks Inc. in Beaufort, N.C., was awarded $1,000,000 to support the purchase of a 300-ton marine Travelift.

• Bayonne Drydock and Repair Corp. in Bayonne, N.J., was awarded $1,081,950 in support of the purchase of a CNC plasma table, brake press, plate roll, welding machines, iron worker, graving dock upgrades and hydroblast equipment.

• Dorchester Shipyard Inc. in Dorchester, N.J., was awarded $232,585 in support of the purchase of two electric air compressor systems and electrical upgrades in the shipyard.

• Ironhead Marine Inc. in Toledo, Ohio, was awarded $768,500 to support the purchase of a 150-ton off-road crane.

• Sause Bros. Inc. dba Southern Oregon Marine Inc. in Coos Bay, Ore., was awarded $642,329 in support of the purchase of a mobile rough terrain crane, air compressors and a self-contained fabricated paint management system.

• Metal Trades Inc. in Hollywood, S.C., was awarded $520,167 to support the purchase of a kinetic heavy duty cutting and drilling machine.

• Gulf Copper Dry Dock & Rig Repair in Galveston, Texas, was awarded $1,296,820 to support the construction of a 4,500-ton dry dock.

• Glendale Boat Works Inc. in Channelview, Texas, was awarded $1,064,654 to support the purchase of a 400-ton marine Travelift.

• Marine Hydraulics International Inc. in Norfolk, Va., was awarded $505,617 to support to the purchase of 10 forklifts.

• Snow and Company Inc.  in Seattle, Wash., was awarded $67,511 to support the purchase of a Scotchman iron worker, Preston Eastin two-axis weld positioner, engraving machine and four new welding machines.

• Ice Floe LLC dba Nichols Brother Boat Builders in Freeland, Wash., was awarded $1,312,500 to support the purchase of a 250-ton lattice boom crawler crane.

• Fincantieri Marine Group LLC dba Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., was awarded $1,401,061 in support of the purchase and installation of four 50-ton overhead cranes.

• Fraser Shipyard Inc. in Superior, Wis., was awarded $500,738 to support the purchase of two self-propelled modular transporters and a high-capacity forklift.

By Professional Mariner Staff