Marad grants to 5 small GC shipyards

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Maritime Administration (Marad) announced July 24 it had awarded more than $20M in grants to support capital improvements at 29 American small shipyards, including five along the Gulf Coast. The awards are part of Marad’s Small Shipyard Grant program, which supports improvements that foster increased efficiency and economic growth. U.S. shipyards support more than 400,000 jobs and contribute more than $37B in gross domestic product (GDP) to the nation’s economy. In order to receive a grant, small shipyards must have less than 1,200 production employees to be eligible. The yards also play a role in the maritime sector, supporting national security, maintaining critical infrastructure, and creating opportunities for working families in smaller communities, according to the DOT. Gulf Coast grant recipients included Master Boat Builders of Bayou La Batre, Ala., ($1.13M to support buying a 182-ton capacity crawler, 55-ton mobile crane, and 30-ton rough terrain crane); Patti Marine Enterprises of Pensacola, Fla., ($449,231 to support the purchase of a plasma cutting machine and iron worker); Metal Shark of Jeanerette, La., ($451,860 to support the purchase of an 80-ton rough terrain crane and welding equipment); Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport, La., ($521,753 to support the purchase of a lathe mill multi-task machine and a PythonX robotics CNC plasma cutting structural fabrication system); and United States Marine of Gulfport, Miss., ($313,270 in support of the establishment of a lamination apprentice program and the purchase of a CNC core cutting machine and paint booth). (Source: Work Boat 07/24/18)