Shipyards in Alaska, California and Washington were among 27 companies to receive grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration’s Small Shipyard Grant Program, which helps shipyards fund facility upgrades, raise productivity and increase job opportunities in the area, it was announced May 3.
They include:
- Highmark Marine Fabrication, LLC of Kodiak, Alaska, which plans to use its $969,191 to buy a 120-ton rough terrain crane.
- Bay Ship & Yacht Co., of Alameda, Calif., which plans to use its $830,380 grant toward a 165-ton Grove GRT 9165 crane with a 205-foot boom.
- Driscoll, Inc. dba Driscoll Boat Works, LLC of San Diego, Calif., which is to receive $1 million to buy a 150-ton marine travelift.
- Marine Group Boat Works, LLC of Chula Vista, Calif., which plans to get $1,142,447 toward buying an 820-ton variable width marine travelift.
- All American Marine, Inc., of Bellingham, Wash., which netted a $916,166 grant to invest in a CNC dual head router and CNC press brake systems; and
- Everett Ship Repair, LLC., of Everett, Wash., which plans to invest its $1,168,613 grant on acquiring a 140-ton telescopic crawler crane.
- In addition to the above West Coast companies, grants were received by shipyards located in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey and elsewhere.
“As shipbuilding technologies continue to advance, Small Shipyard Grants help America’s shipyards acquire the equipment they need to compete, thrive and expand America’s maritime industry,” Maritime Administrator Ann Phillips said. “These grants are also economic boosts to the communities in which shipyards are located as well as to our industrial supply chain.”
Since 2008, the grant program has awarded $303 million to nearly 350 shipyards throughout the U.S.
The Small Shipyard Grant Program is designed to support small shipyard projects that make capital and related improvements; or provide training for workers in shipbuilding, ship repair and associated industries.
Supporting these types of projects, according to MARAD, “drives efficiency, competitive operations, and quality ship construction, repair, and reconfiguration across the industry.”
Grants are capped at 75% of the project’s estimated cost and are available to facilities with fewer than 1,200 production employees. Additional information can be found in the Federal Register, https://www.federalregister.gov/.