As part of President Donald Trump’s push to revitalize the shipbuilding industry in the United States, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Maritime Administration (MARAD) had awarded $8.75 million in grants to advance the country’s “maritime dominance.”
The Small Shipyard Grant Program announced 17 grant recipients across 12 states for projects that would modernize infrastructure, enhance training, and expand workforce development projects.
“President Trump’s plan to reclaim maritime dominance starts with rebuilding America’s shipyards,” Duffy said. “This program will help America to build big, beautiful ships again to counter Chinese competition and maintain freedom on the seas.”
Since 2008, the Small Shipyard Grant program has awarded more than $320 million in grants to small shipyard facilities. The most recent awards included 17 recipients in Alabama, Alaska, California, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Wisconsin, and Washington.
“Unleashing the full power of America’s shipyards will boost our economic strength and national security,” Acting Maritime Administrator Sang Yi said. “The Small Shipyard Grant program is revitalizing America’s maritime industry by investing in businesses that spur innovation, improve productivity, and fuel job creation in communities around the country.”
The awards included nearly $428,000 for Master Boat Builders of Bayou La Bâtre, Ala., for the procurement and integration of training equipment and technologies; nearly $600,000 to assist in purchasing of a 65-ton rough terrain crane; and nearly $94,000 for Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc., of Panama City, Fla., for the purchase of a 10-foot plate shear