The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced last week that 24 small shipyards will receive $19.6 million in discretionary grants via DOT’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) as part of an agency modernization effort.
“This $19.6 million federal government investment in the nation’s small shipyards will help maintain the U.S. shipyard infrastructure of our country,” Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao said.
The initiative will also aid the shipyards in bolstering efficiency in constructing commercial vessels. MARAD’s Small Shipyard Grant Program provides funding to assist eligible shipyards in modernizing operations and reaping the benefits of increased productivity by investing in emerging technologies and a highly skilled workforce.
“Small shipyard grants play a significant role in supporting local communities by creating jobs for working families,” Maritime Administrator Mark H. Buzby said. “These shipyards are a tangible investment in our nation’s maritime infrastructure and the future of our maritime workforce.”
The grant allotments scope of work, per officials, will include capital and related improvement projects fostering competitive operations and quality ship construction, repair, and reconfiguration while also addressing training projects enhancing employee skills.
Officials said 11 of the 24 shipyards selected for grant funding are located in Opportunity Zones, an economically distressed community designated by the state’s governor and certified by the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury as means of revitalizing economically distressed communities using private investments.