The state of Florida recently awarded the city of Pensacola a $9 million Florida Job Growth Grant Fund grant for infrastructure improvements at the Port of Pensacola that will expand shipbuilding capacity.
Funding will support the construction of two shipbuilding facilities and will cover site development, utilities and facility construction. The project covers approximately 400,000-square-feet of manufacturing space and will help the port manufacture navy ship modules for submarines and warships up to 400 feet long. The project is expected to create approximately 2,000 manufacturing and related jobs.
“By investing in this project, supporting our local and regional partners, and adding capacity to Florida’s overall industrial base, we are strengthening Florida’s growing maritime economy and doing our part to enhance our nation’s security,” J. Alex Kelly, Florida secretary of commerce, said.
The city previously received a $3.9 million Florida Job Growth Grant Fund grant for infrastructure improvements and a $76 million Triumph Gulf Coast grant to support expansion.
There are 21 major military installations, including three combatant commands, in Florida and 16 deepwater seaports. These support 1.2 million jobs and account for $19.5 billion in gross domestic product. The state also is home to nearly 20 percent of the United States’ ship- and boat-builders.