U.S. Navy’s First John Lewis-Class Oiler Launched at NASSCO
The first ship in the U.S. Navy’s new class of fleet replenishment oilers has been launched at General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego. The John Lewis-class oilers will provide underway...
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced Wednesday $9.46 million to help improve 12 shipyards in 10 states. The grants, provided through the Small Shipyard Grant Program, are supposed to foster efficiency and modernizations that allow shipyards to compete more effectively in the global marketplace.
Acting Maritime Administrator Paul ‘Chip’ Jaenichen made the announcement at Jeffboat, LLC, one of the grant recipients, located in Jeffersonville, Indiana.
“Improvements at our shipyards mean more ships can be built right here in the United States, which means more jobs for hard-working Americans,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “These grants are about creating new opportunities in our local communities, as well as competing in the global economy.”
For this latest round of awards, MARAD received 113 grant applications requesting $96 million in assistance. Only $9.46 million was made available in this round of grants.
The grants fund a variety of projects including infrastructure improvements and equipment upgrades to increase operational competitiveness and quality vessel construction, MARAD says.
Since 2009, the Obama administration has provided more than $150 million to help U.S. shipyards and their workers reap the benefits of increased production capabilities delivered by emerging technologies and highly skilled workers, according to MARAD.
“It is no secret that the economic ripple effect of our nation’s shipyards is far-reaching,” said Acting Maritime Administrator Paul “Chip” Jaenichen. “While shipyards improve their infrastructure, they’re also creating new opportunities in industries and communities across the country.”
In June, MARAD released a report showing that in 2011, U.S. shipyards -the more than 300 actively involved in shipbuilding and repair- directly provided more than 107,000 jobs, $7.9 billion in labor income, and both directly and indirectly contributed $36 billion in gross domestic product to the U.S. economy
A full list of recipients can be found below:
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