U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has announced that the Maritime Administration (MARAD) has awarded $8.75 million in grants to revitalize U.S. shipyards and advance America’s maritime dominance.
The funding is part of the Small Shipyard Grant program, which supports advanced training, workforce development and new technologies that strengthen U.S. shipbuilding and repair capabilities.
Duffy said the program will help America counter Chinese competition and maintain freedom on the seas. “Unleashing the full power of America’s shipyards will boost our economic strength and national security,” said Acting Maritime Administrator Sang Yi. “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.”
According to reports, the U.S. Small Shipyard Grant Program was established in 2008 with the aim of providing financial support and related improvement measures for small shipyard projects, or offering training for workers in the shipbuilding, ship repair, and related industries. The ultimate goal is to strengthen the United States’ ship repair and construction capabilities. The grant ceiling is set at 75% of the project’s estimated costs, and it applies to shipyards with fewer than 1,200 employees.
In 2024, MARAD provided a total of $8.57 million in grants to 15 small shipyards in 12 states, while in 2023, 27 small shipyards in 20 states received a total of $20.8 million in funding from MARAD. In comparison, funding amounts have decreased significantly since the start of the 2024 fiscal year.
Since its inception in 2008, the Small Shipyard Grant program has awarded 382 grants totaling $320.5 million to qualified small shipyard facilities.
Recipients in fiscal year 2025 are:
Alabama:Master Boat Builders of Bayou La Bâtre, AL, will receive $427,596.38 to support the procurement and integration of training equipment and technologies.
Alaska:Resolve Marine, Inc., of Dutch Harbor, AK, will receive $447,341.00 to support the purchase of a Caterpillar 980 Wheel Loader.
California:Marine Group Boat Works, LLC of Chula Vista, CA, will receive $248,402.50 to support the purchase of a Flow Mach 500 Waterjet Metal Cutting Table; Bay Ship & Yacht Co. of Alameda, CA, will receive $388,777.00 to support the purchase of a CNC plasma arc and gas cutting equipment.
Florida:Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc., of Panama City, FL, will receive $93,537.75 to support the purchase of a 10-foot plate shear; St. Johns Ship Building, Inc., of Palatka, FL, will receive $617,040.00 to support the purchase of a Grove GRT8100 110-ton Rough Terrain Crane.
Kentucky:JamesBuilt, LLC of Calvert City, KY, will receive $599,130.00 to support the purchase of a 65-ton rough terrain crane.
Louisiana:Breaux’s Bay Craft, Inc., of New Iberia, LA, will receive $817,150.00 to support the purchase of a 200-ton Marine Travelift; PAR61 Marine Repair of Port Allen, LA, will receive $723,242.00 to support Travelift infrastructure improvements, three new power distribution panels, a Telehandler, and a Crane Apron.
Maryland: Chesapeake Shipbuilding Corp., of Salisbury MD, will receive $817,150.00 to support the purchase of a 160-ton rough terrain mobile crane.
Pennsylvania: Heartland Fabrication, LLC of Brownsville, PA, will receive $588,092.00 to support the purchase of a Koike Aronson PlatePro XHD Model 3700 Plasma cutting machine.
Rhode Island: J. Goodison Company of North Kingston, RI, will receive $274,596.00 to support the purchase of welding equipment and a press brake.
Texas: Conrad Orange Shipyard, Inc., of Orange, TX, will receive $418,200.50 to support the purchase of a CNC plasma cutting system.
Washington: Ice Floe, LLC dba Nichols Brothers Boat Builders of Freeland, WA, will receive $357,317.00 to support the purchase of a CNC Router Table, CNC Laser Table, Dust Collector, Dehumidifier, and 15 multi-process welders with wire feeds; Snow & Company, Inc. of Seattle, WA, will receive $817,150.00 to support the purchase of a CNC Press Brake with segmented dies and Deburring Machine;Lake Union Drydock Company of Seattle, WA, will receive $298,131.64 to support the purchase of a 9-ton Mobile Crane, 4-pack of weld machines, plate cutter, and drydock LED lighting.
Wisconsin:Fraser Shipyards, LLC of Superior, WI, will receive $817,146.23 to support the purchase of Link Belt 130-ton Telescopic Boom Rough Terrain Crane.