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US Shipbuilding

The Trump Effect he introduction of the White House Shipbuild- placement,” Thomassie said. Thoma-Sea’s facilities include ing Of? ce, the SHIPS for America Act, and steel processing centers, machine shops, and four ? oating the broader Maritime Action Plan, has gener- dry docks ranging up to 10,800 tons. “At full production, ated much anticipation for an industrial sector we can process 10-12,000 tons of steel annually.”

T that has long been unheard and underserved Tony Ardito, President of Birdon USA, highlights sig- by the government. For insights, Marine News spoke with ni? cant capacity at their Bayou La Batre, Alabama yard. a handful of dispersed small- and medium-sized shipyards “We have 1,700 feet of waterfront, a 660-ton travel lift, and for their take on the plan and the path ahead, including: facilities capable of delivering more than four Waterways • Tony Ardito, President, Birdon Commerce Cutters per year,” he said. Purpose-built to meet • Peter J Duclos, President, Gladding-Hearn U.S. Coast Guard needs, Birdon’s facility also features a 16-

Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation ft. dredged channel to accommodate vessels up to 250 feet.

• Richard T. McCreary, President, Gulf Marine Tampa-based Gulf Marine Repair, part of Hendry Marine

Repair & Hendry Marine Industries Industries, boasts nearly a century of service. President Rich- • Larry Ryder, VP of business development and ard McCreary details, “We operate four dry docks ranging

External Affairs, Austal USA from 2,500 LT to 10,500 LT capacity, with 3,200 feet of • Walter Thomassie, Managing Director, bulkhead and 388 employees supporting government and

Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors, LLC commercial repair, conversion, and modernization projects.”

Looking north to New England, Peter Duclos, President

By the Numbers of Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, describes their Massa-

Political in? uence and funding traditionally have been chusetts yard as a focused, full-service facility. “We occupy ladled on the big military shipyards, while the small- and 6.5 acres, with 60,000 square feet under cover, and average medium-sized yards – arguably the heart of the U.S. mari- about 80 employees delivering ? ve new vessels plus one to time infrastructure – have survived and thrived by doing two major re? ts per year,” Duclos says. “Our engineering more with less. team works closely with Ray Hunt Design and other part-

Walter Thomassie of Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors ners to optimize each build.” oversees operations across three Louisiana locations, em- Austal USA’s Mobile, Alabama operation stands at a ploying more than 500 personnel. “We handle a variety of much larger scale. “Our facility covers 180 acres with over complex vessel types, including OSVs and anchor handlers, one million square feet of production space,” says Larry research vessels, tugs, ferries, barges and complex trawlers, Ryder, VP of Business Development. “We’ve delivered 32 delivering many vessels of various sizes and mission require- Navy ships since 2009 and are expanding with an $800 ments ranging up to 330 ft. in length and 10,000LT of dis- million capital investment plan.”

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Gulf Marine Repair & Hendry Marine Industries