Hendry Builds New Drydock at Port of Tampa
Hendry Corporation, a shipbuilding and repair facility located at the Port of Tampa has just completed building a new 2,500-ton drydock at its facility located on Port Hendry. The drydock, named the Capt. F.M. Hendry, is capable of lifting ocean going tugs, barges and vessels completely out of the water for inspection and repair.
“With the addition of this new drydock we will be able to significantly increase our capabilities and position ourselves strategically for the future,” said Joe Cimino, Vice President of Hendry Corporation. The dock will allow us to build and repair larger vessels than we could previously handle.”
Ship repair operations provide high paying wages for skilled workers in a wide variety of trades including welders, pipefitters and machinists. Due to the technical expertise and the rigors of the maritime environment, these jobs typically pay more than similar jobs.
“This new drydock has put money in the local economy for months because all the work has been done here,” said Cimino. “We knew we had the skill sets to build it onsite from the ground up, creating more than 60 jobs.”
At a cost of $3.2 million, the drydock was made possible by a MARAD Federal Grant under the Assistance to Small Shipyard Grant Program, which is designed to help shipyards modernize facilities, increase productivity and make them more competitive.
“We were able to secure this grant into our local market through the help of Tampa’s leadership,” said Aaron Hendry, President of Hendry Corporation. “Tampa’s political leadership, including Mayor Buckhorn, Senator Bill Nelson and Representatives Gus Bilirakis and Cathy Castor, were instrumental in backing this project.”