Gulf Coast Shipyards News

Much has changed since Marine News’ 2022 shipbuilding report published in March last year, and business opportunities in certain market segments continue to grow. But the shipyards that are looking to cash in are still facing many of the same challenges.For example, many American shipyards and their partners throughout the shipbuilding supply chain are still finding it difficult to attract and retain the workers they need. If you’re a skilled craftsperson looking for a job in shipbuilding, you’re in luck, because there are plenty of openings at shipyards across the country.

U.S. shipyard Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding announced a change of leadership. Todd Thayse, who began working at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding more than 37 years ago and he has spent the last 10 years as the vice president and general manager, has decided to retire.“The timing of one’s retirement is not an easy decision,” Thayse said. “Especially when you enjoy what you do and the people you get to work with every day.”Thayse will remain at FBS through mid-January to help enable a smooth transition with the incoming VP and GM, Craig Perciavalle.

Parker Conrad, a shipbuilding pioneer and a legend along the Gulf of Mexico coast and beyond, founded Conrad Shipyard in 1948. The company, headquartered in Morgan City, Louisiana, is now a public company with new generations of Conrad’s at the helm. “I grew up in the shipyard working side by side with my father,” said Johnny Conrad, President, Chairman and CEO explains. “I saw firsthand how he treated customers, and how his handshake was as good as a contract. Many of our current customers did business with Parker…

GoM shipyards are meeting the demand for right-sized, multi-mission boats. In the last decade, Gulf Coast shipyards have watched demand for multi-mission vessels grow from foreign governments and U.S. authorities. In particular, local counties and municipalities – pinched by shrinking budgets and expanding mission sets – began the march to leverage a single hull for more than one task. And, since these boats can serve military or civilian needs, the need for boatbuilders to quickly adapt a standard hull form to a particular requirement became a highly desired skill set.

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (the 2007 Act) authorized a Short Sea Transportation (SST) Program. As passed by the House, the legislation would have authorized $2 billion for the Maritime Administration (MARAD) Title XI Program and have extended the Capital Construction Fund Program (CCF or Program) to shipyards and operators building and operating vessels in SST services nationwide. Mr. Oberstar and his Congressional co-sponsors were confident that with their proposals in place, the much-discussed use of U.S.

Conrad Shipyard was established in 1948 and is headquartered in Morgan City, Louisiana. The company designs, builds and overhauls tugboats, ferries, liftboats, barges, offshore supply vessels and other steel and aluminum products for both commercial and government markets. The company provides both repair and new construction services at its five Gulf Coast shipyards located in southern Louisiana and Texas. Widely recognized for innovation, Conrad has a separate business unit devoted to the construction…

Conrad Shipyard has formed a new business unit focused on LNG projects. Conrad, builder of North America’s first LNG bunker barge scheduled for 2017 delivery, said it continues to actively pursue other LNG opportunities, including developing designs for additional transport barges, dual-fuel powered towboats and other research and development projects. “We believe the continued development of the LNG fuel market to be of critical importance. Not only will it provide positive change with respect to environmental emissions…

The 14,000-long ton capacity drydock Vigilant that will support hundreds of family-wage industrial jobs at Vigor Industrial’s shipyard on Harbor Island is scheduled to arrive in Elliott Bay late Saturday or early Sunday. The 528-foot long drydock, which is being towed from Portland by tugs from Seattle’s Harley Marine Services, will enable Vigor to continue to compete with California and U.S. Gulf Coast shipyards for ship repair, maintenance and construction contracts. The Vigilant replaces a sister drydock that was decommissioned in February. “This is a needed and valuable asset for our Seattle yard, our workers and the local maritime economy,” said Adam Beck, Vigor’s executive vice president of ship repair.

At the inaugural recent Tradewinds Jones Act Forum, MARAD Acting Administrator Paul 'Chip'  Jaenichen discussed the changes affecting the coastwise U.S.-flag maritime industry -- also known as the Jones Act fleet. Since its enactment, the Jones Act continues to ensure a level playing field for U.S. vessels moving cargo within the nation. The Act keeps skilled American mariners employed aboard American ships by requiring that products moved between U.S. ports be carried by U.S. vessels manned by U.S. crews.

When it comes to training, recruitment and retention issues – serious matters facing all maritime employers today – John Lotshaw probably knows better than most; what’s best for you. And, no matter what end of the maritime business model that you hail from, the challenge of hiring good people, training them and keeping them on payroll is an ongoing problem. Lotshaw joined Ingalls Shipbuilding in August of 2002 as the Director of Trades at the Avondale Site, responsible for workforce development and training and Operations support.

Northrop Grumman Corporation announced plans to consolidate its Gulf Coast shipbuilding operations and explore strategic alternatives for its Shipbuilding business. As a result of the Gulf Coast consolidation, the company will recognize an estimated pre-tax charge of $113m in the second quarter of 2010. In addition, as previously disclosed, in the second quarter of 2010, the company will record a tax benefit of $296m related to the final settlement with the Internal Revenue Service of tax returns for the years 2004 through 2006. The net impact of the charge and the tax benefit will increase second quarter 2010 earnings from continuing operations by about $0.73 per share. Neither of these items is reflected in the financial guidance the company provided on April 28, 2010.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) delivered two ships to the U.S. Navy this week at its Gulf Coast shipyards in Pascagoula, Miss. and Avondale, La. Company and Navy officials signed documents officially transferring custody of the Aegis guided missile destroyer Dewey (DDG 105) in Pascagoula on Monday, Aug. 17 and the amphibious transport dock ship New York (LPD 21) at the New Orleans facility on Friday, Aug. 21. "Delivering one ship is a tremendous accomplishment, as a ship delivery flexes nearly every muscle in a shipbuilding organization…

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) reported that second quarter 2009 earnings from continuing operations totaled $394 million, or $1.21 per diluted share, compared with $483 million, or $1.40 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2008. Second quarter 2009 net pension adjustment (FAS/CAS) reduced earnings from continuing operations by $49 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, compared with an increase to earnings from continuing operations of $45 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2008. Second quarter 2009 earnings included a net $64 million pre-tax gain, or $0.13 per diluted share, for legal matters…

Northrop Grumman Corporation announced the appointment of three vice presidents at its Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding Gulf Coast Operations. Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, the newly-formed sector of Northrop Grumman Corporation, is made up of the former Northrop Grumman Ship Systems and shipbuilding sectors. Kevin Amis has been appointed vice president of operations, Dennis Gallimore has been named vice president of engineering and integrated logistics support, and Rick Spaulding has been appointed vice president of planning.

The launch of (LCS 2) closely follows the recent delivery of the first Hawaii Superferry vessel. A 107 metre vehicle and passenger carrying aluminum catamaran, Superferry is Austal ’s largest construction project to date and is the largest high speed aluminum catamaran built in the . A second identical ferry is currently under construction and is scheduled for launch in September 2008. The recent purchase of an adjacent 100 acres of land and the award of $33.7m in funding from…

Workers at Northrop Grumman's Newport News shipyard will help build a new class of Navy ship beginning this year, following an endorsement by the Navy of a work-sharing agreement between Newport News and the company's Pascagoula, Miss.-based Ship Systems. The shipyard will produce four components of the LHA-6, the Navy's new generation of amphibious ships, the service confirmed Thursday. The collaboration marks the first tangible sign of Northrop Grumman's merger of two shipyard sectors into one unit. The LHA-6 is a smaller, non-nuclear powered version of an aircraft carrier. At a cost to the U.S. Navy of $3.08 billion, the 844-foot vessel can hold up to 34 aircraft and more than 3,000 troops.

As noted in the accompanying article the Gulf of Mexico is in the midst of a drilling malaise. The days when southern shipyards routinely turned out 50-60 supply boats and an equal number of crew/supply vessels is over at least for the time being. The last three years has seen an unprecedented number of OSVs joined the fleets of Tidewater, Hornbeck, Otto Candies, Edison Chouest and other major offshore operators. Leevac Shipyards is a prime example. For the last four years they have built almost exclusively for Hornbeck Offshore Services, producing a number of 200-260 ft. very capable supply boats including four 240-ft. platform supply vessels in 2003. Today their order book includes a huge casino boat and a large 445-ft. by 78-ft. tank barge, but no OSVs. Quality Shipyards, Houma, La.

The State of North Carolina has the nation's second largest ferry system. Only the State of Washington's system is larger. Its 23 vessels annually carry 2.5 million passengers and one million vehicles. The ferry system is operated by the Ferry Division of the North Carolina Department of Transportation, which employs approximately 380 permanent employees. This number increase to approximately 450 during the summer season. There are four ferry routes on three bodies of water connecting the mainland with the offshore islands of Ocracoke, Hatteras and Notts Islands. Three routes cross the Cape Fear, Neuse and Pamlico Rivers. The Ferry Division also has a dredge, tugs, fuel barge and its own shipyard located in Manns Harbor.

Six Gulf Coast shipyards damaged by Hurricane Katrina will split 140 (m) million dollars in repair funds from the Navy, reported the AP. Congress appropriated the funds to shipyards that have existing Navy shipbuilding contracts. The August 2005 hurricane caused about one (b) billion dollars in damages to Northrop Grumman shipyards in Gulfport, New Orleans and Pascagoula. The three shipyards currently employ about 17-thousand people, including more than two thousand who commute from southwest Alabama. Others approved for funding include Austal U-S-A and Atlantic Marine, which both operate major shipyards in Mobile. Atlantic, which employs about 650 workers at its two Pinto Island shipyards in Mobile…

The Navy accepted delivery of the second in the LPD 17 class of amphibious transport dock ship on Dec. 22. The acceptance of the future USS New Orleans, marks the culmination of millions of hours in conceptual planning, design, construction, and testing of this advanced amphibious warship. New Orleans recently completed Builder's and Acceptance Trials during which the shipbuilder, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, successfully demonstrated this new warship's tremendous range of capability. Main propulsion, engineering and ship control systems, mission and combat systems, damage control, food service and crew support systems were exercised.

According to Reuters, U.S. Navy shipbuilding has long been plagued by billions of dollars of cost overruns and lengthy, schedule delays, but acquisition chief Delores Etter says she sees encouraging signs of progress. But the former Naval Academy electrical engineering professor said both the Navy and U.S. shipbuilders have begun making changes that should lead to improvements. She said Navy officials were working with U.S. lawmakers to move toward greater funding stability for shipbuilding. Frustrated by chronic cost overruns and keen to maintain well-paying jobs in their home districts, lawmakers have in the past tweaked Navy budget plans, adding ships, delaying ships and blocking plans to have just one shipyard build a ship.

A year after Hurricane Katrina wreaked more than $1b of damage on its Gulf Coast shipyards, Northrop Grumman Corp. is building 12 Navy ships, with the longest delay estimated at just 10 months. Last December, Reuters reported, the company had anticipated delays on several ships of close to a year. It is now predicted that the longest delay would be 10 months on the Aegis guided missile destroyer Kidd, and also a nine-month delay on LPD-20, one of four amphibious transport dock ships under construction at the company's New Orleans, Pascagoula and Gulfport, Mississippi shipyards. The company still faces serious challenges, such as finding 800 to 1…

The House appropriators’ decision to slash $250 million from the Navy’s funding request to aid Gulf Coast shipyards ravaged by Hurricane Katrina is worrying Navy officials who fear the move can result in shipbuilding delays and cost increases, The Hill reported. But House appropriators will likely have to debate with their Senate counterparts during conference negotiations over supplemental spending bills for the war on terrorism and disaster assistance. The House passed the supplemental March 16. The Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to take up the bill on April 4. The $250 million would have gone mostly to Northrop Grumman shipyards in the region. The shipbuilder’s yard in Pascagoula, Miss., sustained significant damage.