Gulf Yards to Split $140m for Repairs

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, said its share of the money would be used to repair piers and bulkheads damaged by the hurricane. Austal employs about 800 at its Mobile River shipyard. A spokesman said it sustained minor production delays and wind damage from Katrina. Part of the damage was to a new production shed used to assemble the Littoral Combat Ship for the Navy. The Navy will negotiate with each of the companies to determine how much each will receive. Source: AP