Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representative Chellie Pingree announced that Portland Ship Yard has been awarded $739,202 through the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Small Shipyard Grant Program. This funding will allow the shipyard to purchase a 60-ton vessel trailer and install a new indoor ventilation system. The project is part of the shipyard’s modernization efforts to improve safety and efficiency.

“This funding is critical to ensuring that the highly skilled men and women at the Portland Ship Yard have the necessary resources to keep the boats on our working waterfront running smoothly,” said Senators Collins and King and Congresswoman Pingree. “This investment from MARAD will make certain that Portland Ship Yard can continue to do their important work while supporting good jobs across Maine.”

In April, Senators Collins and King and Representative Pingree sent a letter to MARAD in support of The Portland Company’s grant application.

The purpose of the MARAD Small Shipyard Grant Program is to foster efficiency; competitive operations; and quality ship construction, repair, and reconfiguration in small shipyards across the United States.  It also promotes employee skills and enhanced productivity related to shipbuilding, ship repair, and associated industries.