The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration made $19.6 million available on January 20 via its Small Shipyard Grant Program to help support “efficiency improvements and modernizations” that allow U.S. shipyards to compete more effectively in the global marketplace.

[Above photo by MARAD.]

Since its inception in 2008, MARAD’s Small Shipyard Grant Program has awarded more than $243 million through 268 grants to assist U.S. shipyards and their workers reap the benefits of increased production capabilities.

The Small Shipyard Grant Program supports a variety of projects including capital and related improvements, and equipment upgrades that foster ship construction, repair, and reconfiguration in small shipyards across the United States, the agency said in a statement.

Those grants can also provide support to maritime training programs that improve technical skills to enhance shipyard worker efficiency and productivity, MARAD added.

The Small Shipyard Grants, which are limited to no more than 75 percent of the estimated improvement costs, are available to U.S. shipyards with fewer than 1,200 production employees, the agency pointed out.