Austal USA breaks ground on new steel shipbuilding facility
Austal Limited (Austal) has announced that construction has officially commenced on Austal USA’s new steel shipbuilding facility, in Mobile, Alabama.
Austal USA hosted a ceremony at the company’s shipyard on Friday 26th March 2021, to mark the start of construction of a new steel shipbuilding facility that will provide the capability to meet increasing demand by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard for steel vessels.
Construction on the facility is expected to be complete by April 2022.
Austal Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said the ground-breaking was a significant milestone in Austal USA’s history and a strategic development in the shipyards capability.
Congressman for Alabama’s First District, Jerry Carl said “This world-class steel manufacturing line is a treasure for the Gulf Coast, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard, that will provide a much needed boost to the defense industrial base and our Nation’s defense.”
In June 2020 Austal announced the intention to spend approximately US$100million on building a steel shipbuilding capability co-funded by the United States Government, to provide additional capability alongside Austal’s existing aluminium construction operations at Mobile, Alabama. Austal USA will bring its proven lean manufacturing processes and facility design to the steel shipbuilding market, having delivered 24 ships to the U.S. Navy in the last nine years, including the Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport (T-EPF).
This ASX announcement has been approved and authorised for release by Paddy Gregg, Austal Limited’s Chief Executive Officer.
