WASHINGTON –
U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and
Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-MD) today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has announced grants to two Maryland shipyards totaling more than $4 million as part of the

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(ARRA).

A grant of $2.4 million has been awarded to General Ship Repair Corp. in Baltimore City.
  The shipyard, which is located on Key Highway, will use the funds to build a new 1,000-ton dry dock.
  The project is expected to be completed in a year and General Ship Repair has estimated it will hire 20 new employees because of the expansion.

Ellicott Dredges LLC, located in Baltimore and the largest dredge builder in the United States, has been awarded a grant of $1.7 million.
  Ellicott Dredges will use the funds to upgrade the facility, including IT and other mechanical systems.
  The improvements will help the company retain 20 jobs and create five new jobs in the next year.
 

“Maryland is known for its ship repair facilities and this economic stimulus funding is exactly what is needed to keep this industry strong while we weather this economic downturn,” said
Senator Cardin, a member of the Senate Budget Committee.
  “I am particularly pleased that these grants will make it possible for General Ship Repair and Ellicott Dredges to expand their operations and hire more workers.”

“This funding will have an immediate positive impact, helping to save and create jobs and keep ships – and the goods they carry – safe and moving in Maryland,” said


 



Senator Mikulski,

a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The funds are awarded through the Maritime Administration’s Assistance to Small Shipyards program and will help create and preserve jobs, providing valuable employment training and improvements to shipyards.