SCA Weekly Report | July 11-15, 2022

Shipbuilders Council of America

20 F Street NW, Suite 500

Washington, DC 20001

www.shipbuildersusa.org

SCA Weekly Report | July 11-15, 2022

ANNOUNCEMENTS

NAVSEA Workforce Grant Opportunities

• Navy Industrial Base Grant Tracker (July 2022)

SCA Industry Impacts Survey

At the SCA 2022 Winter Meeting, the Industry Partners Committee recommended, and the SCA Board of Directors approved, a survey to solicit input from SCA members on the various impacts on the shipyard industrial base including resulting lingering COVID issues, supply chain disruptions, inflationary costs and federal budget uncertainty, among other industry concerns. 

Member participation in this survey is critical to conveying these adverse impacts on shipbuilding, ship repairing, and the businesses that support and supply the shipyard industry. The results of the survey will be aggregated industry data points to assist SCA's efforts to advocate for the shipyard industrial base to the Pentagon, Administration, and Congress.

The survey should not take any longer than 5-10 minutes to complete, and all results will be blinded and aggregated. This means that all company information will remain anonymous and only viewed by the SCA team.

CONGRESSIONAL NEWS

U.S. House of Representatives Passes National Defense Authorization Act

On Thursday, the House passed its version of the NDAA, endorsing a $37 billion boost to President Joe Biden's request and adding a host of amendments. The bill was approved by a vote of 329-101, with 180 Democrats and 149 Republicans voting in favor.

The bill authorizes 13 new warships, adding five ships the Navy didn’t request — an extra Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, another Constellation-class frigate, another fleet oiler and two expeditionary medical ships. It also requires the Navy to keep five of the nine littoral combat ships it sought to retire.

The measure now heads to the Senate, where the Armed Services Committee approved its draft version of the fiscal 2023 NDAA on June 16, but the bill is not expected to come to the floor until September.

OFFSHORE WIND NEWS

Unions Vie to Get in on Ground Floor of Offshore Wind Industry

Unions are positioning themselves as a key part of the Biden administration’s goal to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030, pushing for worker-focused mandates while fielding questions about how it can be done, particularly in the waters off less union-friendly states. After having lost out on footholds in industries that developed without union buy-in, organized labor is pushing to make sure they’re included at this table, where the many existing skillsets of their members can be put to work. Unions and private developers have already voluntarily agreed to collaborate on some of the slated projects, tapping into what some predict could be tens of thousands of jobs brought about by the industry—but they want more. READ MORE

IN THE NEWS

Austal USA Starts Construction of its First Steel Ship

Earlier this week, Austal USA celebrated the start of construction on its first steel ship; a U.S. Navy Navajo Class Towing, Salvage, and Rescue Ship (T-ATS 11). The milestone was observed in a shipyard ceremony at which Congressman Jerry Carl, U.S. representative for Alabama’s first district, and Rear Admiral Thomas J. Anderson, the U.S. Navy’s program executive officer, ships spoke alongside Austal USA Vice President of new construction, Dave Growden. T-ATS will provide ocean-going tug, salvage, and rescue capabilities to support U.S. fleet operations and will be a multi-mission common hull platform capable of towing heavy ships. Delivery of T-ATS 11 is planned for late 2024.

Philly Shipyard Begins Building Third National Security Multi-Mission Vessel

On Monday, Philly Shipyard held a steel cutting ceremony for the third of five new National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV). The new ship, destined for the Maine Maritime Academy, is scheduled to be delivered in 2024. The U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) NSMV program is designed to provide a purpose-built, state-of-the-art training platform for state maritime academies in New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Texas, and California, respectively. In addition, the five NSMVs will be available to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in times of need.

“We’ve reached a historic milestone with the cutting of steel for this ship that will be used to train future cadets at the Maine Maritime Academy,” said TOTE Services President Jeff Dixon. “We’re grateful for the widespread, bipartisan support the NSMV program has received to help make this significant investment in the U.S. maritime industry possible.”

DOT to Make $300 Million Available to Boost Ferry Service

Recently, the Biden administration announced historic levels of funding aimed at improving and expanding ferry service in U.S. communities as well as accelerating the transition to zero emission transportation. The Federal Transit Administration is making available nearly $300 million through three competitive grant programs that boost access to rural ferry service, bolster existing and new urban service, and lower emissions across all services by speeding up adoption of zero emission ferry technologies.

“Ferry service can be as important to everyday life as a highway or railway for many people across the country, whether in a small Alaskan community or a large metropolitan area,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Thanks to the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this historic funding will bring ferry service to more Americans and make it safer and cleaner through modern, electric ferries.”  

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the SCA staff.