Shipbuilder Birdon has begun work in its Bayou La Batre shipyard on the first of a series of Waterways Commerce Cutters for the U.S. Coast Guard.
To prepare for the project, Birdon has invested more than $27 million, allowing it to work on six vessels at a time.
In 2022, Birdon was awarded a $1.187 billion contract to build 27 new WCC vessels for the Coast Guard — 16 buoy tenders and 11 inland construction tenders. The investment is intended to help the Coast Guard revitalize its inland waterways fleet.
The U.S. has 12,000 miles of inland waterways, carrying $5.4 trillion in economic activity annually and creating some 30 million jobs, Birdon notes.
“Our entire team is thrilled to be entering this next phase of the WCC program with start of construction,” said Birdon President Tony Ardito. “We are grateful for our partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard and look forward to continuing to deliver on this critical program.”
The firm is partnering with local high schools and community colleges to build its workforce and offering on-the-job training in several shipbuilding skills.
In addition, the firm has promised to work with local small business to fulfill elements of the contract.
Like Mobile shipbuilder Austal, Birdon is an Australian firm. Its U.S. headquarters is in Denver.
