Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03) Announces $1.3M DOT Grant For Putnam Co.'s St. Johns Ship Building

GAINESVILLE, FL – Today, Congresswoman Kat Cammack announced the award of $1,342,724 from the U.S. Department of Transportation to St. Johns Ship Building in Putnam County, Florida to support the construction of a 2,000-ton drydock. The grant, awarded as part of the FY21 MARAD Small Shipyard Grants category, will enable the Palatka-based company to expand its drydock capacity for commercial transportation on the St. Johns River.

"I'm so pleased that Florida's Third Congressional District's own St. Johns Ship Building has received this DOT grant," said Cammack. "As those of us in Florida know, our waterways provide a tremendous opportunity for commerce, and these funds for the drydock will grow St. Johns Ship Building's business, attract new employees to the region, and build upon North Central Florida's reputation as a leader in coastal commerce."

"Right now, St. Johns Ship Building is capable of building, refitting, or repairing any vessel at our facility with our 1,200-ton drydock," said Steve Ganoe, owner of St. Johns Ship Building. "This new grant for a larger dock will enable us to expand our facility's capacity to take on more projects. We're easily accessible to vessels moving along the Intracoastal Waterway from the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, or Jacksonville and I'm looking forward to serving more customers with our highest quality workmanship."

The new drydock's construction will take almost 18 months to complete with an expected opening of late 2022 or early 2023.

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