U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) announced yesterday that Eastern Shipbuilding Group has been awarded a $10.5 billion contract to build two dozen new U.S. Coast Guard cutters.
Nelson, the top Democrat on the Senate’s Commerce Committee which oversees the Coast Guard, says the contract to build 25 new Offshore Patrol Cutters could bring 2,000 new jobs to the Panama City area, where the company is based.
At a cost of around $484 million per ship, it’s the largest contract the Coast Guard has ever awarded in its 226-year history.
“This is a big win for the people of Northwest Florida,†Nelson said. “The 2,000 new jobs that this contract will create will provide a significant boost to the local economy.â€
Securing funding for the new ships has been one of Nelson’s top priorities in the Senate. Eastern Shipbuilding was one of three finalist vying for the contract. The other finalists are located in Louisiana and Maine.