Project Maeve to add 2,000 Gulf Coast jobs

Pensacola has secured preliminary approval for a substantial $76 million grant aimed at facilitating the construction of a $275 million shipyard. 

Officials announced on Wednesday that they expect this development to boost Navy vessel production along the Gulf Coast and create approximately 2,000 jobs.

The nonprofit Triumph Gulf Coast has granted a preliminary award to support what city officials are calling Project Maeve, a planned 400,000-square-foot shipbuilding facility. Birdon, an Australia-based manufacturer known for producing submarine components and complete surface vessels for the U.S. Navy, plans to occupy the facility.

The estimated cost of the project is $275 million. According to project materials, nearly 75% of anticipated jobs are expected to pay an average salary of about $68,000, while around 25% are projected to pay an average of $112,000.

City officials have announced that the proposed facility is expected to enhance Pensacola's position as a key defense hub. Pensacola is home to Naval Air Station Pensacola, the Navy’s main training facility for aspiring aviators. The installation supports the Naval Aviation Schools Command, the Naval Air Technical Training Center, the Naval Education and Training Command, and several other tenants. The Blue Angels, the Navy’s renowned flight demonstration squadron, are stationed at that location.

The establishment of Triumph Gulf Coast aims to distribute settlement funds to revitalize communities affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Since 2017, the nonprofit organization has allocated funds to various projects, including port dredging and workforce training programs, with a particular focus on high school welding initiatives.

Project Maeve stands as one of Triumph’s most significant proposed awards to date. Pensacola must enter into a term sheet and complete approval steps with Triumph before any funds can be released.

The investment arrives as the Gulf Coast region strengthens its position in the naval manufacturing sector. Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corporation, located on Pelican Island near Galveston, has recently announced an extension of its agreement with Ingalls Shipbuilding to enhance support for destroyer production. Ingalls operates a major shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, renowned for its long-standing production of Navy cruisers, destroyers, and submarines.

If approved, Project Maeve will establish the Gulf Coast as a crucial hub for the United States. naval construction and workforce development. naval construction and workforce development.