Saturday, April 14, 2007

Erie Shipbuilding Prospects Looking Up

Things are looking up for Erie Shipbuilding. Construction for the new dumpscow continues and is due to wrap up in late June or early July, pending American Bureau of Shipping approval. At the same time, six 165 foot deck barges for the same operator are due to be delivered in June, July, August, and possibly September, depending on how well construction progresses.

The company is preparing to begin construction on the new 840-foot tug/barge unit that will be a sister to the JOYCE L. VANENKEVORT/GREAT LAKES TRADER, according to Saturday's Erie Times-News.

Meanwhile, at Friday's Port Authority meeting, the Authority board approved construction of a new $300,000 to $400,000 building at the north end of the yard's fabrication shop. The building will house part of an assembly line process. The building should be completed within 3 to 4 months.

Things are truly looking up for a yard that just two short years ago had absolutely no prospects for ever doing anything again, as Metro Machine had abandoned the yard.

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