‘Largest in the western hemisphere': BAE Systems commissions new ship lift near JAXPORT
Naval Station Mayport is celebrating the opening of a new $250 million facility that will support and maintain U.S. Navy ships.
Industry leaders cut the ribbon on the state-of-the-art shipyard addition in a ceremony Monday.
BAE Systems said the ship lift is one of the ten largest ship lifts in the world, and the largest on the western hemisphere.
'It's not anything like dry docks. It's not like anything that's been done before,' Tim Spratto said.
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Spratto is the VP General Manager of BAE Systems, the British-based multinational defense company behind the ship lift.
Leaders say the new addition will support work critical to America's national defense and provide massive upgrades to the area's shipyard service. The lift will also be able to provide shipyard services to commercial ships entering the port of Jacksonville.
All this comes as the Trump administration calls for the restoration of the American maritime industry with an April executive order.
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Acting Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Jim Kilby, said it's an order his team is taking seriously.
'I'm here to tell you that shipbuilding is the Secretary of the Navy's number one priority,' he said.
Right now, the workforce has more than 650 employees but expects to add about 300 more.
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