Maritime Administration awards $35 million in 2026 Small Shipyard Grants

Image via James Marine

Today, the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced awards for the 2026 round of Small Shipyard Grants. This round included $35.18 million in awards, the highest amount since 2009. As anticipated, award amounts averaged $781,777 for the 45 awards made.

You can access MARAD'S announcement here.

The grants, announced on August 13, were awarded to 45 projects from 24 states and 1 US territory. Projects awarded ranged from Marine Travelifts to mobile cranes, computer-numerical control (CNC) machines, and worker training equipment and programs. Congrats to all awardees.

We will update this post with further analysis of the award decisions, but here are some initial impressions:

Small Shipyard Grants by the numbers

Of the awards issued this year, there are some notable characteristics. They include:

• MARAD awarded 45 awards, with an average award amount of $781,777

• The largest grants were six for approximately $1.5k each (Pacific Shipyards, for a 120-ton truck crane; Fraser Shipyards, for a 130-ton rough terrain crane; Gunderson Marine, for a CNC plasma cutter; Stevens Towing, for utilities upgrade; Vessel Repair, for a drydock; and Delta Marine, for a 620-ton Marine Travelift), indicating a clear ceiling, and potentially high levels of matching funds, given the costs of these items.

• The number of awards by state:

  • In previous rounds, we'd see a typical maximum of two awards per state. This round, shipyards in the State of Washington received 6 awards; in Oregon, 4 awards; and shipyards in Michigan and Texas received 3 awards each.

  • No awards made to shipyards in Maine, Virginia and Ohio.

  • Only one award made in Florida, California and Louisiana. In the past, MARAD typically has received the most applications from applicants in these states.

  • Awards to facilities in Vermont, New Jersey, Missouri and Georgia-- states which in the past have not received many awards.

How can you prepare for the next round of Small Shipyard Grants now?

Twenty grants were awarded this year to curent or former members of the Small Shipyard Grant Coalition. As Congress continues to consider funding levels for the next round of small shipyard grants, we anticipate that small shipyards will once again have the opportunity to apply for grants next year. Below are three ways that you can prepare --

1. Join the Coalition: work with us to help promote funding for the next round of grants and create educational opportunities for those who have joined as full members.

2. Start planning early: these grant applications can take time to develop, so start thinking through your desired projects and collecting the necessary information for your application.

3. Consult a grant writing consultant early: if you seek support from experienced consultants, reach out early-- as many of us reached peak capacity early this round.

Working together, small shipyards can continue to support the future of our maritime communities and strengthen this important segment of the U.S. maritime industrial base.