Master Boat Builders, Inc. (“Master Boat”) today announced it has signed a contract with Austal USA to fabricate modules for the U.S. Navy’s Navajo-class Towing, Salvage, and Rescue Ship (T-ATS) program. The agreement establishes Master Boat as a key subcontractor supporting the construction and delivery of mission-critical naval vessels.
Under the contract, Master Boat will fabricate two T-ATS hull modules at its shipyard in Coden, Alabama, approximately 30 minutes from Austal USA’s Mobile facility. The modules will be built to Austal USA’s production design and technical specifications, with final assembly and outfitting taking place at Austal’s Mobile yard.
“This contract is a direct result of the partnership we built with Austal USA last year, and it validates what we’ve been saying all along — regional shipyards like ours can take on complex defense work and deliver,” said Garrett Rice, President of Master Boat Builders. “Our proximity to Austal USA, our experienced workforce, and our investment in dedicated defense infrastructure position us to support this and future programs.”
Austal USA leadership emphasized the importance of expanding distributed production across the Gulf Coast.
“By distributing module fabrication to a qualified yard right here on the Gulf Coast, we’re expanding throughput, reducing schedule risk, and strengthening the industrial base that supports our warfighters,” said Gene Miller, Interim President of Austal USA. “This is the model the Navy has asked the industry to pursue, and we’re delivering on it.”
The new contract follows Master Boat’s recent announcement of a $60 million, 150,000-square-foot manufacturing facility dedicated exclusively to government and defense programs. The facility will support serial production of steel and aluminum ships and modules and is expected to create approximately 200 additional jobs. Until construction is complete, T-ATS fabrication will take place at the company’s existing Coden yard, which currently employs more than 400 people.
The U.S. Navy’s T-ATS program will replace aging fleet ocean tugs and rescue and salvage ships with modern, multi-mission platforms designed for towing, salvage, recovery, diving operations, and humanitarian and disaster response. Austal USA has already launched the first two ships in the program. Master Boat’s involvement strengthens the Gulf Coast’s shipbuilding capacity and advances the nation’s maritime industrial base.
