Americraft Marine has acquired the Jones Act-compliant St Johns Ship Building facility in Florida.
The site leads in the new construction and repair of a wide variety of steel and aluminium vessels, including ferries, tugs, deck and tank barges, landing crafts, and general cargo vessels.
It is also one of the few US shipyards that builds vessels that support and service offshore wind farms.
The production of Jones Act-compliant vessels in the US has declined in recent years, while significant shipbuilding capacity will be needed over the next 10-15 years to support the upcoming demand for vessels that construct and service renewable energy infrastructure.
“Americraft Marine is proud to acquire St Johns Ship Building, which has the right leadership and skilled workforce to accelerate the future of US shipbuilding and advance the urgent need for Jones Act-compliant, future-focused US vessels,” said Omear Khalid, CEO of Americraft Marine.
Americraft Marine is a subsidiary of the Libra Group, a privately-owned international business group whose subsidiaries own and operate assets in more than 50 countries.
Libra Group chairman and CEO George Logothetis said: “As a group that has over 45 years of maritime heritage through our original subsidiary Lomar Shipping, as well as significant renewable energy experience through four global clean energy subsidiaries, we are proud to invest in the future of US competitiveness and energy security.
“With seasoned leaders who have decades of experience in the maritime industry and existing client relationships, Americraft Marine and St. Johns Ship Building will build upon and bolster the US fleet, meeting government and customer needs while supporting the nation’s economic and clean energy future.”
The acquisition is the first for Americraft Marine, which anticipates future organic and acquisition-based growth that addresses the dire need for modern, state-of-the-art vessels, including those that are eco-friendly as more Jones Act-compliant vessels age out of work.
The company expects future expansions to prioritise investments that are sustainable and position the US for leadership in the clean energy future by building and maintaining vessels that support renewable energy projects.