Eastern starts phase two of Nelson Street infrastructure improvements

Panama City, Fla., based Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc (ESG) reports that it has begun phase two of a significant infrastructure improvement project at its Nelson Street government shipbuilding facility. This phase includes the construction of 1,000 linear feet of additional bulkhead and berthing space, installation of associated heavy weather mooring infrastructure, the extension of the launch facility by 120 feet to increase the total launch way length to over 500 feet, and the final dredging of vessel berthing spaces and the shipyard turning basin.

These enhancements to the Nelson Street shipyard will significantly increase Eastern’s capability to construct and deliver multiple ships per year, supporting future Department of Defense (DOD) shipbuilding goals.

“This infrastructure improvement project represents a major investment in our government shipbuilding capabilities,” said Joey D’Isernia, Chairman and CEO of ESG. “The increased capacity and shipyard enhancements will allow us to better support the Navy’s initiative to expand the shipbuilding industrial base in order to meet the demands of the national defense strategy.”

The addition of 1,000 linear feet of bulkhead at the Nelson Street facility will provide ESG with more berthing space to better support construction programs that require multiple vessel deliveries per year. The extension of the launch way by 120 feet will enable ESG’s Nelson Street government shipyard to accommodate larger vessels more than 500 feet, expanding its capacity to construct a variety of ships to meet the evolving needs of the U.S. Navy and other government agencies. The project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2025.

The Nelson Street shipyard is one of three ESG shipyards. The others include its Allanton Road Shipyard, which sits on over 300 acres, has an 1,800 linear foot basin seawall, and has over 6,000 feet of water frontage leading into St. Andrew’s Bay and out to the Gulf of Mexico.

The Port St. Joe shipyard is the company’s newest facility where it is expanding into vessel sustainment for both commercial and government customers. This facility encompasses 40 acres and 1,000 feet of deepwater bulkhead with unrestricted access to the Gulf of Mexico test and trials grounds only a few miles away.