Governor Ron DeSantis awards $9 million to Pensacola to expand shipbuilding infrastructure and create about 2,000 new jobs
Pensacola, Florida – Governor Ron DeSantis has awarded $9 million to the City of Pensacola through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to support major infrastructure improvements at the Port of Pensacola, with officials saying the project will help expand the state’s shipbuilding capacity and create about 2,000 jobs.
The funding will support the development of two new shipbuilding facilities at the port. The planned improvements are expected to give Pensacola the ability to produce complex Navy ship modules for submarines and surface warships, including vessels reaching up to 400 feet in length.
The investment comes as the United States faces a growing need for additional capacity in its maritime industrial base. Florida officials say expanding shipbuilding infrastructure in Pensacola will strengthen the state’s role in maritime manufacturing while also supporting national security.
“We have a strong economy because we have our priorities straight,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “We have delivered record tax relief while making strategic investments in workforce education, infrastructure, and economic development projects that bring industry and jobs to our state. Today, we’re building on that track record with a $9 million investment to support the construction of two boatbuilding facilities at the Port of Pensacola. These facilities will produce complex Navy ship modules for submarines and surface ships, and they are projected to create 2,000 jobs for Floridians in shipbuilding and maritime manufacturing.”
The city’s $9 million award will be used for infrastructure work connected to the two facilities. The project includes site development, utilities and facility construction, covering approximately 400,000 square feet of manufacturing space.
The facilities will support Project Maeve’s advanced shipbuilding and maritime manufacturing operation. Once developed, the project is expected to generate approximately 2,000 manufacturing and related jobs, providing a significant employment boost tied to the region’s maritime industry.
Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly said the project fits into the state’s broader effort to expand high-skill industries and strengthen its industrial base.
“Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Florida has ensured our state remains economically competitive through strategic investments that increase Florida’s maritime manufacturing capacity—bringing high-skill, high-wage jobs to Florida communities,” said Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly. “By investing in this project, supporting our local and regional partners, and adding capacity to Florida’s overall industrial base, we are strengthening Florida’s growing maritime economy and doing our part to enhance our nation’s security.”
The Pensacola project is also receiving substantial support from other sources. The city has secured a $76 million grant from Triumph Gulf Coast to help move the development forward. Combined with the new Florida Job Growth Grant Fund award, the additional funding provides significant public investment for the shipbuilding expansion.
The latest announcement also builds on previous state support for Pensacola’s maritime infrastructure. In 2023, DeSantis awarded the city $3.9 million through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund for infrastructure improvements at the Port of Pensacola.
That earlier investment helped establish a High-Performance Maritime Center of Excellence and contributed to Pensacola securing American Magic’s High Performance Center. The facility opened in January 2026, adding another major maritime-related operation to the port.
The new shipbuilding project comes at a time when Florida already has a substantial maritime and military presence. The state is home to 21 major military installations, including three combatant commands, as well as 16 deepwater seaports.
Those ports account for about $19.5 billion in gross domestic product and 1.2 million jobs, according to state figures. Florida also has more than 1,350 miles of coastline, providing a large geographic base for maritime activity, transportation and manufacturing.
State officials also point to Florida’s position in the national shipbuilding industry. Florida ranks first in the nation for workforce development, maritime industrial base jobs and ship- and boat-building establishments. More than 1,500 ship and boat builders are based in the state, representing almost 20% of the nation’s total.
The state’s maritime economy extends beyond military and industrial shipbuilding. Florida ranks first nationally for yacht and pleasure craft exports and boat registrations. Recreational boating and fishing generate an estimated $31.3 billion in economic impact across the state.
For Pensacola, however, the new investment is particularly focused on advanced manufacturing and defense-related shipbuilding. The planned facilities are intended to expand the port’s ability to handle complex production while bringing additional jobs connected to the maritime sector.
The project also reflects a wider push to increase American shipbuilding capacity. By developing facilities capable of producing modules for submarines and surface ships, Pensacola is expected to become part of efforts to expand the country’s maritime industrial base.
The Florida Job Growth Grant Fund has been used by the state for infrastructure and workforce development projects since 2019. According to the state, the program has awarded more than $341 million since its creation.
Those investments have helped create nearly 45,500 new jobs while supporting more than 34,000 workforce education opportunities. The program is designed to address infrastructure and workforce training needs in communities across Florida.
Proposals for the fund are reviewed by FloridaCommerce, while the final selections are made by the governor based on workforce training and infrastructure needs.
The Pensacola award represents another major investment through the program, this time aimed at an industry with both economic and national security importance. With the planned facilities, hundreds of thousands of square feet of manufacturing space and approximately 2,000 projected jobs, city and state officials see the project as an important addition to Pensacola’s long-term economic development.
As construction and development move forward, the Port of Pensacola is positioned to expand beyond its existing maritime activities and take on a larger role in advanced shipbuilding. The latest state funding is intended to help provide the infrastructure needed to make that expansion possible while strengthening Florida’s already significant position in the nation’s maritime economy.
