BAE Systems broke ground April 11 on a shiplift system at its Jacksonville shipyard that is expected to add 500 full-time jobs to the 650 currently employed at the facility.
The new system, which can accommodate a Flight III U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer, will be able to move dry-docked ships to one of several repair berths inside the yard.
The $200 million project also includes a land-level repair area that can provide electrical, sewage and water services to docked ships.
The new complex will expand the shipyard’s docking capacity by 300% when completed in 2025.
“The shiplift project is a significant investment by BAE Systems in the Jacksonville port, and we look forward to building this new complex to expand our shipyard’s capacity to meet commercial and government ship repair needs,” BAE Systems Platforms & Services President Jeremy Tondreault said in a news release.
BAE said the expanded facility will support work on U.S. Navy ships from Naval Station Mayport and also for commercial ship repair.
Farnborough, England-based BAE has operated the shipyard on the St. Johns River since it acquired Jacksonville-based Atlantic Marine Holding Co. in 2010.
The company said including construction jobs, the shiplift project will create about 1,000 jobs.
BAE’s shipyard is at 8500 Heckscher Drive along the St. Johns River, 2 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.