February 29, 2008: Jobs Return to Toledo Shipyards as Phase I Improvements Dedicated

“Today, we congratulate the partnership of Ironhead Marine, Inc. and the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority as East Toledo welcomes the return of jobs to the shipyard site and real economic development on our Great Lakes, right here at the Port of Toledo,” said Kaptur. “To commercial shippers and mariners, this is especially good news as Toledo, for some time the only operating full service shipyard on the lower Great Lakes, introduces state of the art facilities for its customers.”

Kaptur, a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, secured over $3.5 million from the Departments of Defense and Housing and Urban Development to bring new “high-bay” facilities to the East Toledo shipyard. Coupled with support from Lucas County and the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, the funds allowed for demolition of long antiquated facilities and assisted in construction which created over 100 construction jobs and the potential for hundreds of shipbuilding and repair jobs at the Port of Toledo.

“Placing emphasis on “winterizing” our shipbuilding capabilities with an enclosed high bay facility makes our shipyard a year round destination for ship repair and shipbuilding again. This giant step forward has triggered the rebirth of new shipbuilding and vessel repairs capacity on the Great Lakes, centered at Toledo, the crossroads of the Great Lakes.”