Shipbuilding companies in Louisiana and Mississippi, such as Bollinger Shipyards, are struggling to find enough workers to reach the Navy’s required 355-ship fleet, with Bollinger CEO predicting a need to hire 500-1,000 extra workers over the next two years due to a shortage of engineers, designers, welders, electricians, and painters.
US shipyards across Louisiana and Mississippi, including Bollinger Shipyards, are facing labor shortages as the Navy tries to reach its statutory requirement of a 355-ship fleet. Bollinger CEO Ben Bordelon predicts he will need to hire between 500 and 1,000 extra workers over the next two years, with engineers and designers in short supply along with shipbuilders, welders, electricians, and painters. Salaries for these trades range between $27,000 and $77,000 per year, with companies including Ingalls and Austal USA offering incentives such as apprenticeship programs and better working hours to attract workers. These initiatives also include perks such as Ingalls’ opening a Chick-fil-A in the middle of its shipyard.
