Florida News
Published Aug. 12, 2026, 4:17 p.m. ET | Updated Aug. 12, 2026
PENSACOLA, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded $9 million to the City of Pensacola on Wednesday to expand shipbuilding infrastructure at the Port of Pensacola, a project projected to create roughly 2,000 manufacturing and related jobs.
JUST IN: Gov. Ron DeSantis announces $9 million for the Port of Pensacola to support construction of two new boat-building facilities.@GovRonDeSantis: "We’re not going to rest on our laurels."
DeSantis says the investment will strengthen Florida’s maritime industry, support… pic.twitter.com/FHMMFLgyCu
The funding, provided through the state’s Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, will support site development, utility upgrades, and construction of two new shipbuilding facilities spanning 400,000 square feet. The new infrastructure will enable the port to produce complex U.S. Navy ship modules for submarines and surface warships up to 400 feet long.
“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,” DeSantis said. “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 state grant complements a $76 million grant previously secured from Triumph Gulf Coast for the initiative, known as “Project Maeve,” which aims to establish a major advanced ship manufacturing center at the port. The state previously awarded Pensacola $3.9 million from the same growth fund in 2023 to establish a maritime center of excellence at the port.
Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly noted that expanding Florida’s maritime manufacturing capacity serves both state economic interests and broader national defense objectives.
“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,” Kelly said.
The Florida Job Growth Grant Fund is a state economic development initiative designed to fund public infrastructure projects and regional workforce training programs. Since 2019, the program has awarded more than $341 million across Florida.
Since 2019, we have awarded more than $341 million in infrastructure and workforce development grants all over Florida through the Job Growth Grant Fund. So far, these investments have created nearly 45,500 new jobs and supported more than 34,000 workforce education… pic.twitter.com/ig1HNQ7ypF
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