U.S. Dredging Industry Invests in American Workers, New State-of-the-Art Technology to Deliver Four New Vessels for Critical Infrastructure Projects

WASHINGTON (January 18, 2018) – The American Maritime Partnership (AMP), the voice of the domestic maritime industry, today highlighted the U.S. dredging industry’s commitment to build and maintain safe, efficient and cost-effective navigation channels in nation’s inland waterways and ports.

The recent deliveries of four state-of-the-art vessels, constructed by nearly 700 American workers in U.S. shipyards, are a reflection of the U.S. dredging industry’s  continued investment in building dredges with increased capacity for complex operations while maintaining the highest environmental and safety standards for dredging operations.

These vessels represent more than $310 million in new vessel construction in the United States, and have helped to support the U.S. shipyard industrial base.

Recent vessel investments include:

  • Delivery of Weeks Marine Inc.’s hopper dredge MAGDALEN,
  • Delivery of Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (“Great Lakes”) ATB hopper dredge ELLIS ISLAND and tug DOUGLAS B. MACKIE, and,
  • Delivery of Manson Construction Company’s ABS cutter suction dredge ROBERT M. WHITE.

MAGDALEN arrived on January 2, 2018, to Southport, North Carolina, and is now working on one of the state’s most critical projects: the protection of Highway 12 in the Buxton area on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Over the course of three and a half years, more than 250 shipyard employees at Eastern Shipyard in Florida were involved in the construction of the vessel.

“Weeks works hard to identify and understand growing markets in the U.S. and is constantly evaluating new opportunities to meet new demand,” said Eric Ellefsen, Weeks’ Executive Vice President. “We are particularly attentive to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ program, and have been pleased by the strong growth in our second home, Louisiana, as the state fights coastal erosion and the loss of valuable wildlife habitat.”

The construction of the new build ATB hopper dredge ELLIS ISLAND and tug DOUGLAS B. MACKIE took place in Panama City, Florida, and employed more than 400 shipyard workers over the three-year construction period. Now located offshore of Gulfport, Mississippi, ELLIS ISLAND commenced dredging operations in early December 2017 on the MSCIP Comprehensive Barrier Island Restoration Plan which will reconnect Ship Island East and West. David Simonelli, President of Great Lakes’ Dredging Division commented, “We are excited to take delivery of this advanced vessel which improves the competitiveness of our hopper group and represents a substantial capital reinvestment in the Great Lakes dredging fleet.

ELLIS ISLAND significantly increases the United States commercial Jones Act hopper fleet capacity as the largest hopper dredge in the United States market, with a carrying capacity of 15,000 cubic yards.”

Manson Construction Company placed into service the 30-inch ABS cutter suction dredge ROBERT M. WHITE in July 2017. Constructed in Morgan City, Louisiana, by Halimar Shipyard, ROBERT M. WHITE was named in honor of a long-term Manson employee who was a leader in maritime industry safety.

Frederick Paup, Chairman of the Board of Manson Construction Co., stated, “We are proud that ROBERT M. WHITE is a U.S.-built, U.S.-flagged, and U.S.-crewed vessel that will focus on the coastal restoration and maintenance dredging markets of the United States. We will continue to invest in the U.S. dredging market to help our stakeholders accomplish their missions.”

For more information about the U.S. dredging industry, a critical element of the American Jones Act fleet, visit https://www.dredgingcontractors.org

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American Maritime Partnership (AMP) is the voice of the U.S. domestic maritime industry, a pillar of our nation‘s economic, national, and homeland security. More than 40,000 American vessels built in American shipyards, crewed by American mariners, and owned by American companies, operate in our waters 24/7, and this commerce sustains nearly 500,000 American jobs, $29 billion in labor compensation, and more than $100 billion in annual economic output.

For more information about AMP, please visit www.americanmaritimepartnership.com.

The Company
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (“Great Lakes” or the “Company”) is the largest provider of dredging services in the United States and the only U.S.dredging company with significant international operations. The Company is also a significant provider of environmental and remediation services on land and water.  The Company employs civil, ocean and mechanical engineering staff in its estimating, production and project management functions.  In its over 127-year history, the Company has never failed to complete a marine project. Great Lakes has a disciplined training program for engineers that ensures experienced-based performance as they advance through Company operations. Great Lakes also owns and operates the largest and most diverse fleet in the U.S. dredging industry, comprised of over 200 specialized vessels.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements 
Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking” statements as defined in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “PSLRA”) or in releases made by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), all as may be amended from time to time. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Great Lakes and its subsidiaries, or industry results, to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical fact are forward-looking statements. These cautionary statements are being made pursuant to the Exchange Act and the PSLRA with the intention of obtaining the benefits of the “safe harbor” provisions of such laws. Great Lakes cautions investors that any forward-looking statements made by Great Lakes are not guarantees or indicative of future events.

Although Great Lakes believes that its plans, intentions and expectations reflected in this press release are reasonable, actual events could differ materially. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made only as of the date hereof and Great Lakes does not have or undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or otherwise, unless otherwise required by law.

GLDD CORP

For further information contact: 
Abby Sullivan, Investor Relations 
630-574-3024

Source: Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation

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