Gladding-Hearn Leverages Grant Funding for Shipyard Safety, Efficiency

Financial support from federal and state agencies helped Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, in undertaking capital projects that have made its shipyard operations more efficient and safer.

With a Small Shipyard Grant from the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), the yard replaced heavy bi-fold doors on its 12,000 square foot Walker St. facility. 

It took two cranes and as many as six employees to open the doors, explained Peter Duclos, shipyard co-president and director of business development. “We avoided using the doors, and as a result, we were not fully utilizing the shop space, said Duclos. “The new doors can be opened and closed in minutes by one person.”

The cost share grant also helped finance the purchase of a new custom 35-ton self-propelled Hostar trailer, intended to move boats less than 60 feet more safely and efficiently. The trailer is a split design so it can back under the boat and support the load with sliding keel beams and hydraulic arms. In addition to rubber tires, it has cradle wheels so it can launch boats on the shipyard’s marine railway, as well as haul and transport a vessel more efficiently to/from a shop for repair on one step. “Our old method of using cranes to move, lift, and transfer a vessel onto the railway was complicated and time-consuming,” said Duclos.

Additionally, a grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Technology Center (MassCEC), was used to build a sheltered plate storage yard, which allows the shipyard to store metal plating outside more efficiently on racks and stay dry under cover.