Baldwin: Ship-Building In Marinette Will Have Wide-Ranging Economic Benefits For Wisconsin

Businesses all over Wisconsin should benefit from uninterrupted ship-building in Marinette in the new year, according to U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.

Recently, the U.S. Defense Department decided to upgrade, rather than cancel, the littoral combat ship program. The Pentagon now plans a mix of 52 littoral combat ships, and a new class called the “Small Surface Combatant Ship”.

At least some of those ships will be built at Marinette Marine, where 2,000 people work.

Baldinw said that the economic ripple effects of this new construction will be felt throughout Wisconsin.

“There are almost 100 Wisconsin companies that supply parts of Marinette Marine for production of the littorial combat ship. Each of those companies employing many Wisconsinites. So, this is a very good piece of news,” she said.

The littoral combat ship program at one time was scaled back to 32 ships. Now, there’ll be no break in production for the northeast Wisconsin workforce.