In a welcome turnabout, south Louisiana’s fabrication industry is enjoying an unexpected renaissance, thanks to a proliferation of government shipbuilding contracts for everything from ice cutters to autonomous military vessels, reports 10/12 Industry Report in its latest issue.
It has revitalized existing fabricators and attracted new ones, while leaving behind a decades-old dependence upon the offshore oil and gas market.
And while there’s a fair share of traditional boat building in the mix, the introduction of a new type of ship is getting most of the recent attention. In 2025, federal dollars began fueling the production of a variety of autonomous and AI-enabled vessels, and many local fabricators were quick to jump on board. Read more from 10/12 Industry Report.
