Birdon America Is Building a $275M Shipyard at the Port of Pensacola, Bringing Up to 2,000 Jobs to the Region

The Triumph Gulf Coast board approved an initial $76 million grant for the project in January, clearing the way for a 400,000-square-foot naval manufacturing facility that would become the company's Southeastern U.S. headquarters.

Birdon America Inc., an Australia-based defense shipbuilder with active contracts across the U.S. military, announced plans in late January to build a major shipyard at the Port of Pensacola, a project carrying a total estimated investment of $275 million that would bring up to 2,000 jobs to Escambia County.

The Triumph Gulf Coast board gave initial approval to the project, known in funding applications as Project Maeve, at its Jan. 28 meeting, authorizing staff to negotiate a term sheet with the City of Pensacola for a $76 million construction grant. Triumph Gulf Coast is a Florida nonprofit that administers economic recovery funds tied to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The city will own the facility as public infrastructure and enter a long-term ground lease with Birdon.

2,000

Projected jobs if the Birdon America shipyard comes to the Port of Pensacola, city officials call it the largest job-creation project in Pensacola history

The facility would be a 400,000-square-foot shipbuilding complex built on port property historically used for cargo and maritime operations, capable of producing Navy ship modules for Tier 1 shipyards, submarine modules and complete surface vessels up to 400 feet. The $275 million total breaks down as $105 million for construction, $25 million for site preparation and port utility upgrades, and $145 million for equipment. Operations are projected to begin in the third quarter of 2027.

Of the 2,000 projected jobs, 1,437 would carry an average annual salary of $68,000 and 563 would average $112,000, according to city figures. Triumph's economist estimated the project could generate $2.55 billion in additional household income over time.

Tony Ardito, president of Birdon America, said the Pensacola expansion reflects the company's commitment to rebuilding America's maritime industrial base. The facility would be Birdon's sixth U.S. location, joining an existing yard in Bayou La Batre, Ala.

Workforce development partnerships are planned with UWF's WAVE Center, Pensacola State College and the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. The Triumph term sheet negotiation is the next formal step before a final agreement returns to the board for a binding vote.

Source: Pensacola CRA Board agenda, April 6, 2026