MarAd awards grants to small shipyards

Nine shipyards will share $4.9 million from the U.S. Maritime Administration for modernization projects aimed at making them more globally competitive.    The U.S. Maritime Administration said Monday it had awarded $4.9 million in grants to support capital improvements at nine small shipyards.
   MarAd said the funds will support modernization, allowing the shipyards to compete more effectively in the global marketplace.
   The nine were selected from 118 grant applications requesting $80 million in assistance.
   The recipients of the grants are Gravois Aluminum Boats in Jeanerette, La.; Chesapeake Shipbuilding of Salisbury, Md.; Eastern Shipbuilding Group in Panama, City, Fla; Marine Group Boat Works of Chula Vista, Calif.; Diversified Marine in Portland, Ore.; Conrad Orange Shipyard of Orange, Texas; Yank Marine in Dorchester, N.J.; Yager Marine in Owensboro, Ky.; and American Shipyard Co. of Newport, R.I.