Officials with the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority were briefed Jan. 28 on a proposal to develop a new shipyard in Erie, Pa., aimed at constructing vessels for the U.S. Navy.
The project, known as Gem City Shipbuilding, would be located on a portion of the former Erie Coke site along Erie’s bayfront. Representatives said the effort is envisioned as a public-private partnership focused on national defense ship construction while also driving regional economic development.
The proposed shipyard site occupies part of the former Erie Coke industrial property, a roughly 194-acre parcel at the foot of East Avenue along Lake Erie. The facility operated as a coke production plant from 1925 until its closure in 2019 following longstanding environmental compliance issues. The property was later acquired by the port authority for redevelopment and is undergoing environmental remediation under federal oversight…