Master Boat Builders Inc., Coden, Ala., has signed a contract with Austal USA to fabricate hull modules for the U.S. Navy’s Navajo-class towing, salvage and rescue ship (T-ATS) program, expanding the yard’s role in defense shipbuilding.
The agreement marks Master Boat’s first formal production contract under a broader outsourcing partnership with Austal USA and positions the company as a subcontractor supporting construction of the Navy’s next-generation auxiliary vessels. The work aligns with ongoing federal efforts to expand domestic shipbuilding capacity through distributed production across regional yards.
Under the contract, Master Boat will fabricate two hull modules at its Coden facility, about 30 miles from Austal USA’s Mobile, Ala., shipyard. The modules will be built to Austal’s production design and Navy specifications before being transported to Mobile for final assembly and outfitting…