Reactivation of Ingalls Shipbuilding East Bank Facility

The Jackson County Economic Development Foundation had Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias announce at their meeting the reactivation of the East Bank Facility.

Local and representatives in Jackson County applauded the news of the East Bank Shipyard coming back to life. Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias said, “It’s exciting to bring the legacy back. Ingalls in the past was a great shipyard. We hope to make it a great shipyard in the future.”

The original site of Ingalls Shipbuilding was founded in 1938. In 2005, it was decimated by Hurricane Katrina. The reactivation will restore the facility’s ability to support Ingalls current ship construction as well as help the company prepare for future work. “When you look at the efficiencies in the yard, where the Navy is going with the ship plan and how we become more efficient and handle more product, some of the work that’s going to be done in the East Bank currently needs to be done out in the open. So, it gives them a chance to work undercover in a much better environment,” said Cuccias.

The addition of new, large covered construction areas for ship assemblies and other components will bring new jobs and economic growth to Jackson County. District 5 Supervisor Randy Bosarge said, “It’ll be mostly construction jobs, getting the facility built the way they need it. Then eventually, they’ll have some more jobs coming in as they start bringing on that product line to start taking advantage of the expansion.”

Workers will begin immediately on the project which is expected to be finished in a two-year time frame. “They’ll be hundreds of cars of workers that will now drive through Pascagoula on the East Bank and that’s where they will work every day. I think that will be great for the local economy and great for Pascagoula the city,” said Cuccias.