Master Boat Awarded Navy Contract For LCUs

Master Boat Builders, Inc. of Coden has been awarded an Other Transaction agreement by the U.S. Navy to build the Landing Craft, Utility (LCU)-class crafts and an option to manufacture an additional craft, with work to continue through 2029. Master Boat says the award marks a significant milestone for it as the company’s first defense shipbuilding contract as a prime shipyard. It also said the award demonstrates the value of leveraging shipyards of all sizes and capabilities across the U.S. industrial base to ultimately expand domestic production capacity, strengthen the skilled maritime workforce and support the shared objective of delivering more vessels to the fleet faster. The LCU program is a critical component of the Navy and U.S. Marine Corps’s efforts to modernize expeditionary logistics capabilities and maintain operational readiness in contested maritime environments. Designed to transport troops, vehicles, equipment and supplies, the vessel can carry up to 152 light tons of cargo. Equipped with a bow ramp, stern gate and specialized cargo-handling capabilities, the LCU supports force projection, expeditionary operations, humanitarian assistance and logistics missions around the world.