Americraft Marine, a maritime subsidiary of the Libra Group, has acquired St. Johns Ship Building, a full-service marine facility specializing in constructing and repairing Jones Act-compliant vessels, including those used to service offshore wind turbines.
Based in Florida, St. Johns Ship Building focuses on the new construction and repair of a variety of steel and aluminum vessels, including ferries, tugs, deck and tank barges, landing crafts, and general cargo vessels. Significantly, it is also one of the U.S. shipyards that builds vessels that support and service offshore wind farms.
Americraft Marine is a subsidiary of the Libra Group, a privately-owned international business group whose subsidiaries own and operate assets in more than 50 countries.
“As a group that has over 45 years of maritime heritage through our original subsidiary Lomar Shipping, as well as significant renewable energy experience through four global clean energy subsidiaries, we are proud to invest in the future of U.S. competitiveness and energy security,” says George M. Logothetis, Libra Group’s chairman and CEO. “With seasoned leaders who have decades of experience in the maritime industry and existing client relationships, Americraft Marine and St. Johns Ship Building will build upon and bolster the U.S. fleet, meeting government and customer needs while supporting the nation’s economic and clean energy future.”
“Americraft Marine is proud to acquire St. Johns Ship Building, which has the right leadership and skilled workforce to accelerate the future of U.S. shipbuilding and advance the urgent need for Jones Act-compliant, future-focused U.S. vessels,” states Omear Khalid, CEO of Americraft Marine. “Our goal is simple: to build a best-in-class Jones Act-compliant shipyard. Americraft Marine will provide stable industrial jobs, invest in workforce training and leverage St. Johns’ proven expertise as well as the historical maritime heritage of the Libra Group.”
