b'MEMBER NEWSSt. Johns Ship BuildingAcquired by Americraft MarineA mericraft Marine, a subsidiary of theTheacquisitionisthefirstforAmericraftJones Act-compliant vessels age out of work. Libra Group, has acquired St. JohnsMarine,whichanticipatesfutureorganicThecompanyexpectsexpansionstoprior-Ship Building. Based in Palatka, Fla.,and acquisition-based growth that addressesitizeinvestmentsthataresustainableand nearJacksonville,St.JohnsShipBuildingthe need for modern, state-of-the-art vessels,position the U.S. for leadership in the clean builds and repairs a wide variety of steel andincluding those that are eco-friendly as moreenergy market.aluminum vessels, including ferries, tugs, deck andtankbarges,landingcrafts,andgeneral cargo vessels, as well as vessels that support and service offshore wind farms. Its most recent or-ders include two 30-meter, hybrid-ready Incat Crowther designed offshore wind CTVs.AmericraftMarineispartoftheprivate- The Trusted Source for ly-ownedLibraGroup,whosesubsidiariesQuality Systemsown and operate assets in more than 50 coun-tries. The purchase of St. Johns comes at a time ofsignificantneedforJonesAct-compliant vessels, company officials said.The acquisition leverages the proven capabili-ties of St. Johns Ship Building in constructing offshore wind service vessels, along with Libra Groups global experience in renewable energy and deep maritime heritage, the company said.St.JohnsShipBuildingsfacilitiesincludea storm-protected 100-acre inland campus with a 850-ton floating drydock. Americraft Marine plans to bolster capacity at St. Johns Ship Build-ing through workforce training, leveraging the yards proven expertise with the goal of creating a best-in-class, future-focused shipyard.With seasoned leaders who have decades of experience in the maritime industry and ex-isting client relationships, Americraft Marine and St. Johns Ship Building will build upon and bolster the U.S. fleet, meeting government andcustomerneedswhilesupportingthe nations economic and clean energy future, Libra Group Chairman and CEO George M. Logothetis said in a prepared statementAmericraftMarineisproudtoacquireSt. JohnsShipBuilding,whichhastheright leadership and skilled workforce to accelerate the future of U.S. shipbuilding and advanceTHRUSTERSLIGHTINGSEATINGDOORSTRIM CONTROLWIPERSCONTROLSthe urgent need for Jones Act-compliant, fu-ture-focused U.S. vessels, said Omear Khalid, CEO of Americraft Marine. Americraft Ma-rine will provide stable industrial jobs, invest in workforce training, and leverage St. Johnswww.imtra.com 508.995.7000proven expertise.41 JUNE 2022'