A federal grant worth more than $700,000 will help make Portland Ship Yard safer and more efficient, members of Maine’s congressional delegation announced Monday.

The shipyard will receive just over $730,000 through the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration’s Small Shipyard Grant Program, a slightly larger sum than the funds Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King and Rep. Chellie Pingree requested from the administration in April, according to a joint statement from the lawmakers.

“This funding is critical to ensuring that the highly skilled men and women at the Portland Ship Yard have the necessary resources to keep the boats on our working waterfront running smoothly,” they said. “This investment from MARAD will make certain that Portland Ship Yard can continue to do their important work while supporting good jobs across Maine.”

The grant would allow the shipyard to purchase a 60-ton vessel trailer and install a new indoor ventilation system.

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