Advanced shipbuilding is returning to Texas for the first time in decades. Here’s why it matters — and what workers need to know.

On June 1st, Davie Defense broke ground on a nearly $1 billion modernization of the former Gulf Copper shipyards in Galveston and Port Arthur — the first complex shipbuilding project in Texas in decades. The work is anchored by a $3.5 billion U.S. Coast Guard contract for five Arctic Security Cutters, is projected to create approximately 2,400 direct jobs (with supply-chain effects supporting close to 7,000 statewide), and drew Governor Abbott, Senator Cruz, and Congressman Weber to the waterfront for the event. The U.S.S. Battleship Texas, currently under restoration at Gulf Copper, was present in spirit.

Texas ports already support more than $713.9 billion in annual economic activity (28% of state GDP!), sustain 2.5 million jobs, and handle 746 million tons of cargo per year, according to the 2024 Texas Ports Association economic impact study. Now, for the first time in a generation, Texas will not just move the goods, but also build the ships.

The Workforce Gap Is Real

The Texas maritime industry is projected to need as many as 250,000 additional skilled workers by 2033. Tight labor markets push employers to hire and train quickly. That pressure can mean corners get cut on safety, and workers — worried about their jobs — may hesitate to report injuries. Neither is legally sound, and both lead to worse outcomes. If you are working at Gulf Copper or any other maritime facility and you are hurt, report it, get medical attention, document everything, and call an experienced maritime attorney before giving any statement to an employer or insurer.

Bottom line: the ships being built here in Texas will eventually operate in dangerous Arctic waters, and the workers who build them deserve protection as serious as the mission those vessels will carry.

We at the Herd Law Firm are proud to fight for seamen, maritime workers and passengers in all types of personal injury and death claims. As maritime personal injury attorneys (and sailors ourselves!) located in northwest Houston, we never waver in our commitment to help these maritime workers, passengers, and their families when they are injured or mistreated.

The information in this post is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For questions specific to your maritime law issue, please contact us at 713-955-3699 or at Charles.Herd@HerdLawFirm.com.

Sources:

Texas Ports Association / Martin & Associates, 2024 Economic Impact Study (FY2023 data)

Davie Defense Press Release, June 1, 2026 (PRNewswire)

Davie Defense / https://www.davie.ca/en/news/#media-releases

Manufacturing Dive / WorkBoat / Houston Public Media, June 2026

Texas Association of Business, “Texas Is Emerging as the Center of America’s Maritime Resurgence” (2025)

TxDOT, Texas Maritime Ports overview: https://www.txdot.gov/discover/texas-maritime-ports.html