Bartlett Maritime Corp. submarine proposal receives support from U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown

LORAIN — A proposed submarine component repair center has received support from a U.S. senator. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland, wrote a letter to President Joe Biden, the secretary of Defense and ecretary of the Navy in support of Bartlett Maritime Corp.'s proposal to build submarine component repair facilities in Lorain and Lordstown. He urged Biden and others to use funds from the National Security Supplemental in support of Bartlett Maritime's proposal. The component repair center, or CRC, would bring 500 to 1,000 jobs to Lorain, with the facility repairing, overhauling, manufacturing and testing components for naval ships. The CRC in Lorain would be joined by another in Lordstown for constructing ship components and material stocking and a foundry in an unspecified location. The proposal includes an option for a fifth naval shipyard in Charleston, South Carolina, at the Naval Weapons Station in Goose Creek. "I am encouraged by the Navy's vigorous pursuit of innovative approaches to revitalizing America's shipbuilding and repairing, address the crisis in submarine maintenance, and strengthen our industrial base overall," Brown wrote. "Investing in these Ohio facilities would help to ensure the critical maintenance capacity necessary to execute our national security strategy of controlling undersea domains and help to optimize our Navy's readiness." The National Security Supplemental includes funding to "restore and grow our submarine industrial base," Brown wrote. Biden signed the National Security Supplemental, House Resolution 815, in late April. It includes support for Ukraine, Israel and other partners in the Indo-Pacific region, and humanitarian aid to Gaza, as well as funding for the U.S. Navy's submarine and shipbuilding programs. Investment in Bartlett Maritime would reduce the Navy's maintenance backlog, Brown wrote, and build a rotational workforce to "fully harness the Midwest's industrial might and renowned workers on behalf of American sea power." Earlier this year Bartlett Maritime was awarded a $3 million contract with BlueForge Alliance to begin a rotation of skilled laborers to support Navy shipbuilding and repair projects. The award is a pilot program for Bartlett Maritime's larger rotational workforce plan submitted to the Navy. In a statement, CEO Capt. Edward Bartlett Jr. welcomed Brown's call for the Navy to move forward with his company's proposal. "Sen. Brown has long been a stalwart supporter of our plan to harness the industrial capacity of Northeast Ohio, and we appreciate the urgency he shares with us to help grow and improve the submarine industrial base for the Navy and the nation," Bartlett said. Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley also welcomed Brown's continued support. Brown, as well as U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, former U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Cincinnati, U.S. Reps. Shontel Brown, D-Cleveland, and Tim Ryan, D-Niles, alongside the Ohio Mayors Alliance and local and state labor unions, backed Bartlett's original drydock proposal in 2022. "As everyone knows, these types of projects move slowly, but this is an indication that we have the support of our Sen. Sherrod Brown for this project," Bradley said. He noted the city is in discussions with Republic Steel as a potential location for Bartlett's CRC facility. "We are very excited and I think we're in the best position to have this project move forward," Bradley said. "I know I've been accused of dreaming and not doing any economic development, but people should realize it's a slow and steady process. Whenever I make a trip to Washington, D.C., I always promote economic development in the city and certainly Sherrod Brown has been a vital partner in this process." Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.