Voltari Electric to bring new U.S. shipyard to Bay County
Featured in MyPanhandle.com
Article by Heather Bazley
Bay County, Florida (WMBB) – Project Kilowatt just became official in Bay County and now has a name. On Tuesday, Bay Economic Alliance officials announced Voltari Electric has plans to bring a new U.S. shipyard to Bay County.
The Canadian-based electric boat manufacturer plans to take over and expand the former Queen Craft Shipyard, bringing advanced electric and autonomous vessel manufacturing to Northwest Florida. Company leaders say the location was a natural choice, offering deep water access and strong local partnerships.
The shipyard will support defense, government, and commercial marine customers, while also helping Voltari meet U.S. regulatory requirements like the Jones Act. Economic leaders say the impact goes beyond the shipyard gates, generating millions in wages and boosting the region’s growing manufacturing sector. Voltari will invest more than $37 million into the project, creating 285 high-wage jobs by 2030, with an average wage of $77,000 a year.
The project will include new construction, building upgrades, manufacturing equipment, research and development equipment, and even a machine-learning AI lab that will increase their USV product development to meet surging demand in defense and commercial marine markets.
With help from the Bay County Commission and Triumph Gulf Coast, funds were used to help acquire the 11-acre site that provides access to St. Andrews Bay. Voltari Electric says the Bay County Facility will serve as its U.S. headquarters, with operations expected to ramp up this year before being fully operational in 2027.
