Ship repair company looks to draw business from Tampa to Port Manatee

PORT MANATEE -- A new ship repair business is aiming to set up Port Manatee as a destination for commercial ship operators when their biggest assets break down.

Drawing on the long experience of the two business partners who started the company a few months ago, Manatee Ship Repair and Fabrication plans to do up to $2 million in business in the next six months. The company has hired 20 employees and is already managing its mobile shop from offices at Port Manatee.

The company made its first repair at the port two months ago, doing both topside and underwater work on a tug and barge. Going forward, the company will undertake any large-scale commercial ship repairs that can be done without a dry dock.

"We've only been doing this two months and already have quite a bit of work," said Frank Kerney, who partnered with former International Ship Repair general manager Jim Braukman to form the new company.

Manatee Ship Repair brings a new service to the port that will allow it to better compete with other, larger ports in the Gulf of Mexico. Port Executive Director Carlos Buqueras said the business is compatible with the port, as it typically has open dock space that can be used for ships in need of refurbishment.

"We want to become like the Amazon of ports, the everything port," he said.

The epicenter of ship repair in Tampa Bay is at Port Tampa Bay. Four private ship repair companies -- International Ship Repair, Tampa Ship Repair, DMT and Gulf Marine Repair -- all operate yards within the port. Kerney said he and Braukman are contacting ship owners in the area to draw some of that business to Port Manatee.

"We're trying to take as much work from Tampa as

we can and bring it here," he said.

Manatee Ship Repair provides a wide range of services, including steel work, general ship repair and mechanical and pipe work.

Buqueras said he expects the company to eventually establish its shop permanently at the port.

It will likely be housed in a 40-foot container, which will allow it to be moved from berth to berth.

Kerney said his hope is to grow Manatee Ship Repair's workforce to 50 people in the near future.

The port will earn income from the repair business, charging it rent for office space and daily docking fees for any ship it has in port.

Port staff will also monitor for environmental compliance, assuring repair operations don't allow leaks or debris to pollute port waters.

Buqueras said the port has been home to smaller ship repair companies in the past. Manatee Ship Repair will have the capabilities to work on any ship that can fit into the port's docks.

Kerney already operates ship repair yards in New Jersey, Boston and Philadelphia through his own company, Kerney Service Group.

The company's primary client is the U.S. Navy.

Matt M. Johnson, Herald business reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7027, or on Twitter @MattAtBradenton.

This story was originally published July 17, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Ship repair company looks to draw business from Tampa to Port Manatee ."