Edison Chouest plans 1,000 new jobs

(AP) – Edison Chouest Offshore, which owns and operates offshore marine support vessels, plans to build larger vessels at the Port of Terrebonne, a project that will add about 1,000 new jobs, the company says.

Gov. Bobby Jindal says the state will invest $14 million, including $10 million he will ask the Legislature to approve in the special session beginning Sunday, and $4 million from a special governor’s fund used to spur economic development.

The money will fund structural improvements at the port that will allow the company to build vessels with hull lengths of over 350 feet. The vessels will support the deepwater offshore petroleum industry, the company said.

Based in Galliano, Edison Chouest has tripled in size since 1993 and owns and operates support vessels for the U.S. government, offshore research and petroleum exploration.

The state economic development department said the new shipbuilding jobs will have an annual average salary of $54,000.