On Wednesday, officials from the Erie-Western PA Port Authority along with U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) heard a proposal regarding an effort to build ships in Erie for the United States Navy.
The project is named Gem City Shipbuilding, and is proposed to be built on part of the land that previously housed Erie Coke. The proponents called Gem City Shipbuilding “a public-private partnership model to create a shipyard for the construction of vessels for national defense. By reviving Erie’s legacy of naval shipbuilding, GCS will contribute to national security while invigorating the economy of Erie and surrounding Great Lakes region.”
The multi-year proposal, reported to cost well over $100 million, is broken in three parts: clean-up Erie Coke site, build out the shipyard, and build ships in Erie with a strategic partner.
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TalkErie’s Joel Natalie interviews Rep. Mike Kelly, Jan 28, 2026
