Last week, Rear Adm. Amanda Goeller joined regional partners in Hollywood, South Carolina, to mark a milestone in the construction of a new floating pier being built for NOAA. The 360-foot by 62-foot (110-meter by 19-meter) floating pier, expected to be one of the largest in the county, will support NOAA ships Ronald H. Brown and Nancy Foster and enhance NOAA’s capacity to conduct critical research missions in the Atlantic.
During the event, Rear Adm. Goeller welded a commemorative plate to the pier and toured the project site. This milestone highlights the strong NOAA partnership with local South Carolina stakeholders. NOAA anticipates supporting approximately 700 jobs through this project, delivering economic benefits to the region while reinforcing national maritime capabilities.
This $61.8 million recapitalization project is part of the agency’s broader efforts to modernize and support NOAA’s fleet facilities. The contract was awarded to Manson Construction Company who is working with Metal Trades Inc., a Keel company.
In addition to constructing a new pier, the project included demolition of the existing pier and adding new infrastructure that will deliver shoreside power, a warehouse, sea wall and other vital support systems. These improvements will enable a more resilient and efficient operational footprint for NOAA’s fleet. The project is expected to be completed in 2026.