Galveston's Shot at Maritime Greatness Needs More Than Applause—It Needs Incentives

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Exclusive Quote from Josh Owens of the GEDP

‘“Davie is announcing their first project milestone in the acquisition of Gulf Copper. It’s going to be a long road to get them to the $1 billion investment because we need to help them as Texas to win the federal contract to build icebreakers here in Texas. So, it’s going to be an all-hands-on deck effort from the community of Galveston and our Texas congressional delegation to get those ships here in Galveston.” ~ Josh Owens – Executive Director, Galveston Economic Development Partnership Watch an Exclusive Interview with the GEDP’s Josh Owens in the video below for the inside track on this potential $1 Billion dollar deal for Galveston, Galveston County, and the Texas Economy. It’s time to act not talk.

Josh Owens Exclusive

In this candid, behind-the-scenes conversation, Josh Owens—Executive Director of the Galveston Economic Development Partnership—breaks down why Davie Shipbuilding’s investment could be transformative for the region. From workforce readiness to national defense implications, Owens offers a firsthand look at how this project came together, what hurdles remain, and why community and congressional support will be critical to securing the win.

Quick Read

Davie Shipbuilding plans to invest $1 billion to turn Galveston into a major hub for building U.S. icebreakers—potentially creating over 2,000 high-paying jobs. But with other shipyards competing for the same federal contracts, Galveston needs aggressive state, local, and congressional incentives to seal the deal and reclaim a key role in America’s shipbuilding future. This is our moment—business leaders, elected officials, and residents must rally now to make it happen.

— David Landriault