Maine is home to Bath Iron Works — one of only two U.S. shipyards capable of building the Navy's Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers — alongside a robust commercial fishing fleet, a growing offshore wind maritime sector, and a deep culture of seafaring and shipbuilding that defines the state.
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Bath Iron Works anchors Maine's maritime manufacturing economy, supported by a network of marine suppliers, the commercial fishing industry, Maine Maritime Academy, and a growing offshore wind vessel services sector.
Bath Iron Works is one of the U.S. Navy's primary surface combatant builders, producing Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers at its Bath facility since the 1980s. It is the largest private employer in Maine and a cornerstone of the state's industrial economy.
🌐 ~7,000 ME employees
Maine Maritime Academy trains deck officers, marine engineers, and maritime business professionals for careers across the commercial shipping, naval, and offshore energy industries. Its graduates are recruited nationally and represent a critical pipeline for Maine's maritime workforce.
🌐 ~950 enrolled students
Maine is positioned to become a major hub for floating offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine, with vessel service, cable installation, and turbine support operations expected to generate thousands of new maritime technical careers over the coming decade.
🌐 Emerging sector — 1,000+ projected ME jobs by 2030
Bath Iron Works and Ingalls Shipbuilding in Mississippi are the only two yards in the country cleared to build Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. Working at BIW means contributing to a shipbuilding program of enormous national importance with no risk of program cancellation.
The Arleigh Burke program has been in continuous production for decades and has a multi-decade future ahead, meaning Bath Iron Works technicians enter careers with exceptional long-term stability backed by one of the most sustained defense acquisition programs in U.S. history.
For those interested in officer-track or marine engineering careers, Maine Maritime Academy in Castine offers a nationally respected maritime education program with strong industry connections and outstanding graduate employment rates across commercial and naval sectors.
The Gulf of Maine is one of the world's most promising offshore wind resources. As floating wind development advances, Maine is positioned to become a major hub for installation vessels, service crew transfer boats, and maintenance operations — adding a new career layer to the state's maritime base.
Fabricate and weld hull sections, structural assemblies, and outfitting components for Arleigh Burke-class destroyers at Bath Iron Works. One of the most technically demanding and well-compensated welding roles in New England.
Align and assemble large structural modules during new destroyer construction at Bath Iron Works. A skilled and foundational trade with clear advancement pathways and strong wages backed by long-term Navy contracts.
Install and test complex electrical distribution and weapons system wiring across destroyer hulls during construction at Bath Iron Works. One of the most consistently in-demand technical trades in Maine's shipbuilding sector.
Whether you are building Navy destroyers at Bath Iron Works in Bath, studying marine engineering at Maine Maritime Academy, preparing for the emerging offshore wind vessel services industry, or working across Maine's commercial fishing and maritime logistics economy, careers here carry the weight of history and the promise of a growing future.
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