Louisiana’s Bollinger Shipyards to Build Floating Rocket Landing Platform for Rocket Lab
Bollinger Shipyards, a nearly eight-decade-old Louisiana company best known for building vessels for the commercial, military, and government sectors, is entering the space race. The company has been tapped by Rocket Lab, a California-based aerospace firm, to convert a barge into a floating landing platform for reusable rockets.
The project, which began earlier this summer, will transform a 400-foot vessel into a high-tech ocean platform equipped with thrusters for stability, remote-control systems, and blast shields designed to withstand rocket exhaust. Once completed, the platform — aptly named “Return on Investment” — will support Rocket Lab’s Neutron rockets along the East Coast near the company’s Virginia launch site.
“Partnering with Rocket Lab on this venture highlights not only the innovation happening in space flight, but also the adaptability of American shipbuilding,” said Bollinger Shipyards President and CEO Ben Bordelon.
The work is taking place at Bollinger’s Amelia, Louisiana facility and is expected to wrap up in 2026. The vessel will play a critical role in Rocket Lab’s push to develop a reusable rocket program, putting the company in direct competition with industry giants like Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin.
Rocket Lab’s Neutron rocket stands 141 feet tall and is capable of carrying payloads of up to 13 tons into orbit. The company envisions it as a workhorse for satellite launches and national security missions.
“This project modernizes Gulf Coast shipyard capabilities while positioning Louisiana to contribute directly to the future of aerospace,” said Shaun D’Mello, Rocket Lab’s vice president.
Bollinger has built more than 4,000 vessels since its founding in 1946 and remains one of the largest employers in the bayou parishes, with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion. Its new contract with Rocket Lab is the latest example of Louisiana’s deep ties to the space industry.
Just outside New Orleans, NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility has been a hub for rocket construction for more than 60 years. Local leaders say Bollinger’s new project continues that legacy in a rapidly expanding commercial market.
“As commercial space exploration accelerates, recovery and support missions at sea will become increasingly important,” said Josh Tatum of Greater New Orleans Inc. “Louisiana is well-positioned to be part of that future.”
Founded in 2006 in New Zealand by Peter Beck, Rocket Lab relocated its headquarters to California in 2013 and has since grown into a global competitor with about 2,000 employees. The company has already launched more than 200 satellites and recently inked a deal with the European Space Agency, which helped push its stock to a record high this summer.
With the “Return on Investment” platform under construction in Louisiana, Rocket Lab is betting on a new era of reusable rockets — and Bollinger Shipyards is ensuring the Gulf Coast has a front-row seat in the race to space.