Sanford/Springvale Tops Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Payroll

Each year the Seacoast Shipyard Association (SSA) holds a press conference to announce the economic impact that PNSY has on its surrounding communities.

Sanford Regional Economic Growth Council board member (and former PNSY production superintendent) Mike Ralston has been affiliated with the SSA for many years and attended their recent press conference presenting the latest results. Ralston said: “For a number of years now, including 2020, Sanford/Springvale has been at the top of the charts for the number of PNSY employees and employee salaries. This has resulted in positive economic benefits to our community each and every day.”

Economic Impact is measured in the amount of Civilian Payroll, Military Payroll, Facility Services Contracts, and Goods & Services Purchased, to support local economies. In 2020, PSNY employed 7,639 civilians. The pie chart above shows the ten communities that had the largest share of that payroll. Sanford/Springvale was number one, at $38.75M for 524 employees. Portsmouth had the second largest share, at $37.4M for 517 employees, followed by Kittery, Berwick and Rochester.

At the City Council meeting on September 21, City Manager Steven Buck said the City continues to work on addressing the impact of getting people to and from the shipyard. The City has been invited to apply for funds to fully fund a park and ride, which would service the 15 van pools that travel to PSNY each day, as well as to other major employers including Hussey Seating and Pratt & Whitney. The park and ride is currently proposed to occupy the portion of the Emerson School lot not being used by Cumberland Farms. The City retained an easement through the Cumberland property in order to enable traffic to directly access the traffic light on Main St.

PSNY civilian employment numbers have been increasing steadily each year. Despite the pandemic, PSNY continued to have a significant economic impact on the region through civilian and military payrolls, contracted services and purchased goods.