St. Johns Ship Building names Joe Rella as president

Joe Rella, president, St. Johns Shipbuilding

Joe Rella has been named president of Americraft Marine Group’s St. Johns Ship Building subsidiary in Palatka, Fla., which recently delivered the first of three Incat Crowther 30 meter crew transfer vessels (CTVs) ordered by Windea CTV, LLC, a partnership of Hornblower Wind and MidOcean Wind. As well as building CTVs, St. Johns Ship Building is involved in construction and repair of a range of steel and aluminum vessel types.

Rella comes to his new role with over four decades of commercial and U.S. Navy maritime experience. A graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, in Kings Point, N.Y., he holds an MBA from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala.

“Joe comes to us with a fantastic list of career accomplishments and an incredible depth of experience in the Jones Act and military spaces,” said Edward Sheets, executive vice president of Americraft Marine Group. “He will direct our diversified portfolio of newbuild projects, including barges, passenger vessels, cargo ships, and wind farm support vessels. His leadership of SJSB will allow us to leverage his industry knowledge and expertise, ensuring the success of our growing new construction program, particularly in the area of high-speed aluminum vessels.”

As well as its long record in new vessel construction, St. Johns also has a tradition of vessel repair and maintenance, utilizing is extensive waterfront and drydocking capabilities.