The new owners of Gunderson Marine have landed a $43.5 million U.S. Army contract to build a barge that will support scientific research at McMurdo Station in Antarctica.

“It’ll be built in Portland, towed to Antarctica. There’s a three-month window when you can get in there, when you can break up the ice,” said Marvin “Dee” Burch, Gunderson Marine’s president. The company announced the deal Monday.

The National Science Foundation wants the barge to serve as a floating pier for cargo ship deliveries destined for McMurdo Station. The barge will replace an ice pier in Winter Quarters Bay, which federal authorities say is no longer practical because of changes in Antarctic sea ice.

Built to last 20 years, the Antarctic barge will be heavily reinforced to protect it from sea ice. Due to be delivered in 2026, it will be 100 feet wide and 328 feet long.

Oregon’s congressional delegation hailed the deal in Monday’s announcement: “This good news means jobs locally and groundbreaking research globally,” said U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden.

The Greenbrier Cos. sold Gunderson in May to Oregon Green Manufacturing, a company formed by Burch and former Oregon Iron Works owner Terry Aarnio. They’re working to rebuild the company’s barge business and to diversify its operations by expanding into new areas.

Gunderson is just starting work on a bridge contract for the state of Alaska, according to Burge, and is planning work for a drydock at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. It’s also building an unmanned ship the U.S. Navy will use for target practice.

“There’s about $62 million worth of contracts that we’re just starting on,” Burch said. “We’ve picked up a tremendous amount of work here in the last three to four months.”

Gunderson employs about 300 people now but expects to add as many as 200 more workers by the end of 2024 to accommodate the new business. Burch said it’s a sign of renewal on Portland’s industrial waterfront.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better start,” he said.