Shipfitter Jobs in Morgan City, LA
Lay out, cut, fit, and align steel plate and structure for the welders.
Shipfitters in the Morgan City market
Morgan City grew up around the offshore-oil and shipbuilding trade at the mouth of the Atchafalaya, and Conrad's home yard still builds and repairs vessels here. It's a short reach from Houma and part of the Louisiana market AMS recruits from.
The shipfitter's job around Morgan City is blueprint layout, cutting & fit-up, bracing & tacking — the layout that has to be right before a welder ever strikes an arc on work staged through yards like Conrad Shipyard. Get the fit wrong and the weld cannot save it.
- Conrad Shipyard
- Bollinger Amelia
Named as public-record market activity — where marine work happens in this area, not a statement of AMS contracts.
- City population
- 11,208
- Median household income
- $56,729
- Average commute
- 29 min
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year. Figures are for Morgan City city, Louisiana, not the wider metro area.
What a shipfitter does in Morgan City
Shipfitters turn plans into steel — reading blueprints, laying out and cutting plate and structural members, then fitting, bracing, and tacking them into alignment so the welders can finish the joint. It's the layout and fit-up craft at the front of every structural job, on new construction and repair alike, and it demands a sharp eye for tolerance and a feel for how a hull goes together.
Why Morgan City needs shipfitters right now
Barge and workboat construction is fitter-forward: flat-panel hulls mean the shipfitter's layout, cutting, and tacking are most of the build, with the welder following behind on long, predictable seams. The local vessel mix keeps that layout work varied — from deck-barge rake geometry to tug bows to dredge hulls — and repair jobs across the corridor's yards add plate renewals, where the fitter's cut-and-fit judgment decides whether the insert lands right the first time.
The money argument is simple. Louisiana's structural metal fabricators and fitters median $49,120 a year (BLS, May 2025) — about $23.60 an hour full-time. AMS starts shipfitters at $35–$40, roughly half again the median rate, plus overtime opportunities. AMS recruits from Morgan City for crews across the Gulf, so this is a traveling job more often than a hometown one: per diem is common, the resume is optional, and your fit-up record does the talking.
If you've fit barges — laid out rake ends, pulled panel seams into line with dogs and wedges, tacked structure square against a tolerance sheet — or fit repair inserts where the old steel lied to the drawing, you've got the judgment this craft actually runs on. Yards can teach the torch; they can't teach ten years of knowing what steel will do. AMS pays $35–$40 an hour for that judgment, hired as the journeyman you are.
Bring your experience to AMSShipfitter jobs in Morgan City — FAQ
Does AMS hire shipfitters in Morgan City?
AMS recruits shipfitters across the Gulf Coast, including the Morgan City market, for marine fabrication and repair work. Apply and tell us your trade, your experience, and whether you can travel.
What do I need to get hired as a shipfitter in Morgan City?
For shipfitters, AMS looks first at blueprint layout and cutting & fit-up. Every role also requires passing a shipyard safety orientation and a drug screen, and a TWIC card is usually needed for yard access at Conrad Shipyard and similar facilities. Bring your certifications — apply and an AMS representative will go over the specifics.
What is the commute like for Morgan City yard work?
Workers in Morgan City city, Louisiana report an average commute of about 29 minutes (U.S. Census ACS). Yard start times are early, so most crews plan the drive around shift change rather than rush hour. If you would rather travel to the work than commute to it, AMS runs per-diem assignments across the Gulf Coast.
Ready to work as a shipfitter in Morgan City?
Tell us your trade and experience — an AMS representative will follow up. Résumé optional.