Nygren, who appeared with the new Democratic governor in Marinette to announce the proposed funding, said he met with Evers last week to “emphasize the enormous value Marinette Marine plays in Wisconsin’s economy” and invited him to visit.

“This investment will help Marinette Marine continue to compete on the world stage for years to come,” Nygren said in a tweet Thursday.

The work at Marinette Marine also supports hundreds of contract companies and thousands of their workers, state Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, said.

Marinette Marine CEO Jan Allman was one of the members of Evers’ transition team after he won election in early November.

“We look forward to working with the Governor and all members of the Legislature to get this across the finish line as part of the state budget,” Allman said in a statement.

In 2010, Marinette Marine received about $50 million in state incentives, which had been proposed by then-Gov. Jim Doyle. The incentives were part of an effort to secure a U.S. Navy contract to build 10 ships at the shipyard.

Marinette Marine was subcontracted for those ships. The contracts were officially with Lockheed Martin Corp., of Bethesda, Maryland.

Littoral combat ships, which came with price tags upward of $350 million, are designed for a variety of missions, including combat in shallow, coastal waters.