Friday, August 24, 2012

New Alaska Shipbuilding Center Opens

Alaska Ship & Drydock, a subsidiary of Vigor Industrial, has opened a new state-of-the-art assembly hall designed to build ships up to 500 feet in length in Ketchikan, Alaska.

The assembly hall, according to ASD, is 70,000 square feet with an adjacent five-story production center to minimize material flow and maximize efficiency.

“The new assembly hall positions the Ketchikan Shipyard to be very competitive for emerging shipbuilding opportunities in Alaska,” Alaska Ship & Drydock President Adam Beck said. “Its strategic position coupled with the exceptional expertise of ASD’s skilled workforce in meeting the needs of Arctic and north-water mariners, makes ASD an important part of Vigor’s ongoing growth plans.”

The Ketchikan Shipyard is owned by Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, known as AIDEA, and managed by ASD Vigor under a 30-year contract.

“The partnership between ASD and AIDEA has allowed the creation of a new and invigorated industry in Ketchikan,” AIDEA Executive Director Ted Leonard said in a statement announcing the opening of the production center.

The next phase of improvements for the Ketchikan Shipyard, according to Vigor and ASD, includes a $10 million steel fabrication shop scheduled for completion in late summer 2013.