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.
