Release-Assembly Hall at Alaska Ship and Drydock Opens for Business

Thursday August 16, 2012, Seattle, Washington. The outlook for building new ships at Alaska Ship & Drydock (ASD), a Vigor Industrial company, just got a lot brighter, warmer, and drier with the opening of the Ketchikan Shipyard’s state-of-the-art assembly hall designed to build ships up to 500 feet in length. The assembly hall is 70,000 square feet with an adjacent 5-story production center to minimize material flow and maximize efficiency. It features all the best assets of a modern, advanced shipbuilding infrastructure.

“The new assembly hall positions the Ketchikan Shipyard to be very competitive for emerging shipbuilding opportunities in Alaska,” said Adam Beck, President, Alaska Ship & Drydock. “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.”

ASD has been building modules for Alaska Longline Company’s 136 x 40 foot new factory longliner, Arctic Prowler, since March of 2012. This month, the engine room module of Arctic Prowler was moved into the new hall, marking the hall’s official opening. The engine room module measures 32’ (length) x 40’ (width) x 17’ (height) and weighs 95 tons. ASD teams are currently outfitting it and other pieces of the hull with wiring, piping, machinery, and equipment. The completed vessel is scheduled for delivery in early 2013.

“This project (the assembly hall) is a great example of government and industry working together to create employment and investment opportunity in Alaska,” noted ASD Vice Chairman, Randy Johnson. The Ketchikan Shipyard is owned by Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) and managed by ASD Vigor under a 30-year operating agreement.

“The partnership between ASD and AIDEA has allowed the creation of a new and invigorated industry in Ketchikan,” said Ted Leonard, the Executive Director of AIDEA. “This true public/private partnership has resulted in the development of a state-of-the-art facility that has created and continues to create new jobs in the region and new opportunities for the state. We are proud of the accomplishments that we have done working together.”

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