bay ship and yacht photos

• Advertising
• Shipbuilding
• Coastal/Inland
• Law & Regulations

Shipbuilding: Leadership Transition at Bay Ship & Yacht

MarineLink February 26, 2022

(Photo: Bay Ship & Yacht)

Bay Ship & Yacht founders Bill Elliott and Alan Cameron step back, name Joel Welter CEO, Gerona Goethe General Manager

Bill Elliott, who during a 45-year career catapulted Bay Ship & Yacht (BS&Y) from operating out of a single, mobile shipping container known as the “Shipyard in a Box” to becoming a premiere ship repair conglomerate in San Francisco Bay, announced a new generation of leadership for the company.

Joel Welter, currently Chief Naval Architect, was named Chief Executive Officer and Gerona Goethe, currently Assistant General Manager was tapped tas General Manager. Both changes are effective March 28, 2022.

Welter graduated from Webb Institute in 1994 with a degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and has been with BS&Y since 1998. 

Goethe, who attended California Maritime Academy, holds a degree in Marine Engineering Technology and has been with the company since 2000. 

Founded by Elliott in 1977, BS&Y’s steady expansion of marine refit and repair capabilities now serves a cross-section of commercial and government customers encompassing the region’s expanding ferry system, barge network, superyachts and more.  

BS&Y’s main facility is located in Alameda, Calif., along with Svendsen’s Marine & Industrial supply, employing approximately (350) craftspeople. Another facility, Svendsen’s Bay Marine in Richmond, Calif. specializes in commercial and recreational vessels.  

Vice President Alan Cameron joined Elliott’s fledging BS&Y in 1979 and currently serves as General Manager. Both Elliott and Cameron will be engaged in business development outside BSY, with the various endeavors of Bay Maritime Corp.

Related News

India to prosecute 35 pirates who hijacked ship off somalia.

India will bring in and prosecute 35 Somali pirates its navy captured on a hijacked ship off Somalia, a navy official said…

DNV and Ocean Sovereign Ink Deal on Fish Farming Superyacht

DNV has teamed up with Ocean Sovereign to obtain French registration for the deployment of a unique fish farming superyacht.Ocean…

Bollinger Delivers Fast Response Cutter David Duren

Bollinger Shipyards recently delivered the USCGC David Duren to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Fla. This is the 182nd…

Houthis Target Vessel in the Red Sea, Yemeni Military Source Says

Yemen's Houthis targeted a fuel tanker, Mado, in the Red Sea with naval missile and Israel's Eilat port and resort region with winged missiles…

Sponsored Content

Streamline sire 2.0 transition with abs wavesight™ nautical systems.

As the maritime industry transitions to the updated SIRE 2.0 inspection regime from the familiar SIRE VIQ7 framework, operators are bracing themselves for a period of adjustment.

Earn amazing income and flexibility with MSC.

For any job seeker, what they will earn is one of the most important factors. Some organizations list hourly rates, while others list day rates- there are countless ways to see what you will earn in

EverClean - the next evolution in antifouling

Greensea IQ’s answer to biofouling delivers better performance through always clean hulls

Electrician

Third assistant engineer - mixed work schedule, second assistant engineer, first assistant engineer (rotational 60/30), damage control assistant leader.

A simple way to reduce carbon emissions.

New Orleans is Sinking, and it is Not Tragically Hip

A New Era of Flexibility for Water Injection Dredging

Subscribe for Maritime Reporter E-News

Maritime Reporter E-News is the maritime industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email five times per week

Bay Ship & Yacht a pillar of Alameda’s…

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Today's e-Edition

• Things to Do
• Real Estate
• Marketplace

Bay Ship & Yacht a pillar of Alameda’s maritime industry

Chris Johnson was in a tugboat late one night when his vessel started taking on water.

Johnson, then a port engineer for Foss Maritime, called Alameda’s Bay Ship & Yacht. The shipyard rustled some workers out of bed to hoist Johnson’s vessel out of the water and begin emergency repairs.

“There have been many situations like that, and I’ve never had anything they couldn’t handle,” said Johnson, now the marine superintendent for the San Francisco Bar Pilots.

Most activity at the facility isn’t that dramatic, but it’s no less important for keeping an engine of the Bay Area economy shipshape.

Up to 300 vessels berth annually at Bay Ship & Yacht, where 250 employees repair, rebuild and maintain everything from workhorse tugboats to commuter ferries and floating pleasure palaces.

“They’re a bit like God. If Bay Ship disappeared tomorrow, it would be nothing less than a crisis,” said Bobby Winston, the proprietor of Bay Crossings, a monthly maritime newspaper. “You’d have to invent them.”

Bill Elliott founded the company in 1977 as a mobile construction-and-repair outfit specializing in wooden ships. It settled in its current home next to Rosenblum Cellars Winery on Main Street in 1994 and has been growing steadily ever since.

“Over the last few years, we’ve incorporated a lot of new facilities, moving forward to become a 21st-century shipyard,” said Ira Maybaum, Bay Ship’s director of business development.

Its sweet spot is midsize working boats — ferries, fishing boats, military vessels, tugboats and barges — that experts say are integral to the area’s economy.

The company itself is now one of Alameda’s largest private employers, said Lori Taylor, Alameda’s community development director. She estimates the island’s maritime industry currently employs about 1,000 people, with Bay Ship & Yacht the largest contributor.

James Dalske, assistant dean of students at the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo, said the area’s maritime industry took a big hit during the recession but is bouncing back. Bay Ship & Yacht, he said, helps boat-based businesses thrive and stay local by providing the critical support they need.

That support was on full display one recent afternoon, as crews overhauled the 31-guest room National Geographic Sea Lion cruise ship, painted the WETA ferry Pisces and refueled the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Pike. In nearby warehouses, tradesmen fabricated the complex machinery that keeps boats afloat as workers tooled around the sprawling shipyard on bicycles.

One repeat customer is the National Park Service. It’s hired Bay Ship & Yacht for several projects, including the $10 million-plus refurbishment of the 1895 schooner C.A. Thayer, which is docked at San Francisco’s Hyde Street Pier.

The wooden-ship reconstruction required craftsmen to specially bend pieces of lumber, said Lynn Cullivan, a park ranger there.

“That’s pretty specialized. It was a hard, intricate and delicate job to do,” he said.

Today Bay Ship is increasingly targeting the mogul market. Super yachts, or yachts longer than 100 feet, often bypass San Francisco Bay for warmer climates. Maybaum hopes the upcoming America’s Cup in 2013, with races beginning next year, can put the area — and its ship facilities — on the map of their well-heeled owners.

But it’s already making a name for itself in the rarefied super-yacht world. Workers will soon begin lengthening a 170-foot super yacht by some 36 feet.

“We’ll literally cut it in half, then insert the midbody, which we’re getting ready to build right now,” Maybaum said.

Maybaum said it’s that kind of diverse service offering that will keep business sailing along Alameda’s waterfront.

Added Winston of Bay Crossings, “The ferries and barges and tugboats are here, and they always are going to be here. The everyday work of commerce, all of that would stop if you didn’t have a shipyard to keep these things going.”

• Report an error
• Policies and Standards

More in News

Crime and Public Safety | San Jose: SJPD second-in-command selected as interim chief

Crashes and Disasters | Mountain lion kills man in Northern California

Crime and Public Safety | Trial set for Bay Area man charged with grisly 2013 killing during Super Bowl party

Environment | New succulent species named by UC Santa Cruz botanist

21st CENTURY SHIPYARD - FACILITIES

State of the Art Facilities

Our Alameda shipyard was designed and built as a state-of-the-art, 21st century ship repair facility with shops, equipment, supplies and personnel all located as close to the work site as possible. Our Syncrolift® and land based rail transfer system provide enormous flexibility by allowing ground-level 360-degree access around berthed vessels to complete all necessary work evolutions as efficiently as possible.

Our facilities include a 20,000 square foot building that houses our machine, fabrication, joiner, pipe and propeller shops. Lift machinery includes a 90- and 30-ton mobile cranes, a 30-ton crane on Dry Dock 1, numerous fork lifts, man lifts, trucks and a Gradall. Additional buildings include offices for management, customers and support personnel.

Each vessel berth is equipped with all utilities, including 110-volt, and 480-volt, three-phase electrical power, a cooling tower, fire mains, gray and black water connections and dry compressed air.

Bay Ship & Yacht Co.'s 21st Century Shipyard operates one of the safest, cleanest, most technologically advanced facilities on the West Coast. We continually invest in equipment and processes to keep our shipyard at the forefront of the industry.

HMB-1 dry dock

A 6,300-ton floating dry dock 

HMB-1 is the only covered dry dock on the West Coast. It can accommodate vessels weighing up to 6,300 long tons, and with a beam of up to 76 feet. It comes equipped with overhead cranes and full utility service. 

DRY DOCK 01

2,800 ton Floating Dry Dock

Dry Dock 1 is a concrete floating dock with retractable sideblocks. This dock provides a traveling crane on the wingwall, and comes with all utility services, including electrical, compressed air, potable water and gray and black water connections. It can dock vessels up to 390 feet. 

1,200 ton - 220 foot Syncrolift®

Bay Ship & Yacht’s Syncrolift® allows for quick and efficient haulout on movable cradles. 

A Syncrolift operates basically as an elevator platform that is lowered into the water with  ship-supporting cradles on it. The vessel is moved into place while the cradles are submerge; then the platform and cradles are raised out of the water. Because the cradles have wheels and rest on railway-style tracks, the vessel can be rolled onto dry land once the platform is raised, where extensive trackways take it to its work position.

The benefit to a vessel owner is a speedier haulout, requiring less manpower. Having the vessel on land means increased production due to ease of access. 

105,000 square foot dry berth work zone

Bay Ship & Yacht’s Syncrolift deploys vessels via 1,000 feet of track throughout our environmentally controlled and contained 105,000 square feet of dry berth work zone. Each vessel work zone is set up with a designated lay-down and storage area, 110-volt and 480-volt  electrical power, cooling tower, fire mains, gray and black water disposal connections and dry compressed air.

DOCKSIDE BERTHAGE

1,700 feet of dockside berthage at the Alameda yard

All project-required services and utilities are conveniently located directly adjacent to each berth, including 110-volt and 480-volt power, fire mains, gray and black water disposal connections, and dry compressed air.

TREASURE ISLAND BERTHING

1,860 feet of dock with fender piling

Bay Ship has a pier facility on Treasure Island in the heart of San Francisco Bay, which is available for yard overflow berthing and pierside ship repair. Originally designed by the U.S. Navy, Pier 1 is a solid concrete structure measuring 930 feet by 120 feet with fender piling. This secured and gated facility has full services, including 480-volt, 3-phase, 60 Hz electrical power, fresh water, and sewage connections. 

SECURE STORAGE

10,000 square feet of secure monitored storage capacity

For your project refit requirements, Bay Ship & Yacht offers a range of secure storage options to safely store your vessels' equipment. 

• Nautical Links
• MRA Programs
• Join the MRA
• Advertising
• News Releases
• Classifieds
• 2023 MRA Annual Educational Conference and Trade Show
• 2024 California Boating Congress
• Navigating-Rough-Waters
• Scholarships
• Economic Impact of the Marine Industry and Boating in California
• Navigating the Copper Paint Regulations and Charting a Course of Survival for the Marina Operator/Owner
• California & National Legislative Updates
• Capturing the "Boating Boomers" - How to Win Over and Delight the Next Generation of Boaters
• SOS: California Employers' 9-Step Compliance Blueprint For New Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Safety Standard

Bay Ship & Yacht Co

About bay ship & yacht co.

We have always had a passion for quality.

Bay Ship & Yacht was founded in 1977 by Bill Elliott with a primary focus on the construction and repair of wooden ships. Bill traveled the country with his crew, instilling in them a deep respect for the sea and a passion for achieving the level of quality that ocean travel demands.   That passion endured as the company made the transition to repair and conversion of commercial and military vessels and superyachts. Today, the passion for quality anchors our mission to deliver absolute customer satisfaction.    Bay Ship & Yacht's commitment to quality construction and repair is widely recognized throughout the commercial vessel community. That reputation is well-known to experienced owners who have made Bay Ship & Yacht their company of choice, and who recognize that the Bay Ship & Yacht experience has set the standard for others to follow.

• Services Offered Repair Facilities
• Type of Vessel Sail Power Trailerable
• Slip Lengths Available 20 30 40 50 60 70+
• Slip Widths Available 10 13 16 19 22 25+
• Stay Daily Monthly Annually
• Products or Services Boat Lifts Boat Stands & Cradles

Company Contact

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• Boat Pro Home
• Pricing Plan
• Superyacht Insight
• Product Features
• Premium Content
• Testimonials
• Global Order Book
• Tenders & Equipment

Bay Ship & Yacht opens US West Coast's only covered dry dock

Bay Ship & Yacht one of America’s leading construction and refit yards for superyachts, recently expanded its capacity by unveiling a new covered dry dock.

The new facility accommodates vessels displacing up to 6,300LT with a maximum beam of 76 feet. Currently the only dry dock on the West Coast to be fully enclosed by a retractable roof, this new high-tech facility on San Francisco Bay, California, is a conversion of the submersible Hughes Mining Barge (HMB-1), which played a fascinating role in a covert Cold War operation.

According to CIA documents declassified in 2012, the HMB-1 was built in the 1970s by the U.S. Navy as part of Project Azorian, a top-secret plan to salvage the Soviet submarine K-129 , which sank while reportedly carrying three nuclear-armed ballistic missiles. The ruggedly built HMB-1 was designed to submerge to 160 feet and sit on the seabed during the transfer of heavy equipment required to retrieve the sub. After Project Azorian’s successful conclusion, the HMB-1 was transferred to Lockheed Martin, where it became a floating dry dock for the Navy’s experimental 164-foot SWATH vessel Sea Shadow , a test bed for stealth technology.

Today, the new HMB-1 dry dock, which has a 69-foot retractable roof, offers Bay Ship & Yacht clients a covered environment for superyacht service, repair and refit projects.

More stories

Most popular, from our partners, sponsored listings.

• Newsletters
• Digital Archives
• Past Issues
• Current Issue

West Coast Shipyards: 2022 Update

W hether it’s a ferry carrying passengers to work in the Bay Area or a U.S. Navy vessel supporting military missions in the Pacific, chances are that the vessel was designed, built and/or repaired by a West Coast shipyard.

Up and down the coast, there’s a bevy of craftspeople working on a number of major projects for public and private sector clients such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Navy, Crowley Maritime, Foss Maritime and the cruise industry.

Here’s a look at the projects being worked on by a handful of West Coast companies.

AL LARSON BOAT SHOP

The longtime shipyard based in San Pedro Bay has been hard at work on major repair projects up and down the West Coast, Al Larson Boat Shop President Jack Wall said.

2022 has been very busy for the company, which recently completed two large welding jobs for Manson Construction on a pair of sister barges: the Northport and Eastport .

Both dump scows received a total of 105,000 pounds of combined new steel plating and internal structural replacement, as well as extensive preservation packages.

Manson Construction also has commissioned the shipyard on a repowering project. The yard is in the middle of working on the vessel Pup , an anchor-handling tug that has been getting a complete overhaul with new engines and extensive modifications, Wall said.

Al Larson Boat Shop has also finished several projects for Marine Spill Response Corporation, including routine maintenance of several vessels and barges such as MSRC’s 65-foot aluminum spill response boats and 200-foot barges.

The shipyard continues to serve its returning customers, including the Jankovich Company, which has had several barge dry dockings such as the Tyler J and Payton J . These fuel barges received water jetting preservation with new paint coatings, Wall said.

There also have been various dry dock projects for the dinner cruise industry, including Hornblower Cruises for its vessels Entertainer, Mojo, Just Dreaming and Icon . The shipyard also worked on Harbor Breeze Cruises’ vessel Sir Winston and Fantasea Yacht Charters’ vessel Dandena .

Returning tugboat companies such as Crowley Maritime, Foss Maritime, Sause Bros., Bay Delta, Centerline Logistics Corporation, Starlight Marine and Brusco Tug & Barge have been utilizing the shipyard’s services “in order to maintain our local fleet to be ready for services around the ports of Long Beach, Los Angeles and the Port of Hueneme,” Wall said.

The shipyard’s work also has benefited the local commercial and sport fishing fleet, including 10 dry dockings from vessels spanning from San Diego to Ventura, Wall said. Catalina Express was supported with drydocking for the vessels Starship, Catalina Express and Super Express . Catalina Island also sent two mooring floats to be refurbished.

The shipyard expects to be just as busy next year, Wall said.

“We have the first half of 2023 already booked with back-to-back tugboats in our drydock,” he said.

The shipyard recently secured another three-year contract with the Port of Long Beach Maintenance Department for work that would encompass its entire fleet. That includes the port’s two Voith-powered fireboats.

“Al Larson Boat Shop’s current workload looks steady for the rest of the year and the first half of 2023,” Wall said.

BAY SHIP & YACHT CO.

When Bill Elliott founded Bay Ship & Yacht (BSY) in 1977, it was a start-up that operated out of a mobile shipping container in the Bay Area.

Forty-five years later, the “Shipyard in a Box” has grown into a major maritime firm specializing in ship repair and refit for the public and private sector, including the Bay Area’s ferry system, network of barges, superyachts and other projects. The company now includes its main facility in Alameda, Svendsen’s Marine & Industrial Supply and Richmond, Calif.-based Svendsen’s Bay Marine, which specializes in commercial and recreational vessels.

As the company continues to evolve and grow, Bay Ship & Yacht founders Bill Elliott and Alan Cameron decided to step back earlier this year, promoting Assistant General Manager Gerona Goethe to general manager and Chief Naval Architect Joel Welter to chief executive officer.

The leadership change, according to the company, allows Elliott and Cameron to develop business opportunities outside of BSY with the various endeavors of Bay Maritime Corp.

For Bay Ship & Yacht, a big part of its success lies in its ability to serve customers and offer skilled craftsmanship and expertise on every project.

“The majority of BSY’s customers have a long-standing relationship with the yard,” spokesman Michael Stoecker said. “We have found that providing high quality work and ensuring that we live up to our motto of ‘Absolute Customer Satisfaction’ is the best way to develop repeat business.”

This year, the company has completed a number of projects, including a dry docking of the NOAA vessel r/v Fairweather, which involved extensive corrosion repairs, a full paint job and equipment upgrades.

“NOAA vessels are a good fit for our yard, both in size and typical job complexity,” Estimating and Contracts Manager Michael Kelley said. “They are a great customer to do business with.”

This company also worked on a “Tugz” class tug repower, the third repower for this vessel class. The trickiest part of the repower, Lead Design Engineer Frank Rogosich said, was finding a good machinery access path in and out of the vessel.

“The normal pathways, upwards or sideways, are blocked by accommodations and major systems installations,” he explained. “In this case, going through the vessel’s double bottom fuel tanks proved to be the most sensible option. We were also able to use our level land transfer system to move the whole boat sideways to facilitate the placement of engines and access cut-outs under the vessel.”

The company also completed many excursion boat dry dockings for routine U.S. Coast Guard certificates of inspection, including vessels from Hornblower Cruises, Alcatraz Cruises, Blue and Gold, Red and White and Commodore Cruises.

Currently, BSY is working on four Army vessels, which are undergoing major overhauls.

“We find that the Army is a great organization with which to do business,” Goethe said. “The vessels arrive with a very knowledgeable and experienced survey crew who is backed up by an excellent contracts and engineering group at headquarters. This combination leads to a competent and present customer ready to work with the yard.”

Meanwhile, Bay Ship & Yacht is working on plans for newly won contracts with NOAA and the U.S. Navy and is actively bidding jobs for the fourth quarter of this year and 2023.

EVERETT SHIP REPAIR

Three years ago, Everett Ship Repair (ESR) was created to serve the maritime industry on the West Coast.

Since then, the company—which is owned by Ice Cap Holding, LLC and is a sister firm of Nichols Brothers Boat Builders—has been busy building its business in the region.

In March, the company announced that it bought a pair of new 40,000psi ultra high-pressure water blasting systems, which have been sent to the shipyard and put to use as a cost efficient and sustainable alternative to abrasive solid blasting material, ESR said.

“This system allows ESR to deploy up to four water blasters simultaneously in a wide variety of applications including internal tank hydro blasting for cleaning and coatings removal,” the company said, adding that the new system reduces noise, labor, risk of personnel injury and waste stream created by traditional grit blasting.

ESR also plans to use the system outside of the shipyard, offering surface prep services for removing unwanted or contaminated surface materials and pipe and tank cleaning for customers.

In May, the company celebrated the opening and naming of its newest drydock, the Emerald Lifter .

The Emerald Lifter —which was named to honor the Puget Sound—did maintenance and preservation work as the Zidell 220 before moving to the company’s Port of Everett facility and going into service with its first drydocking, according to the company.

Its 2,000-ton lifting capacity and 220-foot by 62-foot working deck will go hand in hand with the facility and the company’s current 430-foot by 110-foot, 8,000-ton capacity dry dock Faithful Servant , which has been in operation since 2019.

Everett Ship Repair also obtained a 150-ton link belt crane positioned on a 180-foot by 49-foot barge from Nichols Brothers to serve both dry docks.

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony in May, Everett Ship Repair CEO Gavin Higgins said he was excited about the opportunities the new dry dock brings to the facility, including the local jobs it has the potential to generate and the skillsets it adds to further enhance the shipyard.

“We have built up our team over the last two years to approximately 80 full-time staff,” he said. “We look forward to the new dry dock grabbing the attention of local tradesmen as we can continue to grow our team and serve the industry in a larger capacity now with two dry docks.”

Port Director and CEO Lisa Lefeber lauded the company’s presence and its desire to expand.

“This has been a critical asset for our region” in keeping jobs and vessel repair here and supporting local commercial fishing, ferries and the Navy base, she said.

GENERAL DYNAMICS NASSCO

Thanks to a new $600 million award in U.S. Navy contract modifications, San Diego-based General Dynamics NASSCO has plans through 2027 to work on vessels in the John Lewis-class fleet oiler (T-AO) and the Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) programs.

Construction is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2023 for the shipbuilder on lending the long lead-time material needed to construct the T-AO’s seventh and eighth vessels ($500 million) and ESB’s sixth vessel ($100 million), the company announced in June.

General Dynamics NASSCO President Dave Carver noted the honor of working on the vessels.

“The NASSCO team is excited to work with our Navy partners to ensure the success of both historic programs, which are critical in supporting the Navy’s forward presence,” he said.

The company is no stranger to the T-AO program, having designed the first six ships in the John Lewis-class, 742-foot vessels created to move fuel to U.S. Navy carrier strike group vessels at sea. T-AO vessels can carry as much as 157,000 barrels of oil and have a full load displacement of 49,850 tons, according to NASSCO.

Also, the company in late June christened the 784-foot USNS John L. Canley , the fourth ship in the Navy’s reclassified Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) program, named after the Medal of Honor recipient. Canley in 1968 rescued more than 20 Marines under enemy fire during the Battle of Huế City in Vietnam. He was also given the Bronze Star with Combat “V” and the Purple Heart.

“This ship represents his courage, selflessness and strength,” Carver said at the ceremony. “On behalf of the 3,500 men and women of General Dynamics NASSCO, I am proud to present the USNS John L. Canley for christening.”

ESB vessels are mobile sea bases with platforms created to support various missions including Air Mine Counter Measures and Special Operations Forces, according to the company.

The USNS John L. Canley has a 52,000 square-foot flight deck that can help MH-53, MH-60, MV-22 tilt-rotor and H1 aircraft operations.

Meanwhile, the seventh vessel in the ESB program, the USNS Robert E. Simanek , is under construction.

PACIFIC FISHERMEN SHIPYARD

Washington-based Pacific Fishermen Shipyard and PFI Marine Electric recently commemorated their 75th anniversary with the retirement of Doug Dixon as general manager and the appointment of Chris Johnson. This coincided with the 150th anniversary in Ballard’s Salmon Bay of Norwegian heritage shipbuilders at T.W. Lake’s shipyard and the old Ballard Marine Railway.

The company also received a $556,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration. The money is expected to fund FYE 2022 capital improvements to the yard’s drydocks.

The No. 2 marine railway is being modified to service fishing vessels with sponsons and the new, wider Kitsap County fast ferries, the company said.

Meanwhile, the No. 3 Rowe lift dock is being converted from a 350 Chevy V-8 engine that ran on propane to an electric motor drive with 20 lift gearbox rebuilds, which lowers the company’s fossil fuel usage.

Drydock capability was down during the dredging of the No. 3 Rowe lift dock in which 3,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment was removed. This sediment accumulated over the years mainly from Seattle’s upstream sewage outfall from Sunset Hill at the foot of 24th Avenue NW, the company said.

A two-foot sand cap was put on to prevent further leaching.

“While this dredging activity was a necessary and ecologically responsible maintenance item, it also increased drydock draft capacity from an impaired 10 feet back to the original design 15-foot depth,” the company said.

The shipyard also has been busy with drydocking, engine changeouts and electrical work in Seattle and at its shop in Dutch Harbor. The vessels include North Sea, Ocean Leader, 4 Daughters, Sea Storm, Green Hope, Southern Wind, Columbia, Polar Sea, Marcy J. Arcturus, Pacific Mariner, Early Dawn, Northwestern, Billikin, Lilli Ann, Kirsten Marie, Northern Ram, American Beauty, Pacific Challenger, Elsie M, Lorelei, Pacific Wind, Arctic Bear, Aldebran, Pacific Viking, Royal Viking, Royal Atlantic, Nordic Mariner, Wizard, Oceanix, Erla N, Mary B, Angie, Commodore, Starbound and Starfish.

Last spring, Vigor finished its biggest project to date: modernizing the USS McCampbell , an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, at its Swan Island facility in Portland, Oregon.

The project took 18 months and more than $155 million to complete before delivering the vessel to its new homeport at Naval Station Everett. About 250 Vigor employees, contractors and Navy service members worked on the project, which involved hull improvements, updates to mechanical and electrical technology and critical warfighting improvements.

“Our skilled workers at Swan Island were honored to support the U.S. Navy and get USS McCampbell back into service,” said Adam Beck, the company’s executive vice president of ship repair. “This was the largest and one of the most complex projects our ship repair workers have ever completed. It says a tremendous amount about the skill and dedication of our workers throughout the process, and their ability to rise to the occasion on these major projects.”

The USS McCampbell is the latest in a series of the company’s recent wins, which have included working on the USS William P. Lawrence and USS Wayne E. Meyer in Hawaii and the USS Coronado and USNS Mercy at Swan Island.

Meanwhile, Vigor is conducting maintenance and modernization work on the USS Chosin at its Harbor Island facility. The company also is expected to start work on the USS Tulsa when it arrives in Portland this month.

“Our skilled workers keep stepping up on these projects of increasing complexity,” Beck said. “Specifically on USS McCampbell , they came to work every day throughout the pandemic, adhering to health protocols and consistently bringing their best efforts to get this vessel back in service for our Navy customer.”

In May, the company’s facilities in Ketchikan, Vancouver, Swan Island and Hawaii netted recognition from the Shipbuilders Council of America of safety performance last year. All four facilities scored the “Excellence in Safety Award.”

Vigor’s Hawaii team garnered the “Significance in Safety Achievement” Award, one of four in the country to obtain the honor bestowed on shipyards with zero fatalities and a total recordable incident rate of under 1.0.

“This recognition is a testament to the incredible effort of our skilled workers to be safe every day,” CEO Jim Marcotuli said. “Our top priority is ensuring each person who comes to one of our work sites leaves the same way they arrived, by anticipating and preventing hazards.”    

KAREN ROBES MEEKS, a Southern California native, is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years’ writing experience. Her articles have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Orange County Register and Long Beach Press-Telegram , where she worked as a reporter for nearly 14 years. Her work has been recognized by the California News Publishers Association, the Associated Press News Executives Council and the Los Angeles Press Club.