TPG Marine Acquires Chicago Dry Dock

Indiana-based TPG Mt. Vernon Marine, LLC purchased Chicago Dry Dock, a Chicago area shipyard founded in 1979.

Chicago Dry Dock operates on the Calumet River and offers unencumbered access to both the Great Lakes (via Lake Michigan) and the Inland River System (via the Calumet/Des Plaines/Illinois Rivers).

Founded as Kern Barge Cleaning and Repair, CDD purchased its first dry dock in 1995 and was renamed and incorporated as Chicago Dry Dock in 1996. Operating from seven acres less than three river miles from Lake Michigan, it has 1200 feet of sheeted wall and two floating dry docks that can accommodate repairs to vessels 262 feet long, 54 feet wide and up to 1500 tons, including tug boats, tow boats, commercial tour and passenger vessels, pleasure boats and barges of all types.

The facility also provides comprehensive barge and boat cleaning and topside repairs for vessels in Chicago and Northwest Indiana.

TPG Mt. Vernon Marine (owned by TPG Marine Enterprises, LLC) operates several growing harbor services on the lower Ohio River along with dry dock repair services.

“We’ve worked successfully with a number of Illinois waterways and Great Lakes groups in the past,” said TPG Marine President, Don W. Miller, Jr. “We have every confidence we can build an expanded maritime repair business on the solid reputations of Chicago Dry Dock and TPG.”

TPG Chicago Dry Dock will retain its current management and staff.