Austal USA Orders Dry Dock for New West Coast Yard

Austal USA on Monday revealed it has ordered a new dry dock that it said will become the centerpiece of its new repair facility in San Diego.

Construction on the dry dock began Monday at Sedef Shipyard in Turkey, and the completed vessel is scheduled to be fully operational in Austal’s new West Coast yard by August 2023.

The dry dock will have a 9,000 light ton lifting capacity. It will be 531 feet (162 meters) long, 154 feet (47 meters) wide, with a maximum draft of 36 feet (11 meters).

“This dry dock will greatly enhance Austal’s ability to provide the Navy and other customers a highly capable full-service repair facility located in the homeport of San Diego,” Austal USA President Rusty Murdaugh said. “It will be invaluable to our customers, and we are eager to satisfy their growing demand for West coast repair facilities that include dry docks.”

Austal USA, which recently finalized the deal to acquire the new repair facility in the Port of San Diego, said its acquisition of the site and dry dock, combined with recent contract awards, further cement its role in maintaining and repairing ships throughout the United States and INDOPACOM region.