Austal USA Plans New Facility and Shiplift in Mobile

Shipbuilder Austal USA announced it is planning to boost capacity at its Mobile, Ala. shipyard with the addition of a new manufacturing facility.

The infrastructure expansion, which will be to the south of Austal USA’s current waterfront facility, will include a new assembly building, waterfront improvements, and a new Pearlson-designed shiplift system. Start of construction on the project is planned for summer 2024.

The construction of this new building and waterfront support area continues the expansion Austal USA began in March 2021 with the groundbreaking of the steel panel line. In addition to the manufacturing capacity of the new buildings, the shiplift will provide a safe and reliable system to launch ships as they are completed in the assembly buildings. The system will also enable retrieving ships and bringing them back on the land-side facility. 

“With the steel panel line in full production our expansion focus has shifted to the erection and launch facilities required to support our growing backlog,” commented Austal USA acting president Michelle Kruger. “This new facility is continuing evidence of the close relationship we have with our local community including our community leaders; local, state and federal political leaders; and, regional organizations such as the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce.”

Austal USA has partnered with Pearlson & Pearlson Inc, program manager and owner’s representative; Kiewit Infrastructure South Co., lead for design and construction; and, Pearlson Shiplift Corporation, designer and builder of the shiplift system, to execute the project.

The shiplift system will feature an articulated lifting platform approximately 450 feet long by 125 feet wide, capable of lifting and launching vessels in excess of 18,000 long tons. It will be be the largest on the Gulf Coast, and widest in North & South America. This capacity will facilitate the launch and docking of the U.S. Navy Constellation-class Frigates, TAGOS-25 class Ocean Surveillance Ships, Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships, and the U.S. Coast Guard Heritage-class Offshore Patrol Cutters.

“This project ensures the future needs of the U.S. Government’s shipbuilding programs can be met by Austal USA in Mobile, Ala.,” Kruger said.

The new assembly building will consist of three bays and enable erection of recently awarded steel ship contracts as well as provide the flexibility to manufacture modules for submarine and other surface ship programs. The assembly building will be approximately 400 feet long by 480 feet wide providing over 192,000 square feet of covered manufacturing space occupying four and a half acres.

When complete Austal USA’ s Mobile, Ala. facility will include a 117,000 square foot steel panel line, two module manufacturing facilities totaling over one million square feet of covered manufacturing space optimized for serial production, and seven assembly bays providing over 400,000 square feet of indoor erection space. In all, the Mobile facility covers 180 acres and, when this project is complete, over 1.5 million square feet of indoor manufacturing space.

Kelly Pearlson Fraind, CEO of Pearlson Shiplift Corporation, said, “We are very excited to be associated with Austal USA, and to support this transformative shipyard expansion project in Mobile, Ala. Austal USA is known throughout the industry as a shipbuilder that delivers on their commitments and can be relied upon by the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard and their Commercial Ship Repair customers alike. This strategic investment by Austal USA will mean that current and future generations, both in Alabama, and across the U.S.A will benefit from a world-class facility which is capable of handling the next generation of U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard vessels.”

(Image: Austal USA)