Austal USA officially opened the Mobile, Ala., company’s new San Diego waterfront ship repair facility recently.
The shipyard, located adjacent to Naval Base San Diego, will provide full-service repair, maintenance and modernization services for small surface combatants, unmanned and autonomous vessels, and auxiliary ships.
Since finalizing an agreement for the property over a year ago, Austal USA has invested over $100 million in facility upgrades and a new floating drydock. The 15-acre site provides 678' of improved San Diego Bay shoreline, 80,000 sq. ft. of covered working space, and has been equipped with new pier fenders and moorings, modernized shore power conversions, and enhanced security.
“As much as this is a significant day for Austal USA, this is a significant day for our nation, the Navy and Coast Guard, the National City community and surrounding port tenants, as well as our fellow industry colleagues,” Austal USA President Rusty Murdaugh said during a reception to celebrate the opening. “Together, we have a shared commitment to maintaining an operationally ready and available surface fleet, and we are proud to join a community here on the southwest waterfront dedicated to that mission.”
Austal USA is currently working on its first availability in its new facility, the post shakedown of the future USS Canberra (LCS 30). With the company’s new floating drydock on schedule to be fully operational by summer 2023, Austal USA will have the capability to perform more extensive depot maintenance on littoral combat ships, frigates, and other similar-sized surface combatants and auxiliaries.
“Getting our nation’s ships ready and out to sea is critically important. Our team responded to the need to increase capacity here in San Diego, and we will similarly respond to the need to deliver ships safely from their availabilities on-time, on-budget, and warfighting ready,” Murdaugh said. “Our team is energized and we’re ready to get to work.”
With repair and service capabilities previously established in Mobile and Singapore, recent expansions into steel shipbuilding, and a technology center in Charlottesville, Va., the San Diego shipyard opening strengthens Austal USA’s position as a full service defense provider.
