Austal USA expands manufacturing capacity with new facility and shiplift design

Austal USA Press Release

The infrastructure expansion to the south of Austal USA’s current waterfront facility includes a new assembly building, waterfront improvements and a new shiplift system. Construction on the project is scheduled to begin in summer 2024.

Construction of this new building and waterfront support area, including a Pearlson-designed shiplift, continues the expansion that Austal USA began in March 2021 with the groundbreaking of the steel panel line. In addition to new building manufacturing capabilities, Shiplift provides a safe and reliable system for launching completed vessels in assembly buildings. The system also allows vessels to be recovered and returned to shore facilities.

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

Austal USA is affiliated with Pearlson & Pearlson, Inc., the program manager and owner representative. Kiewit Infrastructure South Co. led design and construction. And Pearlson Shiplift Corporation, the designer and manufacturer of the Shiplift system, will execute the project. The new assembly building will consist of three bays and will enable construction of the recently awarded steel ship contract, as well as provide flexibility to manufacture modules for submarines and other surface ship programs. The assembly building is approximately 400 feet long and 480 feet wide, providing more than 192,000 square feet of covered manufacturing space on four and a half acres.

The Pearlson-designed shiplift system features an articulated lifting platform approximately 450 feet long and 125 feet wide, capable of lifting and launching vessels over 18,000 long tons. This capability will facilitate the launching and docking of the U.S. Navy’s Constellation-class frigates, TAGOS-25-class maritime surveillance ships, independent littoral combat ships, and U.S. Coast Guard Heritage-class maritime patrol ships.

When completed, Austal USA’s Mobile, Alabama facility will feature a 117,000-square-foot steel panel line, two modular manufacturing facilities with a total of more than 1 million square feet of covered manufacturing space optimized for serial production, and a 400,000-sq. It will include seven assembly bays providing over ft. of production capacity. Indoor assembly space. The mobile facility will cover 180 acres in total and will have more than 1.5 million square feet of indoor manufacturing space when the project is complete.