Austal USA today announced a major expansion of its waterfront facilities in Mobile.
The new building, which will add 192,000 square feet of covered manufacturing space and a new Pearlson Shiplift system, complements the company’s addition of steel shipbuilding capabilities to its long-standing aluminum construction facilties. Other waterfront improvements are also planned.
Construction of the new facilities, just south of Austal’s current complex, will begin in summer 2024.
“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,” said Austal USA acting President Michelle Kruger.
Austal has partnered with Pearlson & Pearlson as program manager and owner’s representative, while Kiewit Infrastructure South will take the lead on design and construction. Pearlson Shiplift is designing and building the shiplift system.
The new three-bay building will be used for erection of ships under new steel ship contracts and allow space for manufacturing submarine and surface ship modules,
“The Pearlson-designed 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,” Austal said in a prepared announcement. “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.”
When the new facilities are complete, the Austal complex will include 1.5 million square feet of indoor manufacturing space on 180 acres.
