BAE Systems received a new 950-foot-long, 55,000-ton floating dry dock at its San Diego shipyard on Thursday.
The dry dock is part of the company’s $100 million investment in the yard to service the anticipated increase of U.S. Navy ships on the West Coast.
“We have made the strategic investment to meet the ship repair needs of the Navy,” said Joe Campbell, vice president and general manager of BAE Systems Ship Repair.
“With two large dry docks now in our shipyard, we’ll enhance the San Diego industrial base’s ability to repair warships in their homeport, providing the key maintenance and modernization work needed for the ships’ continued service to our nation and the stability for the ships’ crews.”
The new floating dry dock arrived at the company’s shipyard towed by the ocean-going and salvage tug Posh Terasea Eagle. Over the next two months, the BAE Systems team will complete final assembly, installation, testing, and certification of the dry dock, which will be operational in early 2017.
The first ship to be serviced in the dry dock will be the San Diego-home ported amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18).
New Dry Dock Facts & Figures
Dock dimensions:
- 950 feet long
- 205 feet wide (overall)
Lift capacity:
- 55,000-long-ton ship weight (capable of accommodating amphibious assault ships, auxiliary ships, cruisers, destroyers, littoral combat ships, transport dock and dock landing ships, and select commercial vessels)
Power:
- All electric
Environmental features:
- LED lighting throughout the structure
- Non-toxic underwater hull and ballast tank coating (paint)
- Storm water recovery systems
- Closed-loop salt water fire protection and cooling systems
- Air-cooled emergency backup generators
BAE Systems Drydocking Capabilities
In November 2016, BAE Systems received a contract from the U.S. Navy for post-construction work aboard the guided missile destroyers USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) and USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001).
BAE Systems operates seven full-service shipyards in Alabama, California, Florida, Hawaii, and Virginia, and offers a highly skilled, experienced workforce, nine dry docks, and significant pier space and ship support services.
BAE Systems Ship Repair in Norfolk, Virginia performed the first ever tandem drydocking of two U.S. Navy Aegis Guided Missile Destroyers in 2012. Both of the massive ships rested back to back, out of the water, on one drydock.
(Learn More about BAE Systems Drydocking capabilities, courtesy of BAE Systems and YouTube)
During a 19-hour technical and engineering feat, about 160 BAE Systems employees guided the USS Mason (DDG 87) and the USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) onto the Titan Drydock.
The Titan is the largest floating drydock on the East Coast, measuring 950 feet long and 160 feet wide, with a lift capacity of 52,000 tons.
Each ship was more than 500 feet long and 65 feet wide, and each weighs approximately 9,200 tons. The two destroyers are were on the drydock, to will undergo a series of routine repairs and modifications for the Navy.
BAE Systems is a leading provider of ship repair, maintenance, modernization, conversion, and overhaul services for the Navy, other government agencies, and select commercial customers.
