Page 37: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (January 2023)

SHIP REPAIR

New Shiplift for BAE Systems Jacksonville

AE Systems announced Jacksonville Ship Repair, when commis- it will spend $200 mil- sioned, will be the largest in North and lion for upgrades aimed South America and the most modern at increasing capacity and shiplift in the world. It will be capable of

B? exibility at its Jackson- lifting and launching ships in excess of ville, Fla. ship repair yard. The invest- 25,000 long tons, with a platform that is ment covers the preparation, construc- 492 feet long and 110 feet wide,” Pearl- tion, procurement and installation of a son said.

modern Pearlson shiplift and land-level Notably, for BAE systems, the new ship repair facility, giving the yard the shiplift complex will increase its dry- capability to service a greater number of docking capacity from two large-hulled vessels more ef? ciently. ships to as many as six vessels simul-

Located two miles from the Atlan- taneously. The facility will be able to tic Ocean, at the intersection of the St. accommodate vessels up to 600 feet

Johns River and the Atlantic Intracoastal long, 100 feet wide and displacing up to

Waterway, BAE Systems Jacksonville 10,000 tons. “The new facility will ex-

Ship Repair provides repair, mainte- pand BAE Systems’ docking capacity by nance, overhaul, conversion and marine 300%, all enabled by a modern Pearlson fabrication services for a wide range of shiplift system capable of lifting a Ti- commercial and government vessels, conderoga-Class Guided Missile Cruis- from tugs to warships, serving both do- er, Arleigh Burke-Class Guided Missile mestic and international ? eets. Destroyer, the new Constellation-Class

The shipyard, which drydocked 15 Guided Missile Frigate or a Panamax vessels last year, expects to accommo- commercial vessel, with laydown area

Image: BAE Systems date even more vessels calling upon the ashore to re? t and repair multiple vessels

BAE Systems will install a port of Jacksonville in the years ahead, at one time,” Spratto said.

modern Pearlson shiplift according to Tim Spratto, general man- “This investment by BAE Systems ager at Jacksonville Ship Repair. “We recognizes the signi? cant advantages anticipate a sustainable workload from that a Pearlson shiplift system can pro- the Navy, Coast Guard and other gov- in-depth study of vessels operating in vide in terms of ef? ciency and capability ernment customers’ vessels in the port,” the area as well as anticipated growth to shipyards. Through the construction for JAXPORT and Naval Station May-

Spratto said. “Growth in workload is ex- of one shiplift, BAE Systems will be pected from the commercial ship repair port in the decades ahead. “Pearlson’s provided with the capability to work on a team worked with BAE Systems per- market with the introduction of this new multitude of vessels at any given time,” ship repair capacity in Jacksonville.” sonnel on the ground in Jacksonville to Pearlson said. “When completed, BAE deliver a comprehensive, detailed design

Central to the yard’s new repair com- Systems Jacksonville Ship Repair will that meets the shipyard’s needs. This in- plex will be a new shiplift, used for haul- join more than 275 shiplifts in 65+ coun- ing ships out of and back into the wa- cluded numerous working groups and tries around the World that are supported ter, as well as a self-propelled modular round table sessions to ensure that there by Pearlson Shiplift Corporation.” transport system for carrying ships to are provisions in the design to conduct

Jacksonville Ship Repair plans to be- ship repair work more ef? ciently and ef- and from the new land-level facility. gin on-site construction activities in ear-

Douglas Pearlson, president and fectively with this new state-of-the-art ly 2023, and Spratto said the yard will shiplift and land level facility,” he said.

CEO at Miami-headquartered Pearl- continue to function at full capacity with

The end result will be a complex that son Shiplift Corporation, said his ? rm two marine railways and a 13,500-ton boosts ship repair capacity near a sig- worked with BAE Systems to de? ne drydock through much of the construc- and deliver a design that met both cur- ni? cant trade hub and major U.S. Navy tion period until the shiplift and land- rent and future ship repair needs, and he homeport. “The new Pearlson shiplift level facility are certi? ed and commis- noted that the companies conducted an and land level facility for BAE Systems sioned in 2025. – By Eric Haun www.marinelink.com 37

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