Avondale Shipyard

Avondale Shipyard was an independent shipbuilding company, acquired by Litton Industries, in turn acquired by Northrop Grumman Corporation. Now, along with the former Ingalls Shipbuilding, the yard is part of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. The yard is located on the West Bank of the Mississippi River, approximately 20 miles (32 km) upriver from New Orleans, Louisiana near Westwego, Louisiana. It was the site of the modernization of the USS Iowa in the early 1980s and also constructed some of the lighter aboard ships (LASH). At one time, it was the largest employer in the state of Louisiana with about 26,000 employees.

In mid-2010, Northrop Grumman announced its intention to close the Avondale yard by 2013 and consolidate its Gulf coast shipbuilding operations at its Pascagoula, MS yard. Northrop Grumman did a Spin off of (NGSB) Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding to Huntington Ingalls Inc. effective as of March 31, 2011. The Avondale yard is now Ingalls Shipbuilding Avondale Operation, a division of Huntington Ingalls Inc. Mike Petters the CEO or president of HII said the yard was still poised to close in early 2013 but was working very hard to find an alternative for the Avondale Plant.

Ships built

Ships built by Avondale include:

• USCGC Healy (WAGB-20) United States Coast Guard (USCG) cutter and research vessel (1999)
• San Antonio-class amphibious transport docks (6 out of 9 ships, 2000-present) including USS New York (LPD-21) built with steel from the World Trade Center towers destroyed in the 9/11 attacks and USS Somerset (LPD-25) built with materials from United Flight 93, also destroyed on 9/11.
• Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ships (4 out of 4 ships, 1991-97)
• Whidbey Island-class dock landing ships (5 last of 8 ships, 1986-90)
• SS Velma Lykes, now the TS Kennedy, training ship for Mass Maritime Academy
• Henry J. Kaiser-class fleet replenishment oilers (14 out of 16 ships, 1984-96)
• Bob Hope class vehicle cargo ship( 7 ships build between 1993-2001)
• Hamilton-class USCG high endurance cutters (12 out of 12 ships, 1967–72)
• Knox-class frigates (27 out of 46 ships, 1967-74)
• USCGC Greenbrier (WLR-75501) - USCG river tender

External links

• Northrop Grumman Ship Systems - Avondale
• FAS
• GlobalSecurity.org
• (VIDEO) Save Our Shipyard - Save Avondale