News Releases & Articles

May 2013

05/06/13 - Vigor Seattle Maritime Festival Returns to Waterfront May 7 to 11

The Vigor Seattle Maritime Festival begins Tuesday and runs through Saturday with fun, food and maritime facts for the whole family on the Seattle Waterfront.

April 2013

04/23/13 - Vigor Completes Maintenance and Moorage Barge for King County Marine Division

US Fab, a Vigor Industrial company, delivered its latest purpose built vessel to Washington’s King County: a unique maintenance and moorage barge designed to serve the day-to-day needs of the county’s passenger-only ferry fleet.

04/05/13 - Vigor Industrial Promotes Bryan Nichols and Grant Fosheim

Vigor Industrial has strengthened its sales and marketing team with the recent promotions of Bryan Nichols and Grant Fosheim, two maritime industry professionals.

March 2013

03/12/13 - Washington Governor makes weld on state’s second 144-car ferry; Vigor Industrial hits major milestone on first ferry

Washington Governor Jay Inslee officially kicked off the construction of M/V Samish, the state’s newest 144-car ferry, by making the first weld on the vessel at Vigor Industrial’s Seattle shipyard Friday. Earlier in the week US Fab, the Vigor company building the vessels, hit a major project milestone on the first ferry, the M/V Tokitae, when the company transferred the 1110-ton superstructure onto the hull.

February 2013

02/11/13 - Alaska Ship & Drydock - Ready, Not Waiting

A recent article written under the "Opinion" section of the Ketchikan Daily News highlights ASD's operations of the Ketchikan Shipyard.

January 2013

01/14/13 - Vigor signs deal for largest floating drydock in the United States

Vigor Industrial has reached an agreement with Daoda Marine Heavy Industry Company (DDHI) to purchase a new floating drydock for $40 million. At 960 feet long, with an inside width of 186 feet and a lifting capacity of 80,000 long tons, it will be the largest floating drydock in the United States.

01/11/13 - US Fab Awarded Contract to Build Deck Barge for Harley Marine

US Fab, a Vigor Industrial company, will soon begin construction on a 250’x70’x15’8” deck barge for Harley Marine Services at Vigor’s Swan Island shipyard in Portland, Oregon.

December 2012

12/11/12 - Chamber and Enterprise Seattle Leadership Head to Vigor

Chamber President and CEO Maud Daudon, enterpriseSeattle President Jeff Marcell and Chamber SVP Charles Knutson recently met with senior executives at the Vigor Industrial on Harbor Island. 

12/06/12 - Vigor Marine Completes 300 Ton Bow Replacement for Harley Marine

In just under three months, Vigor Marine replaced the bow of Olympic Spirit, an 80,000 BBL double hull petroleum barge owned by Harley Marine subsidiary, Olympic Tug & Barge, Inc

November 2012

11/02/12 - US Fab Awarded Contract to Build Split Hull Dump Barge

US Fab, a Vigor Industrial company, has been awarded the contract to build a 242'x54' split hull dump barge for American Construction.

October 2012

10/16/12 - The OPC Race: Vigor is "In it to Win it"

The October 2012 issue of MarineNews features Vigor's OPC on the front cover as well as six page article that highlights Vigor's OPC campaign.

September 2012

09/05/12 - Vigor Unveils Innovative Design for the Coast Guard OPC

Today, Vigor Industrial unveiled its innovative and affordable design for the USCG Offshore Patrol Cutter.

August 2012

08/16/12 - New Assembly Hall Opens in Ketchikan

New state-of-the-art shipbuilding production center opens for business in Ketchikan, Alaska. Alaska Ship & Drydock already at work on the first vessel to be completed in the facility, a 136’ longliner

July 2012

07/26/12 - Vigor Industrial: A Rising Star in Shipbuilding in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska

Vigor Industrial was highlighted in a four-page feature article in the July 2012 issue of Maritime Reporter. The article starts on page 24 and the online version can be found here on marinelink.com.

07/12/12 - US Fab and Washington State Ferries Win Prestigious Award

The three new 64-car, 750 passenger ferries constructed by US Fab, a Vigor Industrial new-build subsidiary won the regional “Under Budget, Large Project” category in the American Transportation Awards competition sponsored by AASHTO.

June 2012

06/27/12 - Vigor Marine Completes Work on the Kulluk and Noble Discoverer

The Kulluk and Noble Discoverer set sail for the Arctic today from Vigor Industrial’s Seattle shipyard, following completion of extensive environmental and safety upgrades by its commercial ship repair subsidiary, Vigor Marine.

06/06/12 - Vigor Marine Completes Conversion of Barge Klamath

Vigor Marine recently converted a 350' x 76' x 22' petroleum tank barge to an OSRV which will be part of Shell exploratory drilling fleet this season.

May 2012

05/14/12 - US Fab delivers covered paper barge to Georgia Pacific

US Fab delivers a 180’ x 52’ x 10’ covered paper barge to Georgia-Pacific.

05/03/12 - Why Vigor Chose to Title Sponsor the Seattle Maritime Festival: "Industrial jobs matter"

The Vigor Seattle Maritime Festival 2012 May 8-12 is an entertaining, delicious and potentially career-launching opportunity to learn more about the multi-billion-dollar maritime industry on the Seattle waterfront.  Who is Vigor Industrial, and why would they do this?

April 2012

04/25/12 - Alaska Marine Highway Partners with Alaska Ship & Drydock to Design Alaska Class Ferry

The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) announced today that Alaska Ship and Drydock LLC (ASD) has officially signed on as a partner with the State of Alaska to design the Alaska Class Ferry.

04/25/12 - Second New 144-car Ferry in Progress for WSF

Construction will begin in December on a second 144-car ferry. The Ferries Division of the Washington State Department of Transportation and shipbuilder Vigor Industrial signed papers this morning to make the second new vessel a reality for customers of the state ferry system.

04/03/12 - Merkley Kicks-Off “Made In Oregon” Manufacturing Tour at Vigor Industrial

Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today kicked off a two week tour of Oregon manufacturing facilities with a tour of Vigor Industrial and a roundtable discussion with Portland area manufacturing businesses

March 2012

03/30/12 - Legislators weld a bright future for Washington ferries

Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen & Rep. Judy Clibborn wield torches to celebrate keel-laying for the state’s newest ferry.

03/23/12 - Construction begins on next-generation ferry

The first arc welds on the keel of Washington’s new 144-car ferry will be made later this month.

February 2012

02/29/12 - Alaska Approves Vigor Industrial Purchase of Alaska Ship & Drydock

The new and expanded future for shipbuilding, ship repair and maritime jobs in Alaska starts today.

02/12/12 - Ketchikan Daily News Welcomes Vigor to Alaska

The sale of Alaska Ship & Drydock is the only way to build Ketchikan Shipyard into a world-class facility.

02/07/12 - Vigor Industrial to Acquire Alaska Ship & Drydock

Combination to Further Strengthen Maritime Industry and Jobs in Alaska and Across the Pacific Northwest

December 2011

12/15/11 - 2011 Significant Boats

Workboat Magazine Names US Fab Ferries “Significant Boat of 2011”

12/14/11 - Build-in-Washington Team Announced for Washington's Next New Ferry

Multi-company approach means 500 jobs across the region.

12/05/11 - American shipyards urge Congress to protect U.S. Arctic security by returning 'perfectly sound and capable' icebreakers to active service

Vigor Industrial Exec Says Two Coast Guard Vessels Can Be Restored to Patrol the Arctic in Two Years

12/01/11 - Endeavour Capital Invests $75 Million in Vigor Industrial's Continued Growth

Minority investment designed to sustain jobs in maritime and other industries.

12/01/11 - It’s About People

Frank Foti knows exactly what gives him a competitive edge: People.

September 2011

09/14/11 - Bryan Nichols Joins Growing Vigor Shipyard Sales Team

One of the leading maritime business development professionals in the Pacific Northwest joins forces with Vigor Industrial.