BAE Systems divests San Francisco ship repair business

Erwin Bieber, BAE Systems president, said: “We believe this divestiture is in the best interests of the San Francisco shipyard employees and both companies, as it will better position the San Francisco Ship Repair business with a parent company that has access to broader markets.”

Further details have not been disclosed.

The shipyard, which is situated in the Bay Area, operates a full-service repair facility which specialises in foreign and domestic bulk carriers and container ship work, but it also has some exposure to the defence market through its work on military support vessels.

BAE’s San Francisco shipyard is equipped two floating dry docks that can lift 54,600t and 14,500t of weight respectively, a pier space that includes three berths to 700ft and a crane capacity of up to 60t.

The yard’s dry dock is certified by the United States Navy and is capable of lifting the largest cruise ships currently operating on the US Pacific coast. The yard also has the required certificates and permits and approved processes for all major vessel repairs.

Puglia Engineering, which is based in Tacoma, is currently operating two shipyards in Washington, US.

Meanwhile, BAE Systems still operates six full-service shipyards in Florida, Hawaii, Alabama, California, and Virginia.