Ketchikan Shipyard
Location
Ketchikan, Alaska
Partners
Land Owner: Ketchikan Gateway Borough & City of Ketchikan
Lessee: AIDEA
Jobs
- 75-100 direct jobs in Ketchikan
- 100-125 currently employed
- Year-round, steady jobs with benefits & advancement opportunities among strongest in the community
Economic Benefits
- Reliable, cost effective and quality vessel maintenance repair and construction services
- Vigor Alaska LLC's gross revenues from operations are shared between AIDEA, Ketchikan Gateway Borough and the City of Ketchikan
- All share in facility profits when milestones are met
- Vigor Alaska's 2021 local purchasing and payroll contributed close to $9.1 million to regional economy
Financials
$80.1 million* in Federal and State funds expended for construction, upgrades, deferred maintenance, and other improvements.
*Numbers reported from Vigor's 2021 Annual Operations and Performance Report received July 2022.
Project Description
The Ketchikan Shipyard, operated by Vigor Alaska, is located in Ketchikan, Alaska, and is adjacent to the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) ferry facility. The shipyard consists of approximately 25.27 acres of real property, various buildings, fixtures and improvements, floating drydocks (10,000 ton and 2,500 ton lift capacity), various equipment and tools and other personal property.
The Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT & PF) spent approximately $30 million to construct the shipyard during the 1980s. The Ketchikan shipyard provides maintenance for of providing maintenance for the AMHS. Under an agreement with the State of Alaska, the City of Ketchikan subleased operation and management of the shipyard to private contractors.
In 1997, AIDEA acquired the title to and ownership of the Ketchikan Shipyard and entered into an agreement with Alaska Ship & Drydock for the operation of the shipyard. Vigor Industrial purchased the shipyard operator (ASD) in March 2012. The following year, ASD changed their name to Vigor Alaska.
Support
Support comes from the Department of Defense, the State of Alaska, the United States Coast Guard, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, as well as surrounding communities benefitting from civilian job opportunities.
Current Status
Support primarily comes from Vigor Alaska, Ketchikan Gateway Borough, the City of Ketchikan, Ketchikan Public Utilities, and the Alaska Marine Highway System.