NEWSVESSELSNew Drydock for Portlandigor’s new ? oating drydock, the drydock enters service in Novem-the Vigorous, was headed for ber. Vigorous is about the same size VPortland at press time, ? nal as the drydock Foti sold in 2001 in destination being Vigor Industrial’s order to repay millions of dollars that Portland shipyard on the Willamette the company owed lenders. The sale of (Photo courtesy of General Dynamics Electric Boat)River. Fully assembled, the drydock the shipyard’s largest asset led some to will be 960-ft. long. However, it is cur- speculate it was the end of shipbuild-Submarine North Dakotarently in three parts, which are stacked ing in Portland. However, since then The U.S.’s newest nuclear-powered at-aboard a 738-foot heavy lift ship for the company has grown from the single tack submarine, North Dakota (SSN-delivery. The delivery provides unique shipyard to nine locations from Port-784), returned to the General Dynam-opportunities to see both the new dry- land to Seward, Alaska. The workforce ics Electric Boat shipyard following the dock and the specialized ship carrying in Portland shipyard has expanded successful completion of its ? rst voyage it up river from fewer than 80 workers in the late in open seas. North Dakota is the 11th Vigor said it is investing more than 1990s to more than 600 today. Vigor’s ship of the Virginia Class. North Dakota’s $50 million to build and deliver the overall workforce now includes more alpha sea trials included a range of sub-Vigorous. The drydock will allow than 2,000 people.marine and propulsion-plant operations, Vigor to service vessels such as cruise The drydock was constructed by submerging for the ? rst time, and high-speed runs on and below the surface to ships, tankers and cargo ships. It also Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries in demonstrate that the ship’s propulsion will free the company to send another Jiangsu Province, China, and is being plant is fully mission-capable.drydock from Portland to Seattle, ex- delivered to Portland aboard the Blue Virginia-class submarines displace panding capacity there. Marlin, a semi-submersible heavy lift 7,800 tons, with a hull length of 377 Frank Foti, Vigor CEO, said the new ship owned by Dockwise Ltd. When feet and a diameter of 34 feet. They are drydock will allow the company to the Blue Marlin arrives at the mouth of capable of speeds in excess of 25 knots better serve a range of customers with the Columbia, the ship will be guided and can dive to a depth greater than 800 large vessels at a time when total large- over the Columbia River Bar by the feet, while carrying Mark 48 advanced drydock capacity on the West Coast Columbia River Bar Pilots. Once past capability torpedoes and Tomahawk has been shrinking. Two large vessels, the bar, the ship will be transferred to land-attack missiles.Maritime Administration cargo ships, the Columbia River Pilots for the trip are already booked for repairs when up river to Portland.Serving the Galveston, Houston and Texas Gulf Coast area, Malin International Ship Repair & Drydock is a full service topside repair facility ready to handle your scheduled or emergency repairs. s