Ketchikan Shipyard Improvements

The Ketchikan Shipyard Improvements project was a high-profile industrial development that transformed shipbuilding capabilities in Southeast Alaska. The completed facility accommodates 95% of the marine vessels operating in the region and offers streamlined, modern ship production facilities with additional infrastructure to handle expanding project demands.

Dawson completed this complex project in phases over a three-year period, showing expertise in large-scale industrial development. The scope included construction of a new 120-foot assembly hall for vessel construction, a modern production center with advanced manufacturing capabilities, a steel shop for fabrication operations, and a two-story operations office building. Additional infrastructure improvements included relocation of the existing oily water facility to a new standards-compliant location and site utility improvements. Through aggressive value engineering, the project cost was reduced from $40 million to $28 million, providing expanded scope options for the owner and delivering outstanding value.

Dawson delivered the modernized Ketchikan Shipyard a full season ahead of schedule, a significant achievement for a multi-year waterfront industrial project in Southeast Alaska. The completed facility accommodates 95% of regional marine vessels and provides streamlined production capabilities that have transformed shipbuilding capacity in the region. The project earned praise from the owner's project manager for Dawson's ability to run an efficient organization, resolve issues, and commission a complex industrial facility while working in one of Alaska's most challenging construction environments.