By Shirleen Guerra | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – Colonna’s Shipyard is expanding its Norfolk operations with a $79 million investment in a new drydock, the company’s fourth.
The new drydock is expected to be delivered in 2028, according to the announcement by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. It will have a lifting capacity of 25,000 tons and measure 147 feet wide and 725 feet long.
A drydock is a basin that can be drained of water, allowing workers to reach the submerged parts of a ship for repairs, inspections and upgrades.
Company officials said the expansion will allow Colonna’s to serve both commercial and military clients as demand for ship repair and maintenance grows.
The shipyard already operates three drydocks, nine piers and 120 acres of property in Norfolk, with a combined 31,000 tons of lifting capacity. Colonna’s employs hundreds of workers on Norfolk’s waterfront, and officials said the project will support a stable, skilled workforce as demand grows.
This investment builds on Colonna’s more than $150 million in modernization projects over the past decade.
Youngkin said the investment shows Virginia’s role in the nation’s maritime and defense industries.
“The acquisition of this new drydock is not just an investment in infrastructure, it’s an investment in the long-term strength of our national defense and commercial fleet support,” he said in a statement. “Together, we’re ensuring that Virginia remains the premier hub for shipbuilding and repair on the East Coast and across the nation.”
Transportation Secretary W. Sheppard Miller III said Norfolk’s military and port presence makes it the right location.
“As home to the world’s largest military installation, a best-in-class port and other top-tier infrastructure, there’s no better place for Colonna’s Shipyard to make this strategic investment,” he said.
Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander said the project will strengthen the city’s working waterfront.
“This $79 million investment not only strengthens Norfolk’s position as a national leader in ship repair and innovation, but also reflects the company’s enduring commitment to our people, our port, and our future,” he said.