Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Avondale Operations main shipyard, the Shipyards Division, is located on the Mississippi River twelve miles upriver from the Port of New Orleans. This facility includes two separate construction areas. One construction area has three building positions and utilizes a 900-foot floating launch platform. The second area has five building positions where ships are side-launched into the river. These integrated assembly areas are supported by a state-of-the-art marine steel fabrication facility. The fully-equipped machine shop, semi-automated pipe shop, electrical shop, and modern sheetmetal shop all are highly efficient and turn out the finest quality products in the industry that are necessary for a complete ship construction program.

The Engineering Department employs experienced professionals of all disciplines and can complete complex assignments from conceptual ship designs through the most detailed of working drawings using the latest computer applications.

Since 1982, Avondale Operations has used modular construction technology to build ships. This technology, acquired from a leading Japanese shipbuilder and mastered by Avondale Operations highly skilled work force, is the most efficient and cost effective way to build a ship today. Simply stated, modular construction consists of building 150 to 200 modules or units and completely outfitting them with pipe, ventilation systems, etc. The modules are then erected into a ship on the building ways just prior to launching.

Avondale Operations can design, fabricate and assemble almost any kind of ship using these sophisticated techniques. We are prepared to demonstrate our expertise with a competitive pricing and delivery proposal for your next ship.

If you have any questions or comments concerning the Shipyards Division of Avondale Operations, please contact Tom Doussan at thdoussan@northropgrumman.com.