After World War II, Avondale took advantage of the expansion of the oil industry in Louisiana to build drilling barges and offshore oil rigs. They also built other commercial vessels, such as fishing boats. They again obtained government contracts to build military vessels during the Korean and Vietnam Wars.[2]
Avondale Marine Ways was purchased by the Ogden Corporation in 1959 for $14 million. The following year, it was renamed Avondale Shipyards, Inc. The company was sold to its employees in 1985. In 1988, it became a publicly traded company, Avondale Industries, Inc.[1] Workers voted to unionize with the New Orleans Metal Trades Council in 1993, leading to a lengthy and arduous legal battle between the workers and Avondale Industries.[3] The Metal Trades Union eventually succeeded in 2000.[4] The publication Bayou Worker, archived at Loyola University New Orleans, contains information related to the labor organizing efforts.[5]
In mid-2010, Northrop Grumman announced its intention to close the Avondale yard by 2013 and consolidate its Gulf Coast shipbuilding operations at its Pascagoula, Mississippi, yard. Northrop Grumman did a spin-off of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding to Huntington Ingalls Inc. effective as of March 31, 2011. The Avondale yard became the Huntington Ingalls Industries Avondale Operation, a subsidiary of Huntington Ingalls Inc. In February 2013, Avondale Plant was reorganized and entered sector of oil and gas production equipment.[7]
USS Somerset was recorded as the last Navy ship to depart from the Avondale Ship Yard, on 3 February 2014.[8]
Ships built
[edit]Green Bay ready for launching, 13 November 2004, Grumman Ship Systems, Avondale, LA.
Ships built by Avondale include:
APL C-9-class container vessels (1980–1983), originally President Monroe, President Washington, and President Lincoln. These are now operated by Matson Navigation Company as M/V Manoa, Mahimahi, and Mokihana, respectively.
San Antonio-class amphibious transport docks (6 out of 9 ships, 2000–present) including USS New York built with steel from the World Trade Center towers destroyed in the 9/11 attacks and USS Somerset built with steel from a crane that stood near Flight 93's crash site also destroyed on 9/11.
