Mile 107.7 - RBD - Avondale Ship Yard

107.7 RBD - Avondale Ship Yard

Avondale Shipyards was founded in 1938 as Avondale Marine Ways. Initially the yard built barges and a few tugs but when the war effort started, it expanded to build large tugs and small cargo ships for the U.S. Maritime Commission. After the war, it expanded to its present site and also to a repair yard on the Harvey Canal. In May 1959, the original owners sold it to Ogden Corporation for $14 million and it became Avondale Shipyards Inc. as of July 1st, 1960. It was the site of the modernization of the USS Iowa in the early 1980s and built US Navy and US Coast Guard ships. At one time, it was the largest employer in the state of Louisiana with about 26,000 employees. It was later acquired by Litton Industries, then by Northrop Grumman Corporation, and most recently acquired by Huntington Ingalls Industries. In June of 2015 Huntington Ingalls stated it’s intention to sell the facility which remains unused.