Vigor Begins Work on USS Tulsa, Wins USS Michael Murphy Challenge
Two significant awards highlight success of Vigor Ship Repair, keeps presence in Hawaii
September 16, 2022
Vigor, a Titan company, is beginning work on two major docking selected restricted availabilities (DSRA) awarded this year, at both Swan Island in Portland, as well as Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard (PHNSY).
USS Tulsa at Swan Island, Portland by Vigor
USS Tulsa recently arrived at Swan Island for its DSRA, while Vigor successfully challenged and was awarded USS Michael Murphy in Hawaii. In total, these two projects will employ more than 350 skilled workers in family wage jobs at both locations, as well as subcontractors and others providing support throughout.
“These two large awards reflect Vigor’s strong reputation for quality and on-time performance for the U.S. Navy,” said Adam Beck, Vigor EVP of Ship Repair. “Our skilled workers repeatedly show why Vigor is an industry leader in ship repair, and we are very proud to support our national defense and our service members.”
USS Michael Murphy will be Vigor’s third DSRA completed at PHNSY in as many years, after completing the first two ahead of schedule. Vigor’s impeccable safety record on these projects, completed at the Naval facility, included zero injuries on USS William P. Lawrence and recognition from the Shipbuilders Council of America with a Significance in Safety Achievement award.
This is the first major dry docking for USS Michael Murphy since its post-shakedown availability. It will have shafts, hubs and propeller blades removed and overhauled; a full underwater hull and freeboard preservation; overhaul and replacement of all sea valves; as well as other work completed directly by Vigor and in partnership with the Navy. Approximately 150 people will work on the project each day, through early May 2023.
In Portland, USS Tulsa will undergo a full blasting and painting of the underwater hull and flight deck, including a new type of coating for the hull, and with blasting completed using Vigor’s new more environmentally friendly and efficient system; new decking systems in the staterooms and crew spaces, among others; cleaning and painting of all fuel tanks; and other preventative maintenance. It is scheduled to be at Swan Island for approximately nine months, with more than 200 Vigor employees working on the project.
“These are large, complex projects which our skilled workers at Vigor have become highly adept at in recent years,” Beck said. “Our great ship repair teams not only complete great work on time, they have made Vigor an industry leader in safety. Our Vigor Values of Truth, Responsibility, Evolution, and Love drive us to those two goals each day, and we will continue to live by them as we work to get these two vessels back in service for the Navy.”
In addition to these two major U.S. Navy projects, work is ongoing at Vigor’s Harbor Island shipyard on USS Chosin, USS Cape St. George and USS Omaha, as well as support for Washington State Ferries. The Ketchikan Shipyard, also operated by Vigor, is continuing repair and maintenance work for the Alaska Marine Highway System, marking a busy summer across Vigor’s shipyard operations.