South Portland Shipyard

The South Portland Shipyard and Marine Railways Corporation is located on seven riverfront acres, and include facilities for repair and construction of various size vessels. The shipyard also offers restoration services, including painting, coating, rust-proofing, wood preservation, welding, and lathe repairs.

During its decades of operation, the South Portland Shipyard and Marine Railways Corporation has offered employment to man y local area residents with both general skills and specific marine-related experience. And like the men and women who worked at so many other shipyards which operated prior to the mid 1970s, those employees may well have sustained potentially dangerous exposure to asbestos fibers.

Offering water and heat resistance, asbestos was a primary fiber in the manufacturing of marine repair and construction materials and components. In addition to special marine coatings and insulating materials, asbestos was a component in vessels’ specific systems, including electrical, engine, and propulsion systems. Boilers, pipes, valves and valve covers, and gaskets are just a few of the applications where asbestos was widely used in the marine industry.

Offering nearly unparalleled resistance to heat and corrosion, asbestos is also highly flexible and features high tensile strength. In a marine environment, where components are often exposed to varying levels of moisture and temperature levels, these factors made the fiber highly desirable to manufacturers of marine components. In addition, asbestos was widely available and relatively inexpensive. And, until the mid 1970s, asbestos was largely believed to be safe.

But research into the health risks associated with asbestos exposure led federal legislators to ban the use of asbestos in manufacturing in the mid 1970s. Those employed in the marine manufacturing and repair industry prior to that date had already suffered exposure, and those who continue to this day to repair or restore vessels built prior to the 1970s continue to be exposed to the dangers of asbestos.

When left in its pristine condition, asbestos is harmless. But when disturbed during construction or repair work, the material releases tiny, airborne fibers which can easily be inhaled. Once inhaled, these fibers lodge permanently in the lungs and other organs, where they can cause potentially deadly conditions such as asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer.

The effects of asbestos exposure may not become evident for decades after exposure. At first, they may appear the same as the symptoms experienced during the common cold. But unlike a cold, the symptoms of malignant mesothelioma will worsen over time.

Although there is no cure for the effects of asbestos exposure, individuals may find some temporary relief through proper care. If you worked for the South Portland Shipyard, talk to your doctor about the possible risks of asbestos exposure as mesothelioma navy cases are most common.