Located in San Diego, California, National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) has been designing, building and repairing ships since 1960. Originally named the California Iron Works Company it was first set-up as a small machine shop and foundry in 1905.
It grew over the course of time into being one of the biggest shipyards in the United States and in 1945 it took the name of National Steel Shipbuilding Company in recognition of its growth in the shipbuilding business. Since its inception, NASSCO has provided 53 large ocean-going vessels for the Navy. NASSCO designs and builds a variety of ships including, combat logistics support ships, amphibious ships, destroyer tenders, hospital ships, and a variety of strategic sealift and other support ships.
NASSCO is one of three shipyards in the Marine Systems group of General Dynamics Corporation. Headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, General Dynamics employs about 81,900 persons worldwide. NASSCO is the largest new construction shipyard on the West Coast, and it has delivered over 110 fighter ships over the last four decades. It has also produced 58 commercial ships and 53 auxiliary and support ships for the Navy. The types of ships National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. produces for the Navy includes containerships, oil tankers, hospital ships, tank landing ships, roll-on/roll-of ships, oceanographic research ships, and fast combat support ships.
The NASSCO shipyard can produce ships up to 1,000 feet in length. It covers 80 acres of land and 46 acres of water. The channel depth of NASSCO’s San Diego location is 35 feet and ships must pass under the 195-foot Coronado Bridge to reach the shipyard. NASSCO features 8 fully serviced berths ranging from 600 to 1000 feet, 10 whirley/portal cranes with individual lift capacities up to 300 tons and multi-crane lifts up to 550 tons, 6 production workshops and 10 assembly areas, 2 inclined building ways, 950 feet long and 108 feet wide, 1,000 foot long 174 foot wide graving dock with a lift capacity of 30,000 tons, and an 820 foot long 136 foot wide floating dry dock with an ABS certified lift capacity of 44,000 long tons.
The Navy has selected NASSCO to be its prime contractor for the maintenance of all amphibious classes of ships homeported on the West Coast and NASSCO can repair any ocean-going vessel. NASSCO handles multiple projects and gears employee schedules to meet tight deadlines. The National Shipbuilding Company has constructed or converted 296 ships, half of which were for the Navy and the other half for commercial use.
