Aker Philadelphia Shipyard
Encyclopedia
Aker Philadelphia Shipyard, formerly Kværner Philadelphia Shipyard, is a shipyard
located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, United States
on the site of the defunct Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
, which closed in 1995.
The yard is a listed company on the Oslo Stock Exchange
and part of the Aker Group
controlled by Kjell Inge Røkke
. The yard targets producing ships within the Jones Act for domestic shipping, primarily product tankers and container ships.
The yard was started as a cooperation between Kværner
and the City of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Government of the United States. Rebuilt and opened in 2000, the yard delivered its first ship in 2003: MV Manukai, a container cargo ship for Matson Line and the first of four sister vessels built for Matson through 2006.
In 2005, control of the yard passed to Aker, which bought the troubled Kværner firm.
Aker Philadelphia delivered the first of 12 planned product tankers to Shell Oil in February 2007. The 12 ships are being sold to American Shipping Company and will be leased out to various operators, including Shell Oil. The tanker contracts will keep the yard fully booked through 2012.
In March, 2011, Aker Philadelphia reached an agreement with lenders for the construction of two additional product tanks to be built on spec, providing additional work for the shipyard in a continuing global economic downturn. The new ships provide continued employment at the yard through 2014.
On June 1st, 2011, Aker Philadelphia secured final loan commitments from Caterpillar Financial, fully funding construction of both spec build tankers.
On July 25th, 2011, Aker Philadelphia announced they had signed a contract with SeaRiver Maritime
Inc. (the shipping subsidiary of ExxonMobil
) for the construction of two Aframax oil products tankers for delivery in 2014. At 820 ft. in length and measuring over 115,000 tons deadweight, they will be the largest ships yet built by the yard.
Ship Specifications
Container ships
Manukai, Maunawili, and Manulani: 32,575 gross tons, 38,261 deadweight tons;
Maunalei: 25,324 gross tons, 34,027 deadweight tons
Chemical/Oil Products tankers
All except but two measure 29,242 gross tons and between 46,653 and 46,911 deadweight tons;
Overseas Cascade and Overseas Chinook: 29,234 gross tons, 46,287 and 46,666 deadweight tons
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on the site of the defunct Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
The Philadelphia Naval Business Center, formerly known as the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and Philadelphia Navy Yard, was the first naval shipyard of the United States. The U.S. Navy reduced its activities there in the 1990s, and ended most of them on September 30, 1995...
, which closed in 1995.
The yard is a listed company on the Oslo Stock Exchange
Oslo Stock Exchange
The Oslo Stock Exchange serves as the main market for trading in the shares of Norwegian companies. It opens at 9:00am and closes 5:30pm local time...
and part of the Aker Group
Aker ASA
Aker ASA is a Norwegian holding company engaged in offshore fishing, construction and engineering. The company is listed on Oslo Stock Exchange and is controlled by Kjell Inge Røkke with 66.66% ownership through TRG Holding...
controlled by Kjell Inge Røkke
Kjell Inge Røkke
Kjell Inge Røkke is a Norwegian businessman and among the richest people in Norway, controlling the Norwegian company Aker Solutions...
. The yard targets producing ships within the Jones Act for domestic shipping, primarily product tankers and container ships.
The yard was started as a cooperation between Kværner
Kværner
Kværner was a Norway-based engineering and construction services company in existence between 1853 and 2005 when it was merged with Aker ASA. The Kværner name was used in the subsidiary Aker Kværner until April 3, 2008 when it changed name to Aker Solutions. Kværner re-emerged on 6...
and the City of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Government of the United States. Rebuilt and opened in 2000, the yard delivered its first ship in 2003: MV Manukai, a container cargo ship for Matson Line and the first of four sister vessels built for Matson through 2006.
In 2005, control of the yard passed to Aker, which bought the troubled Kværner firm.
Aker Philadelphia delivered the first of 12 planned product tankers to Shell Oil in February 2007. The 12 ships are being sold to American Shipping Company and will be leased out to various operators, including Shell Oil. The tanker contracts will keep the yard fully booked through 2012.
In March, 2011, Aker Philadelphia reached an agreement with lenders for the construction of two additional product tanks to be built on spec, providing additional work for the shipyard in a continuing global economic downturn. The new ships provide continued employment at the yard through 2014.
On June 1st, 2011, Aker Philadelphia secured final loan commitments from Caterpillar Financial, fully funding construction of both spec build tankers.
On July 25th, 2011, Aker Philadelphia announced they had signed a contract with SeaRiver Maritime
SeaRiver Maritime
SeaRiver Maritime is a privately held subsidiary wholly owned by ExxonMobil. The company was formed in the early 1990s by Exxon when it spun off its maritime operations into the new company following the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989....
Inc. (the shipping subsidiary of ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil
Exxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
) for the construction of two Aframax oil products tankers for delivery in 2014. At 820 ft. in length and measuring over 115,000 tons deadweight, they will be the largest ships yet built by the yard.
Ships
- Manukai (2003)- container ship for Matson Navigation
- Maunawili (2004) - container ship for Matson Navigation
- Manulani (2005) - container ship for Matson Navigation
- Maunalei (2006) - container ship for Matson Navigation
- Overseas Houston (2007) - oil products tanker for American Shipping CorporationAker American ShippingAker American Shipping is a Norwegian-American shipping and shipyard company and part of the Aker Group, with Aker ASA owning 53.4% of the company. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and is headquartered in Oslo, Norway....
, managed by Overseas Shipholding GroupOverseas Shipholding GroupOverseas Shipholding Group, Inc. is one of the largest oil tanker operating companies in the world. It is based in New York City....
. - Overseas Long Beach (2007) - oil products tanker for American Shipping Corporation, managed by Overseas Shipholding Group.
- Overseas Los Angeles (2007) - oil products tanker for American Shipping Corporation, managed by Overseas Shipholding Group.
- Overseas New York (2008) - oil products tanker for American Shipping Corporation, managed by Overseas Shipholding Group.
- Overseas Texas City (2008) - oil products tanker for American Shipping Corporation, managed by Overseas Shipholding Group.
- Overseas Boston (2009) - oil products tanker for American Shipping Corporation, managed by Overseas Shipholding Group.
- Overseas Nikiski (2009) - oil products tanker for American Shipping Corporation, managed by Overseas Shipholding Group.
- Overseas Cascade (2009) - oil products tanker for Overseas Shipholding Group
- Overseas Chinook (2010) - oil products tanker for Overseas Shipholding Group
- Overseas Martinez (2010) - oil products tanker for American Shipping Corporation, managed by Overseas Shipholding Group.
- Overseas Anacortes (2010) - oil products tanker for American Shipping Corporation, managed by Overseas Shipholding Group.
- Overseas Tampa (2011) - oil products tanker for American Shipping Corporation, managed by Overseas Shipholding Group.
Ship Specifications
Container ships
Manukai, Maunawili, and Manulani: 32,575 gross tons, 38,261 deadweight tons;
Maunalei: 25,324 gross tons, 34,027 deadweight tons
Chemical/Oil Products tankers
All except but two measure 29,242 gross tons and between 46,653 and 46,911 deadweight tons;
Overseas Cascade and Overseas Chinook: 29,234 gross tons, 46,287 and 46,666 deadweight tons