NORFOLK, Va. -- Norfolk’s Lyon Shipyard will be adding 119 jobs, investing $24.4 million to expand operations by adding a marine travel lift and expanding a dry dock.
"We’re going to be creating 119 new jobs for the Hampton Roads area," said Nikole Dunkley, an HR director with Lyon Shipyard.
The expansion will allow the shipyard to increase capacity to handle 165 ships a year, up from 120 a year.
“We're going to be building a boat lift. It’s a marine ship repair. It’s going to allow us to take boats that are coming to our yard for repair out of the water and actually be able to work with more boats at the same time," Dunkley said.
The project will start this August and end in November 2022. Lyon Shipyard is actively hiring welders, electricians, painters, contractors and much more with a starting pay of $26 an hour.
Gov. Ralph Northam says the shipyard’s investment is a “powerful testament to the local economy.” Norfolk’s Mayor Kenneth Alexander says, “The city appreciates the shipyard for investing and creating jobs in Norfolk.”
Kimball says Lyon had offers from other cities but chose Norfolk to expand their operations.
"Because of the resources here, educational, technology. There’s a lot of things here that we felt it would be very difficult for us to move away,"said Ken Kimball, the vice president of Lyon Shipyard.
Below is a statement from Mayor Alexander on the expansion:
“We are proud that Norfolk is home to one of the world’s most important maritime and defense ship repair communities. We appreciate that Lyon Shipyard chose to continue investing and creating jobs in Norfolk. After more than 90 years in operation, Lyon Shipyard’s ongoing commitment to our city reinforces our critical role in America’s ship repair industry and national defense.”
Gov. Northam also offered the following statement:
“Lyon Shipyard has been an integral part of the thriving maritime economy in Hampton Roads for nearly a century. The company’s continued investment and job creation in Norfolk is a powerful testament to the strength of the local workforce and the region as an international shipping hub. We are proud to support this expansion, and look forward to Lyon Shipyard’s future growth in our Commonwealth.”
If you’re interested in applying for a job at Lyon Shipyard, click here.