Bardex Corp. has been selected to supply a shiplift for River Port LLC’s Newport News, Va., facility. East Coast Repair & Fabrication LLC (ECR), an affiliated company, will operate the system at a new drydock facility.
The OmniLift shiplift will have a maximum lifting capacity of just over 27,600 tons. Bardex said the facility is intended to support ship repair and maintenance, as well as the launch of subassembly modules for Navy ships. The company said the facility will be certified by Naval Sea Systems Command when complete.
The lift will have 48 stations rated at about 705 tons each and a platform measuring approximately 450'×110'. It will use linear chain jacks to raise and lower vessels. Bardex’s scope includes engineering, equipment manufacturing, controls, installation support, commissioning and training.
The project is also being developed to accommodate a rail transfer system and multiple shoreside hardstand berths. That arrangement would allow ECR to work on several vessels out of the water at the same time.
“This investment is about giving our people the infrastructure and capacity they need to serve our customers more effectively,” said Jorge Rivera, founder and CEO of S23 Holdings, River Port’s parent company. “As the operator of the new shiplift, East Coast Repair & Fabrication will be able to accommodate larger vessels, perform multiple repair availabilities simultaneously, and provide the Navy and our commercial customers with greater flexibility and faster turnaround.”
Engineering is underway, and commissioning is expected in September 2028.
