Sedef Shipyard, Tuzia/Istanbul, Turkey, has begun construction on a new 23,500-ton-capacity floating drydock for Colonna’s Shipyard, Norfolk, Va.
The Delta Marine-designed drydock is intended to service both commercial and naval vessels, including requirements aligned with Navy-standard, MIL-STD-1625D. The 736.5’x142.7’x 16.1’ drydock is designed for a maximum lifting capacity of 23,500 metric tons and will be built to Bureau Veritas class.
The $79 million project builds on a prior collaboration between Sedef, Delta Marine, and Colonna’s, following delivery of an 11,500-ton floating dock completed between 2015 and 2017. Company representatives from all three organizations attended the April steel cutting ceremony.
According to Colonna’s, the additional drydock capacity is intended to support growing demand from both government and commercial customers. The yard, founded in 1875, said it has invested more than $150 million over the past decade to modernize its facilities and expand repair and conversion capabilities.
Company leadership said the new dock will strengthen its ability to handle a broader range of vessels while maintaining schedule reliability. The expansion comes as operators and the U.S. Navy continue to seek additional domestic ship repair capacity, particularly in high-demand ports such as Norfolk.
