Asbestos Exposure in Shipyards

Shipyard Asbestos and Mesothelioma

Shipyards used asbestos on ships as insulation, particularly around boilers and pipes. Public awareness of asbestos did not come to fruition until the 1970's. Although the EPA now regulates the use of asbestos, some ships still have asbestos.

Civilian workers and naval veterans often had asbestos exposure from jobs or removal operations, like ripouts. Asbestos can be found in many gaskets, brakes, clutches, and older building materials. 

Numerous Navy veterans and ship personnel were exposed to asbestos from many types of materials or insulation. The U.S. Navy used asbestos products in ship construction, repair and overhaul at naval shipyards. Asbestos continues to have a significant impact on navy veterans and shipyard workers.

Any type of asbestos materials were hazardous when worked by breaking, grinding, or sanding. Essentially, any activity that would cause the asbestos fibers to become air born was dangerous.

Below is a list of shipyards where asbestos exposure may have occurred.

Alabama

• Alabama Drydock & Shipping Co. (ADDSCO)
• Bender Shipbuilding

Alaska

• Seward Ships Drydock
• Seward Marine Industrial Center

California

• Bethlehem Shipyard, San Francisco
• Bethlehem Steel Shipyard, Terminal Island
• Consolidated Shipyards
• Conrad Industries
• Hunters Point Naval Shipyard
• Kaiser Shipyard, Richmond
• Long Beach Naval Shipyard
• Mare Island Naval Shipyard
• Moore Drydock
• NASSCO
• National Shipyards
• Naval Weapons Station
• Richmond Shipyard (Kaiser)
• Rough & Ready Island Ship Repair
• San Diego Naval Shipyard
• San Francisco Drydock
• Southwest Marine Shipyard, Long Beach
• Southwest Marine Shipyard, San Diego
• Terminal Island Naval Yard
• Todds Shipyard, Los Angeles
• Todds Shipyard, San Francisco
• TODD-Alameda Naval Shipyard
• TODD Shipyard, Oakland
• TODD Shipyard, San Pedro
• U.S. Naval Shipyard
• U.S. Naval Operating Base, Terminal Island
• Vallejo Shipyard
• Western Shipyard
  

Connecticut

• Electric Boat
• Naval Submarine Base New London

District of Columbia

• Washington Navy Yard

Florida

• Atlantic Dry Dock
• Gulf Marine Repair
• Hendry Corporation
• Mayport Naval Station
• Offshore Shipbuilding Inc.
• Pensacola Naval Air Station
• Tampa Bay Shipbuilding

Hawaii

• Pearl Harbor Shipyard

Louisiana

• Avondale Industries
• Bollinger Shipyards
• Conrad Industries

Maine

• Bath Iron Works
• Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

Maryland

• Baltimore Marine Industries
• Bethlehem Shipbuilding Maryland
• Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard
• Key Highway Shipyard

Massachusetts

• Boston Navy Yard
• Charlestown Navy Yard
• Fore River Shipyard
• General Ship Corp.

Michigan

• Defoe Shipbuilding Co.

Mississippi

• Ingalls Shipbuilding
• Halter Marine
• Naval Station Pascagoula
• Trinity Marine Group

New Hampshire

• Portsmouth Naval Shipyard

New Jersey

• New York Shipbuilding
• Todds Shipyard
• Federal Shipbuilding