Colonna's Shipyard Inc
Colonna's Shipyard, Inc. is a full-service ship repair, machining, and steel fabrication company in the Berkley section of Norfolk, Virginia, describing itself as the oldest continuously family-owned and operated private shipyard in the United States, founded in 1875. The 120-acre yard serves commercial and government customers with three floating dry docks, a marine railway, a 1,000-metric-ton Marine Travelift, and nine piers. Affiliated businesses include Steel America (custom steel fabrication and large-scale machining), Accurity Industrial Contractors (welding, piping and industrial plant maintenance), and Norfolk Barge (deck barges and floating equipment), plus ship repair operations at Colonna's Down River and Colonna's Shipyard West in San Diego, California.
Colonna's Shipyard Inc
Founded in 1875 by 26-year-old ship carpenter Charles J. Colonna on the Eastern Branch of the Elizabeth River, Colonna's Shipyard is described on its own pages as the oldest continuously family-owned and operated private shipyard in the United States, having marked its 150th anniversary in 2025. Today it is a multifaceted industrial company providing ship repair, machining, and large-scale steel fabrication to commercial and government markets, with work performed both on and off the water. Its workforce spans welders, shipfitters, trades personnel, and government contract specialists, and the company maintains an apprentice program and trades training facility.
Services
- Commercial and government ship repair
- Machining, including large-scale machining
- Custom and heavy steel fabrication (via Steel America, modular structures up to 1,000 metric tons, with barge load-out capability)
- Specialty mechanical and industrial contracting: welding, piping, industrial plant maintenance (via Accurity Industrial Contractors, Owensboro, Kentucky)
- Deck barge and floating equipment rental (via Norfolk Barge)
- Estimating, contracts, procurement, and subcontracting support
Facilities
- 120-acre full-service ship repair and boat service facility in Norfolk
- Three floating dry docks; total lift capacity cited at 31,000 tons
- Marine railway
- 1,000-metric-ton Marine Travelift mobile boat hoist
- Nine piers with multiple berthing spaces
- Boat yards, support shops, administrative offices, and nine acres of customer storage
- Yard utility distribution: steam, compressed air, compressed gas, potable water, cooling water, and electrical power at varying voltage, frequency and amperage
- Additional ship repair operations at Colonna's Down River and Colonna's Shipyard West, San Diego, California
Vessel Types
- Military vessels
- Commercial vessels
- Private vessels
- Barges and floating equipment
Location
- Colonna's Shipyard, Inc., 400 East Indian River, Norfolk, VA 23523
- Historic Berkley section of Norfolk, Virginia
- Phone: 800-265-6627 / 757-545-2414
- Site access requires visit requests, citizenship documentation, and current certificates of insurance for subcontractors and vendors