Lyon Shipyard
Lyon Shipyard & Fabrication is a full-service ship repair and industrial services facility in Norfolk, Virginia, founded in 1928 and operating on more than thirty waterfront acres along the eastern branch of the Elizabeth River. The yard performs steel repair and fabrication, machining, piping, electrical, carpentry, blasting and coating work, along with dry docking, marine railway haul-outs and pier-side and voyage repairs for commercial and government vessels. Its facilities include three floating dry docks, marine railways, eleven piers, a 900-ton mobile boat lift and a Schottel-certified Z-drive and gearbox repair shop. In 2025 the assets of Lyon Shipyard, Inc. were purchased by Lyon Shipyard & Fabrication, LLC, a subsidiary of Técnico Corporation.
Lyon Shipyard & Fabrication
Established in 1928 by George C. Lyon, Sr. and two partners as Moon Shipyard and Repair Corporation, Lyon Shipyard & Fabrication has grown from a small frame machine shop and two marine railways into a full-service ship repair and industrial services facility in Norfolk, Virginia. The company serves both commercial and government customers, including U.S. Navy and other military vessels, and in September 2025 its assets were acquired by Lyon Shipyard & Fabrication, LLC, a subsidiary of Técnico Corporation.
Services
- Steel hull and superstructure repair, alteration and fabrication, including plating, framing, decks, hatches, davits, cranes and deck fittings
- Inside machine shop work: propulsion shaft manufacture and reconditioning to USCG and ABS standards, CNC milling, waterjet cutting, custom and obsolete parts
- Outside machining: power train and shaft alignment, in-place boring, propeller and shaft removal/refit, rudder and steering work, deck machinery, pumps, valves, keel coolers, bow thrusters, tug repowering
- Z-drive, azimuth thruster and gearbox disassembly, inspection and rebuild with OEM-trained mechanics
- Marine and industrial electrical installation, troubleshooting and repair (switchboards, generators, alarms, navigation panels, steering, HVAC, CHT)
- Pipe fabrication in carbon steel, stainless, copper nickel, nickel copper and PVC
- Blasting, preservation and painting; SSPC-QP1 certified with NAVSEA basic paint inspection qualification
- Marine carpentry and joiner work; AutoCAD production technical support
- Pier-side, topside and mobile repairs on the east and gulf coasts
Facilities
- Two yards on over thirty waterfront acres; more than 100,000 sq ft of covered, heated shop space
- Three floating dry docks and certified marine railways handling vessels up to 4,300 long tons
- Eleven piers and a quay wall up to 520 feet, 25 ft depth at normal low tide
- 900-ton mobile boat lift, 60 ft tall by 76 ft wide, with 360-degree steering and wireless control
- 5,300 sq ft climate-controlled Schottel-certified Z-drive shop with 45-ton overhead crane
- 15,000+ sq ft of inside machine shop; 60' x 40' blast shed and paint booth
- Over 25,000 sq ft of climate-controlled storage plus a 6,000+ sq ft government property building; customer offices, parking, shore power, compressed air
Vessel Types
- Barges, tugboats, military response craft and other commercial and naval vessels
- Offshore wind support vessels using azimuth drive units
Location
- Norfolk, Virginia, on the eastern branch of the Elizabeth River, minutes from downtown