Photo: Jonathan Schilling, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The shipyard on San Diego Bay that is now General Dynamics NASSCO began in 1905 as a small machine and iron works. It grew during World War II and took the name National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in 1949. General Dynamics bought it in 1998.
Today it is the largest new-construction shipyard on the West Coast. It builds ships for the Navy, including the John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oilers and the expeditionary sea base ships that serve as floating staging platforms. It also does repair work and has built commercial vessels such as tankers and container ships.
Jobs and contractors
NASSCO employs thousands of people at its Barrio Logan yard, along with a large network of subcontractors in welding, electrical work and outfitting. Shipbuilding jobs pay well, and the company runs apprenticeship programs that train welders, pipefitters and electricians.
The Navy’s presence in San Diego, the home port of a large part of the Pacific Fleet, makes the region a center for ship repair, with BAE Systems and other yards nearby.
Neighbors
The shipyard sits next to Barrio Logan, a largely Latino neighborhood cut off from the bay by industry and Interstate 5. Residents have long pushed for better air quality, and the area has some of the highest pollution burdens in the state. A community plan meant to separate homes from industry was fought over for years. Recent state programs have funded cleaner equipment at the waterfront, and the debate over balancing industrial jobs with neighborhood health continues.
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