June 8th, 2010 BRIDGEPORT -- While welders were still working on the deck, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Joan McDonald shook off her champagne soaked hands and flashed a big smile after she smashed a champagne bottle on her first try to christen the "Robert E. Derecktor."
Several people commended the commissioner for her swing, which was a two-handed compact cut, similar to one a baseball player would take. It was the first time she ever got to christen something she said.
McDonald had the honor of christening the Robert E. Derecktor, the newly recommissioned dry dock at Derecktor Shipyards on Tuesday as maritime professionals from around the region mixed with workers and local politicians to witness the event. The dry dock will allow the Bridgeport boat yard to repair and build larger ships. It's a mammoth piece of equipment which can be lowered and raised dock side by pumping water in and out of it.
“The partnership between Derecktor Shipyards and the state has been a fruitful one and one we hope will continue for years to come,” said Joan McDonald. “Derecktor is a brand known round the world, and we’re proud to support its growth. The company’s success in Bridgeport is a testament to the state’s commitment to the revitalization of our cities, reclaiming brownfields for productive use, growing our industries and creating job opportunities for all. Investments like we’ve made in Derecktor are vital to retaining and growing good jobs in our state and making Connecticut even more competitive in the global marketplace.”
"In economic development we often look to cranes as the sign economic activity is moving forward," McDonald said. "It's gorgeous to see cranes at a working waterfront."
She was talking about the large cranes Derecktor Shipyards has at its facility that can be used for moving building equipment and ships around its growing yard. McDonald pledged to continue to work with Derecktor to keep Bridgeport's harbor a working waterfront.
Waterfronts in America have been gobbled up for residential or entertainment purposes during the last several decades, dropping the number of viable working ports in the nation.
Tom Derecktor, president of Derecktor Shipyards, said the new dry dock gives the facility "a unique capability that will give us an advantage at this harbor.The New dry dock not only lets us grow our work load, but let us easily transfer large vessels into our 300 foot building for major refits and other big jobs requiring a covered, climate controlled environment. We can now handle virtually every large vessel.”
"We could come here now," said Fred Hall, vice president and general manager of the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamship Co. His company runs the ferries between Long Island and Bridgeport, but until now the firm has had to go to New London for repair work. He said Bridgeport has a lot of advantages for the ferry company now.
The shipyard has owned the dry dock for 15 years, but it was too narrow to handle larger ships. The company secured federal and state grants of nearly $4 million to reconfigure the vessel and make it practical for today's ships.
Derecktor said the dry dock was split in half and its deck widened. Crews were still welding on the deck Tuesday.
Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch also attended the ceremony introducing McDonald. He took a moment to explain what Derecktor's presence means to Bridgeport. He expressed some pride in the fact that next month Derecktor plans to launch the yacht Cakewalk, which is the same length as the destroyers the U.S. used to fight World War II. He said Derecktor means jobs. It means taxes get paid. It means food gets put on tables and it means children don't have to be anxious about their future. He said about 200 to 400 people depend on this shipyard for jobs.
Derecktor doesn't employ all those people directly. Some are like Vincent A Neri, general manager of Old Colony Construction, of Westbrook. Neri's firm worked with Pinder Construction Company Inc., of Clinton, to build the new concrete pad and bulk heads at Derecktor and was on hand for the christening. While the new pad seems like just a very smooth concrete surface, he said it is a pretty advanced slab that has to be able to handle incredible amounts of weight during all kinds of weather. It is highly reinforced, he said.
"I love doing work like this," he said, standing on the slab. "It's a real interesting project."
Paul Derecktor, who with his brother Tom Derecktor runs the Derecktor group of shipyards, was enthusiastic about what the new dry dock meant to the company’s business “This is an important step for our future. The dock opens up new markets for us in not only the repair business, but in new construction as it allows us to launch larger vessels than ever before.”
· 4000 ton dry dock, 650 ton travel lift, 100 ton crane with 120’ boom
· Service up to 400 feet (122 meters), 85 foot beam (25 meters), 30 foot (6 meter) beam
· Full service yard, from world renowned new builds to all repairs
· Custom metal fabrication, ABS, Lloyds, DNV and USCG certified welders
· 300’X100’X75’main hall: 150’ X 70’ paint booth, both climate controlled
· Full engineering and design service
· Located a little over 1 hour of NYC and all major airports
· Two sister yards located in Mamaroneck, New York, and Dania, Florida
Derecktor Shipyards was established by legendary boat builder Robert E. Derecktor in 1947 and went on make a name for itself by building a wide range of innovative and technically demanding aluminum and steel vessels, from swift America’s Cup defenders to sturdy and reliable commercial workboats. Today, under the guidance of Bob’s sons, Paul and Tom Derecktor, Derecktor Shipyards operates three impressive facilities: Derecktor New York in Mamaroneck, NY; Derecktor Connecticut in Bridgeport, CT and Derecktor Florida in Dania, FL. Derecktor is known as an international leader in custom yacht and commercial construction in addition to providing full service, repair and refit capabilities at each of its yards.
For more information, contact Derecktor New York at 914-698-5020; Derecktor Connecticut at 203-336-0108 and Derecktor Florida at 954-920-5756. www.derecktor.com.