Delta Shipbuilding Company

Throughout World War II, this New Orleans, Louisiana based shipyard built not only Liberty Ships (cargo carriers), but also Liberty Tankers (oil and fuel carriers) and Liberty Colliers (coal carriers). The United States Maritime Commission hoped that Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Company in Kearney, New Jersey with their experienced personnel would be able to operate this ship facility. However, its resources were stretched so thin that Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Company was unable to handle this assignment. Therefore, the Maritime Commission needed to look elsewhere.

The American Shipbuilding Company, a leading shipbuilder on the Great Lakes, agreed to operate this yard through a subsidiary known as the Delta Shipbuilding Company. Craftsmen from the Great Lakes region came to New Orleans to form the nucleus of this shipbuilding company which grew to 13,000 employees by June 1942.

As the demand for specialized ships increased, this shipyard was given the job of designing the Liberty Tankers and later for Liberty Colliers, coal carrying ships. The yard built 32 Liberty Tankers and 24 Liberty Colliers. In addition, the yard built a total of 132 Liberty Ships. Work at the yard ended in 1945 when the last of the Liberty Colliers were delivered.

Asbestos Use at Delta Shipbuilding Company

The shipyard workers at Delta Shipbuilding Company utilized asbestos insulating products on each and every Liberty Ship they built. The steam reciprocating engines required asbestos insulation as did all of the auxiliary machinery. Shipyard workers were exposed to these asbestos products on a regular basis as they worked three shifts each day to build these vessels. Seamen who later sailed on these ships were exposed to the asbestos dust generated through the routine operation and maintenance of the asbestos covered equipment, piping, and machinery. These seamen and shipyards workers are at risk of developing mesothelioma because of such exposures to asbestos.