Transforming the River Port, LLC Shipyard. Expanding What’s Possible.
Posted on 25 September 2026
Bardex to deliver new 25,000Te OmniLift® Shiplift for River Port, LLC. The system will be
operated by East Coast Repair & Fabrication, LLC, expanding the Newport News facility’s
capacity to increase throughput and support multiple vessels on land.
Goleta, CALIF., September 22, 2026 — Bardex Corporation has been selected to provide a
new shiplift system for River Port, LLC, an S23 Holdings Company, at its Newport News
facility. The shiplift will be operated by East Coast Repair & Fabrication, LLC (ECR), an
affiliated ship repair company, and represents a significant investment in the facility’s
future shipbuilding, maintenance, repair, and fleet-support capabilities.
This will be a brand new dry dock facility and will be a NAVSEA Certified Facility once complete.
With a maximum lifting capacity of just over 25,000 Te, the system will increase River Port’s capacity for servicing and repairing ships as well as launching subassembly modules for Navy ships.
The project represents a major expansion of regional shipbuilding and repair capacity.
Beyond Legacy Shiplift Technology As shipyards and maritime facilities around the world prepare for larger vessels, evolving fleet requirements, and increasing demands on critical infrastructure, the systems that
move and support those vessels must evolve with them.
The Bardex OmniLift® shiplift will be engineered for the specific requirements of the Newport News facility, including forty-eight 640Te lift stations and a platform measuring approximately 450ft x 110ft (137m x 33.5m).
The system will be designed to deliver precise load control, reliability, maintainability, operational flexibility, and life cycle value. Unlike wire rope-based shiplifts, the Bardex OmniLift system uses linear chain jack technology to provide synchronized, controlled lifting without relying on wire ropes as the primary lifting medium. In addition, the system will use motion control technology instead of synchronous motors or variable frequency drives to keep the lift safe, level, and reliable under real-world conditions. In contrast with wire rope shiplifts, the Bardex OmniLift has a perfect safety record: Since the company first installed its linear chain jack system, in 1967, there have been zero catastrophic failures, dropped vessels, or reportable safety
incidents.
“This project is about much more than lifting a vessel out of the water. It's about giving River Port infrastructure that can support its mission for decades to come,” said Thomas Miller, Bardex President and CEO. “We’re proud to bring Bardex engineering and decades of heavy-load expertise to a project of this importance to the revitalization of American shipbuilding.” A Long-Term Investment in Shipyard Capability Along with vessel lifting, the project is being developed to support a rail-based transfer system with multiple onshore hardstand berths. Once completed, the project will expand ECR’s maintenance capacity at River Port and enable simultaneous on-land vessel work to improve fleet availability.
Bardex will provide engineering design, equipment manufacture, controls, installation support, commissioning, training, and life cycle support as part of the project. Engineering is underway, with commissioning anticipated in September 2028.
“This investment is about giving our people the infrastructure and capacity they need to serve our customers more effectively,” said Jorge Rivera, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of S23 Holdings. “As the operator of the new shiplift, East Coast Repair & Fabrication will be able to accommodate larger vessels, perform multiple repair availabilities simultaneously, and provide the Navy and our commercial customers with greater flexibility and faster turnaround. This is a long-term commitment to our workforce, our customers, and the future of ship repair in Newport News.”
