Foss closes Seattle shipyard

Saltchuk Group member Foss Maritime reports that its Seattle shipyard is permanently closed, effective today, October 30, 2021.

Foss says the closure does not does not affect any other area of its operations and that “the difficult decision is a result of Foss Maritime’s regular evaluation of business lines and follows the company’s diligent effort to improve the viability of the Seattle shipyard over many years.”

“While the closure of the Seattle shipyard is a strategic decision for the future of Foss, it is not a decision we have taken lightly,” said Will Roberts, president of Foss Maritime. “We have employees and families who have been with us for decades; our priority is assisting them in this transition.”

Shipyard employees will continue to receive salary, benefits, and an average of overtime wages through the end of the year, though with no work requirement, as operations have ceased.

Foss says that, moving forward, it will utilize other Pacific Northwest shipyard operations to meet its fleet maintenance and repair needs.