The new floating dry dock at General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB), a U.S. Navy shipyard, has officially commenced operations.
Named “Atlas”, this floating dry dock, built by U.S. shipyard Bollinger Shipyards, is scheduled for delivery in October 2025. Measuring 618 feet by 140 feet (188 meters by 43 meters), it will be primarily responsible for the construction, maintenance, and long-term support of the U.S. Navy’s Columbia-class submarines.
GDEB serves as the prime contractor for the Columbia-class submarines, responsible for their design and construction. This class will replace the Ohio-class submarines beginning their retirement in 2027 and will become the largest submarines ever built by the United States, with a volume 2.5 times that of the current Virginia-class attack submarines.
It is reported that GDEB and Bollinger Shipyards have collaborated on multiple occasions. In addition to the Atlas floating dock delivered last year, the two parties also jointly constructed the Holland ocean-going transport barge. Bollinger Shipyards signed the shipbuilding contract for the Holland in late 2019 and delivered it in 2021.
Meanwhile, Bollinger Shipyards is currently constructing a pontoon-based launching facility for GDEB, which will be used for the construction and launching of the Columbia-class submarines.