Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding — Mobile, Alabama

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that workers at Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company (ADDSCO) in Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama, sustained occupational asbestos exposure during naval and commercial vessel construction and repair operations.

Facility Background

Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company operated shipbuilding and repair facilities along the Mobile River and Mobile Bay beginning in the 1920s. During World War II, ADDSCO became a major defense contractor, employing tens of thousands of workers to construct tankers and other vessels for the war effort. In the postwar decades, the yard continued ship repair and conversion work.

Plaintiffs alleged that shipbuilding and repair operations at ADDSCO created conditions for widespread asbestos exposure, particularly for workers involved in insulation, piping, and boiler work in the confined spaces of ships under construction and repair.

Alleged Asbestos Pathways

Plaintiffs alleged in litigation that asbestos exposure occurred through multiple pathways:

  • Ship insulation operations: Plaintiffs alleged that insulators and asbestos workers applied asbestos pipe covering, block insulation, and blankets in engine rooms, fire rooms, and machinery spaces aboard vessels under construction and repair.
  • Boiler and engine room work: Plaintiffs alleged that boilermakers and steam mechanics working in the confined boiler rooms and engine rooms of ships encountered intense asbestos exposure from insulation operations conducted in the same spaces.
  • Pipe work throughout ships: Plaintiffs alleged that pipefitters working on steam and seawater systems within ship hulls encountered asbestos gaskets, packing, and pipe covering throughout construction and overhaul projects.
  • Fireproofing and bulkhead work: Plaintiffs alleged that asbestos-containing fireproofing materials were sprayed and applied on bulkheads, overheads, and structural components of vessels, exposing workers in adjacent areas.

Alabama has a two-year statute of limitations under Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l), running from the date of mesothelioma diagnosis under the discovery rule. Wrongful death claims carry a two-year limit under Ala. Code § 6-5-410.

Workers who were employed at Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding and who have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related disease may have legal remedies available. Contact O’Brien Law Firm at (314) 237-3332 to discuss your work history and legal options at no cost.