Premises Description

Todd Shipyards Corporation (founded 1916, headquartered New York NY; today Vigor Industrial Seattle operations; closed in stages 1989-2011) operated through the 20th century one of the largest U.S. multi-coast shipyard networks — building and repairing both naval and commercial vessels for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Maritime Commission, and commercial maritime operators. Major Todd asbestos-era U.S. shipyards included:

East Coast:

  • Todd-Erie Basin Shipyard (Brooklyn NY) — historic flagship East Coast yard
  • Hoboken Division (Hoboken NJ) — Hudson River ship repair

West Coast:

  • Todd Seattle Shipyard (Seattle WA) — Pacific Northwest yard (today Vigor Industrial)
  • Todd San Pedro Shipyard (San Pedro CA / Los Angeles) — Pacific Coast yard

Gulf Coast:

  • Todd Galveston Shipyard (Galveston TX) — Texas Gulf Coast operations
  • Todd Houston Shipyard (Houston TX) — Houston Ship Channel
  • Todd New Orleans Shipyard (New Orleans LA) — Mississippi River yard

Through the asbestos era — particularly during the WWII Liberty/Victory ship construction program, the Korean War / Cold War destroyer programs, and post-war commercial shipbuilding peak — Todd Shipyards employed tens of thousands of shipyard workers across its multi-coast network. Todd used Marinite, Mundet asbestos-cork, Johns-Manville pipe covering, Owens-Corning Kaylo, Pittsburgh Corning Unibestos, and other principal manufacturers’ asbestos products throughout shipbuilding and ship-repair work in confined shipboard spaces with limited ventilation.

Todd Shipyards is among the most heavily-litigated U.S. shipyard premises defendants given its scale, multi-coast geographic reach, and continuous asbestos-era operations.

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that Todd Shipyards — as premises owner of its U.S. shipyards — exposed its shipyard workforce and contractor trades to extensive asbestos.

Todd Shipyards Corporation has been named as a Premises Defendant in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation.

Workers Exposed

  • Shipyard machinists, marine machinists, and shipfitters at Todd Brooklyn, Seattle, San Pedro, Galveston, Houston, New Orleans
  • Ship insulators (HFIAW Local members) installing marine asbestos insulation at Todd yards
  • Pipefitters running asbestos-clad shipboard piping
  • Boilermakers (IBB Local members) building ship boilers at Todd yards
  • Electricians running asbestos-insulated shipboard electrical
  • Welders, riggers, and laborers working alongside shipboard asbestos
  • Navy ratings aboard ships built or repaired at Todd Shipyards

If You Worked at a Todd Shipyard

If you worked at any Todd Shipyards Corporation yard during the asbestos era — at Brooklyn NY (Erie Basin), Hoboken NJ, Seattle WA, San Pedro CA, Galveston TX, Houston TX, New Orleans LA, or any other Todd location — as a Todd employee or as a Navy rating aboard a ship at the yard — and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related illness, you may have legal rights.

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956