Austal Shipyard, Alabama

The Austal Shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, makes large ferries and specialty military ships, especially fast catamaran and tri-hull type vessels, sometimes more than 400 feet in length, such as the Navy’s Independence class of littoral combat ships. The company is based in Australia, and employs around 4,000 people here. The yard has the largest shipyard shed in the nation, with a footprint of 735,000 square feet, and a ceiling height of more than 65 feet.