Operator Overhaul for Ketchikan Shipyard: AIDEA Puts JAG at the Helm
AIDEA, JAG Marine Group, university, local, and tribal leaders tour the Ketchikan Shipyard.
Photo Credit: Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority
After twenty years under management by Vigor Alaska, the Ketchikan Shipyard is poised to be reinvigorated with JAG Marine Group as the new operator. The Michigan-based company has had a maritime construction presence in Ketchikan, Seward, and nationwide, and it brings decades of experience in government and commercial marine projects.
The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA), which owns the facility, sought an operator to maintain and grow the asset. “AIDEA’s interest has always been to see the yard fully utilized,” says Executive Director Randy Ruaro. “The board of directors recognizes it as a resource of the community and of the entire state and supports Governor Dunleavy’s push to maximize the economic development opportunities.”
‘Most Promising Development in Years’
AIDEA notified Vigor Alaska in March that it would not exercise a final ten-year extension to its public-private partnership. AIDEA cited poor performance as the reason, pointing to declining employment from more than 150 workers in the mid-2010s, when the state ferries Tazlina and Hubbard were under construction, to fewer than 80 employed at the shipyard by the early 2020s.
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March 2026
The Ketchikan Shipyard is one of six assets that AIDEA owns outright. The end of the Vigor partnership, and the business difficulties that preceded it, had worried the community.
Representative Jeremy Bynum thanked AIDEA for putting his district’s needs at the forefront when selecting a new operator. “It has been great working with AIDEA throughout the process of identifying a new shipyard operator for Ketchikan, and I appreciate the commitment from AIDEA’s leadership to keep this facility operating as a reliable, long-term economic driver for our region,” Bynum says. “I’m confident the shipyard will reach its full potential for the benefit of our community and for Alaska as a whole.”
During a tour in November, state and local leaders discussed with JAG Alaska how to maximize job creation at the shipyard, new business opportunities, and workforce and housing development in Ketchikan.
Photo Credit: Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority
Senator Bert Stedman adds, “The Ketchikan Shipyard is a regional economic bright spot and vital employer in the community. I appreciate AIDEA’s leadership and work on this much needed management transition; it’s the region’s most promising development in years.”
Under the new partnership, JAG Marine Group aims to triple or quadruple revenue coming into the shipyard in the next two years and increase employment by 100 full-time positions or more. Booked business is already strong for 2026 and 2027, according to JAG Marine Group President Doug Huff. “Our focus will be on executing the upcoming workload seamlessly while working with AIDEA and the stakeholders to further expand the capacity and capabilities of the shipyard,” he says.
Work has just begun on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration vessel Rainier, which recently was transferred to the Ketchikan Shipyard slab for maintenance.
During a tour of the shipyard, Ketchikan Mayor Bob Sivertsen said, “The vision of prosperity and renew opportunities for year-round jobs in Ketchikan and Southeast Alaska is welcoming news.”
Photo Credit: Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority
“The Ketchikan Shipyard has been a source of pride and stability for Southeast Alaska for years, and this partnership marks a new chapter,” said Governor Mike Dunleavy. “JAG Marine Group brings experience, vision, and a commitment to hiring Alaskans. AIDEA and local leaders have done outstanding work to ensure this asset continues to grow and support the community. This is exactly the kind of economic development we want to see across the state.”
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