Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard 3682612 218149853 2008-06-09T11:17:42Z Cydebot 1215485 Robot - Moving category Bethlehem Shipbuilding to Defunct shipbuilding companies of the United States per [[WP:CFD|CFD]] at [[Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2008 May 21]]. {{Wikify|date=May 2008}} {{Primarysources|date=May 2008}} '''Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard''' was founded in 1887 as '''Maryland Steel''' in [[Sparrows Point]], [[Maryland]]. It was acquired by [[Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation]] in 1916 and renamed '''Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard'''. The shipyard was sold in 1997 to '''Baltimore Marine Industries Inc.''' (BMI). It is currently owned by Barletta Industries, which has converted it to the '''Sparrows Point Shipyard and Industrial Complex'''.<ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.spshipyard.com/index.html |title=Sparrows Point Shipyard Industrial Complex Home Page |accessdate=2008-05-22 }}</ref> <ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.spshipyard.com/history.html |title=Sparrows Point Shipyard Industrial Complex History Page |accessdate=2008-05-22 }}</ref> ==History== [[Image:SSHoxbar1919.jpg|thumb|250px|S.S. Hoxbar ready for launching at Sparrows Point, Md., 15 Feb. 1919]] Maryland Steel built [[tug]]s, coastal passengers, dredges, cargo ships, and a few destroyers. Following the purchase by Bethelehem, it serviced and repaired ships and manufactured industrial products. {{Fact|date=May 2008}} Facilities at the yard included a [[Dry dock#Graving dry dock|graving dock]], a [[Dry dock#Floating dry dock|floating drydock]] and two full-service outfitting piers which together provided nearly 3,000 feet of berthing space.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} During [[World War II]], the Sparrows Point Shipyard built ships as part of the United States Government's [[Emergency Shipbuilding Program]] to help re-build the [[British Merchant Navy]]. [[Liberty ship]] production was a primary goal of the yard.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} Once part of a chain of 17 shipyards operating under [[Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation|BethShip]], the Sparrows Point Shipyard was the only location remaining by 1990.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} ===Baltimore Marine Industries Inc.=== In October 1997, the shipyard was sold to the Veritas Capital Fund, a New York-based merchant banking and investment firm which built a $300 million cold rolling mill complex on the site with a scheduled opening in 1999.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} Veritas reorganized the facility as '''Baltimore Marine Industries Inc.''' (BMI) and won two Navy contracts for new ship construction and dismantling of older tonnage.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} Although BMI was selected to build a fleet of deluxe cruise ships, the upstart cruise line was never able to secure financing.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} With no orders on the horizon and no work aside from the two modest Navy contracts, BMI collapsed in [[bankruptcy]] in 2003.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} ===Barletta Industries=== All assets were purchased by Barletta Industries Inc. in 2004 and reorganized as the Sparrows Point Shipyard and Industrial Complex.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} Barletta claims it has modernized the infrastructure and refurbished the yard to prepare for leasing specific yard structures, buildings and land to companies in maritime and heavy industry. <ref>[http://www.spshipyard.com/ Barletta Industries website]</ref> ==References== <references/> [[Category:Defunct shipbuilding companies of the United States]] [[Category:Defunct shipbuilding companies of the United States]]