Historic Southwest Marine Shipyard
An interesting site located on the Port of Los Angeles side of Terminal Island is the old Southwest Marine Shipyard.
Shipyard buildings and whirley cranes, Port of Los Angeles. 26 October 2025.
Shipyard buildings and whirley crane, Port of Los Angeles. 26 October 2025.
Shipyard buildings and whirley cranes, Port of Los Angeles. 26 October 2025.
Detail of whirley crane. 26 October 2025.
The shipyard was established in 1918 as Southwestern Shipbuilding with a focus on the construction of merchant vessels for the United States Shipping Board. It was leased in 1921 and subsequently purchased in 1925 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation (Bethlehem Steel). During World War II, the shipyard built and repaired United States Navy vessels.1“BETHLEHEM LOS ANGELES: San Pedro, CA,” Shipbuilding History, accessed 19 January 2026, at http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/large/bethsanpedro.htm 2“Southwest Marine (Bethlehem Steel Corp.; Southwestern Shipbuilding),” Los Angeles Conservancy, accessed 19 January 2026, at https://www.laconservancy.org/learn/historic-places/southwest-marine-bethlehem-steel-corp-southwestern-shipbuilding/
In 1981, the shipyard was sold to Southwest Marine. The Carlyle Group acquired the shipyard in 1997 after Southwest Marine suffered a drop in revenue due to United States Department of Defense cutbacks.3“Carlyle Group to Acquire Ship Repair Firm,” Los Angeles Times, accessed 19 January 2026, at https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-oct-14-fi-42481-story.html It was renamed US Marine Repair.
The shipyard changed hands again in 2002 when it was acquired by United Defense Industries, which in turn was bought by BAE Systems in 2005. Since then, the shipyard has been inactive and has fallen into disrepair. It has been used as a location for television and film projects.
The Los Angeles Conservancy has been working to preserve the site, as various buildings make it eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
More images of the shipyard can be found here:
“Photo Essay: Southwest Marine Shipyard at Terminal Island, A Japanese Fishing Village Ghost Town,” Avoiding Regret
“Southwest Marine, California,” The Center for Land Use Interpretation
Mahalo to George Schneider for initial information about the shipyard.
Been trying to find Southwest Marine shipyard for a long time I used to work there for many years and I was also liked a lot doing the naval work in the naval Yard in San Pedro I’m still trying to find my friends and see if anybody’s there maybe I can get a chance to go back to work
Hi Keith,
Hopefully some of your friends run across your message and get in touch!