Newport News Shipbuilding and Asbestos Exposure

What to Know About Newport News Shipbuilding and Asbestos Risks

Founded by Huntington Ingalls Industries in 1886, Newport News Shipbuilding became the premier shipyard for the U.S. Navy during the 20th century.

Hundreds of U.S. Navy ships were built, repaired, and serviced at Newport, and up until the early 1980s, most of these vessels contained asbestos. Tens of thousands of employees were exposed to asbestos at this shipyard, putting them in danger of mesothelioma and other illnesses.

Newport shipyard workers didn't realize that asbestos-containing products were dangerous. This is because manufacturers hid the health risks for decades to make huge profits.

Key Facts on Newport News Shipbuilding and Asbestos

Location: Newport News, Virginia
Ships serviced: Aircraft carriers, escort carriers, merchant marine vessels, oil tankers, submarines, and more
Health risks: Mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and other asbestos-related diseases
Mesothelioma rates: Over 500 cases linked to Newport News Shipbuilding asbestos exposure to date
Legal action: Dozens of asbestos-related Newport News Shipbuilding lawsuits filed each year

We may be able to help if you or a loved one worked at this shipyard and developed mesothelioma. Military benefits, compensation, and treatment are all available.

Get a Free Veterans Packet to see all the ways we can help.

How Did Newport News Shipbuilding Use Asbestos?

Many different products containing asbestos were used by Newport News Shipbuilding for decades.

Asbestos could be found in:

Adhesives
Boilers
Deck covering
Electrical wiring
Gaskets and valves
Insulation
Packing materials
Paneling
Pumps
Thermal blankets
Tubes

Government mandates required every Navy ship to be built with tons of asbestos products for fireproofing and insulation before the health risks were fully understood.

Working with or around these products could send asbestos fibers flying into the air. Breathing in or swallowing the fibers put workers at risk of mesothelioma later in life.

Did you know?

Asbestos was used not only on ships serviced at Newport, but also in the shipyard’s buildings. For example, old asbestos was found in a building’s ventilation system in 2015, requiring 1,000 workers to be moved.

In 2024, the family of a former Newport shipyard worker secured over $3 million through a mesothelioma lawsuit. The family’s mesothelioma lawyers determined that asbestos-containing gaskets used at Newport caused the man’s diagnosis.

List of Ships Built or Repaired at Avondale Shipyard

In the early 1900s, Newport News Shipbuilding secured key Navy contracts, making it the top choice for building military ships. As a result, Newport has worked on hundreds of military ships, as well as many civilian vessels.

Ships built, repaired, and renovated by Newport News Shipbuilding include:

Aircraft carriers: Some of the most notable U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, including the USS Yorktown, USS Enterprise, USS Randolph, USS Franklin, and USS Ticonderoga, were built by Newport, according to Maritime Reporter and Engineering News.
Escort carriers: Newport shipyard workers helped convert nearly two dozen old cargo ships into escort carriers for use in World War II.
Merchant marine ships: Over 240 merchant marine vessels were built at the end of World War II in late 1945 at Newport’s shipyard.
Oil tankers: Dozens of commercial oil tankers operated by companies like Exxon were built by Newport and were serviced at its shipyard. Like Navy ships, these civilian vessels contained tons of asbestos.
Passenger liners: Newport handled the creation of the SS United States, one of the largest and fastest ocean liners ever built, in the early 1950s.
Submarines: Newport performed work on the USS Robert E. Lee, USS Shark, and many more. Over 30 nuclear-powered submarines were built by the mid-1980s at its shipyard.

If you or a loved one has mesothelioma, we can determine if ships you served or worked on exposed you to asbestos. Get a Free Veterans Packet to get started and learn about benefits you may be able to access.

Newport News Shipyard Jobs at Risk of Asbestos Exposure

Any Newport shipyard worker could have been exposed to asbestos from fibers released by various products.

A report by The New York Times noted that “asbestos dust was so pervasive that one often could not see across a room” in shipyards during World War II, a peak era for business at Newport News Shipbuilding.

Shipyard jobs with a high risk of exposure included:

Boilermakers
Carpenters
Electricians
Engine workers
Insulators
Millwrights
Pipefitters
Plumbers
Welders

Did you know?

During the height of World War II, over 30,000 people were employed by Newport News Shipbuilding. All of these workers risked asbestos exposure.

Newport shipyard workers did not receive protective equipment like respirators because, at the time, only the manufacturers of asbestos-containing materials knew the risks.

Shipyard workers weren’t the only ones in danger from asbestos. Asbestos dust and fibers could stick to shipyard workers’ clothing, hair, and skin, putting loved ones at risk of secondhand exposure when they returned home.

Compensation for Newport News Shipbuilding Mesothelioma Victims

Former Newport shipyard workers battling mesothelioma may be able to pursue compensation and benefits to cover any expenses they now face. Learn about financial compensation options for mesothelioma below.

Newport News Shipbuilding Mesothelioma Lawsuits

Dozens of mesothelioma lawsuits related to Newport News Shipbuilding asbestos exposure are filed each year, according to Virginia’s Daily Press.

Mesothelioma lawsuits pay out $1 million or more on average and are filed against companies that made and sold asbestos products — not former employers or the U.S. military.

Notable Newport News Shipbuilding mesothelioma lawsuit payouts include:

$25 million to a repair supervisor who worked on oil tankers
$3.4 million to the family of a millwright who passed away from mesothelioma
$10.4 million to the widow of a man who died of mesothelioma

Get a free case review now to learn if you qualify to file a Newport shipyard mesothelioma lawsuit.

VA Benefits

Veterans with mesothelioma who served on ships serviced by Newport News Shipbuilding may qualify for benefits from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA).

The VA considers mesothelioma to be a 100% disability, so affected veterans can pursue maximum benefits

Mesothelioma VA benefits include:

Disability compensation worth $4,158.17 a month
Free or low-cost health care from top doctors
Resources for surviving family members

File for or increase your mesothelioma VA benefits with our assistance now. We can also help you access lawsuit compensation at the same time if you qualify.

Newport News Shipbuilding Asbestos Trust Funds

Mesothelioma patients can pursue compensation from asbestos trust funds, which were established by bankrupt manufacturers to avoid lawsuits.

Asbestos trust funds contain over $30 billion today, and you may be eligible for compensation from multiple trusts, depending on the shipyard products you were exposed to.

Contact us now to see if you can pursue Newport News Shipbuilding asbestos compensation. Our partner mesothelioma law firm can help you file asbestos trust fund claims and a lawsuit if eligible.

Help for Newport News Shipbuilding Workers With Mesothelioma

Newport News Shipbuilding employees should never have been put at risk of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

However, due to the greed of companies that made and sold asbestos products, over 500 mesothelioma cases are linked to this shipyard. More former employees — including U.S. veterans — are diagnosed with this cancer every year.

The Mesothelioma Veterans Center is here to support proud veterans, civilians, and family members after a diagnosis.

Work with us to:

File for or maximize your VA benefits
Get the best treatments for your case
Pursue compensation often worth $1 million or more

Call (877) 450-8973 or get a Free Veterans Packet now to see all the ways we can assist you or someone you love.

Newport News Shipbuilding and Mesothelioma FAQs

Are shipyard workers exposed to asbestos?

Yes, shipyard workers such as those employed by Newport News Shipbuilding were at a high risk of asbestos exposure.

Asbestos was used in shipbuilding between the 1930s and early 1980s, and Newport shipyard workers exposed decades ago could still be in danger. This is because it takes 10-50 years for asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma to develop after exposure.

Is Huntington Ingalls the same as Newport News Shipbuilding?

Huntington Ingalls is the parent company of Newport News Shipbuilding. This company founded the shipyard in 1886 under the name Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company.

Newport became one of the top shipyards in the United States, but many former shipyard workers are in danger of mesothelioma due to on-the-job asbestos exposure.

The shipyard itself isn't to blame for this exposure, but rather the private companies that made products used in shipbuilding, such as gaskets and asbestos insulation.

What is the shipyard lung disease?

Mesothelioma is a hallmark lung disease among shipyard workers. This cancer develops in the lining of the lungs (pleura) 10-50 years following asbestos exposure.

Over 500 mesothelioma cases have been linked to Newport News shipbuilding asbestos exposure.

Former Newport shipyard workers could also develop other serious lung diseases like asbestos lung cancer and asbestosis.