Drivers crossing the Bayway in Mobile over the past week may have spotted an unmistakable sight looming on the horizon: a garishly orange arch-shaped structure that, from a distance, appeared even larger than Government Plaza downtown.
The structure turned out to be the VB 10,000, described by its owner, offshore construction company Versabar, as the largest lift vessel ever built in the United States. According to the company, the vessel is a barge-mounted dual-truss system engineered to perform single-piece topside retrievals — essentially, removing massive platform structures in one continuous lift rather than dismantling them piece by piece.
In simpler terms, it is an enormous piece of marine equipment built to lift extraordinarily heavy loads, often used in offshore oil and gas decommissioning work.
The vessel is currently docked in Mobile for maintenance. “We are doing some repair work on the vessel,” said John Measell, a spokesperson for BAE Systems, which operates a ship repair facility in the port. Measell said the VB 10,000 is expected to undock and depart Mobile by March 21.
According to Measell, the vessel has unique capabilities that make it valuable for deepwater construction projects, including the ability to operate in water depths up to 10,000 feet. Some versions of the design also incorporate a large mechanical claw system that allows crews to retrieve equipment or structures without requiring divers to enter the water, reducing safety risks during complex offshore operations.
Mobile’s deepwater port and ship repair facilities have long made the city a stopover point for specialized marine vessels serving the offshore energy industry along the Gulf Coast. The arrival of unusual, oversized equipment like the VB 10,000 periodically draws attention from residents and commuters unfamiliar with the vessel’s purpose, prompting questions about the bright orange structure visible from the causeway and downtown waterfront.
BAE Systems’ Mobile shipyard regularly handles repair and maintenance work for a range of commercial and specialized vessels, contributing to the local maritime economy. Officials did not provide additional details on the specific repairs being performed on the VB 10,000 during its stay in port.
Once repairs are complete, the vessel is expected to return to service supporting offshore construction and decommissioning projects elsewhere along the Gulf Coast and beyond.