Eight-Boat Order, Planned New Drydock Keep Verret Busy

Ted Verret is recognized for his hands-on management and contribution to the maritime industry. He owns and operates Verret Shipyard in Plaquemine, La., a specialized builder and repairer of towboats. Verret has overseen the construction of vessels like the mv. Callaway Parker and Lee W and partnered with Spartan Marine in Fort Smith, Ark., to expand production. Verret Shipyard was founded in 1942 by Ted Verret’s grandfather, CP Verret, his father, Murray Verret, and his uncle, Perry Verret.

Right now, Verret Shipyard is working on the first of an eight-boat order from Turn Services. They are all fleet boats, 65 by 26 feet and 1,600 hp. “They will be the same exact pattern to reduce future repair and maintenance costs for the customer,” Verret said.

To build them, the shipyard is partnering with Rodriguez Boat Builders of Bayou La Batre, an old and trusted partner Verret has worked with before. “For us, trust for projects like this only works with a handful of people. They have to be invested in their own shipyard. Rodriguez gets up and goes to work every day just like I do,” Verret said. Rodriguez will build some of the sections to be finished at Verret.

Verret’s other big news is the 160-foot drydock that is being built for the company by Spartan Marine in Arkansas, another trusted partner. At one time, Verret had a 100-foot drydock. Vice President Patrick Ledet said the new drydock will increase efficiencies. “It should be in service by October,” he said.

With the new drydock, the shipyard will be better able to service ferries and dredges. The agreement with Spartan means that Spartan crews will complete the drydock in Fort Smith. The drydock will then be transported down the Arkansas River to the Mississippi, through the Port Allen Lock and down to Verret Shipyard.

Verret has also been handling a lot of Subchapter M drydockings and inspections. The demand is certainly there. “All these companies are drydocking their vessels at regular intervals now,” Ledet said. “We haven’t really had a lull or slow season for about five years now. Years ago, there used to be a slowdown starting after Thanksgiving and going on through Christmas and into January.”

With the new drydock, Verret will be able to handle emergency repair work for the Coast Guard, if called upon. Although the shipyard’s focus has always been commercial towboats, ferries and dredges, it has repaired Corps of Engineers and Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development boats before.

All that backlog of work has kept Verret Shipyard humming in shifts of 10 or 12 hours a day, six days a week. The company has made some new hires and is also focused on working smarter and more efficiently by updating its office tools and technology. “We’ve been focusing on internal growth operationally and continuous improvement in procurement, job tracking and data capture,” Ledet said.

Most of the new hires are local folks or were recruited by agencies that screen and test job candidates, Verret said. “Our big niche in the repair industry has been that we are a full-service yard with skilled craftsmen from machinists to carpenters,” Verret said. “There’s a difference between little old me and a big corporate shipyard. Just like the big guys, safety is always number one, and we have had a clean safety record for years, but what sets us apart is that we’ve got the same men that have been perfecting their crafts for years over here. As the owner and operator, if I see potential in someone, I can give him an opportunity to succeed in his career. Everyone has potential if you look hard enough. Once they see that the opportunity is there, they’ll work hard and deliver.”

In the end, Ledet said, the company’s strength is “a core group of dedicated local men that work together under Ted’s leadership.” Verret is used to walking up and down the yard, whistling to let his workers know he is coming by. While a knee operation has temporarily slowed him down, he said he can’t wait to get back to work.

Featured Photo Caption: A tow motors past Verret Shipyard, located on the Port Allen Canal in Plaquemine, La. (Photo courtesy of Verret Shipyard)