Sturgeon Bay, WI – Colonna’s Shipyard, Inc., located in Norfolk, VA, is a longstanding shipyard providing diversified industrial services and is celebrating their 150th anniversary this year. 2025 also marks fifteen years they’ve been operating their 1,000 metric ton capacity Marine Travelift boat hoist, which was delivered back in 2010 and at the time was the largest boat hoist in the world. The Marine Travelift boat hoist is just one of many enhancements the company has implemented since its founding in 1875, which has allowed the shipyard to grow into what they are today, spanning over 120 acres of waterfront.
What started as a single marine railway by Charles J. Colonna has now grown to feature three floating drydocks, one marine railway and the 1,000-ton Marine Travelift boat hoist, all of which are used for drydocking and servicing a wide range of vessels for maintenance, repairs and modifications. Before the purchase of the Marine Travelift boat hoist Colonna’s was looking for solutions to improve efficiency, expand service capacity, reduce downtime, enhance safety and provide more flexible docking solutions. “The boat hoist was considered the best option given the land area available for its operation and vessel spread”, said Randall Crutchfield, Chairman & CEO at Colonna’s Shipyard.
The Marine Travelift was commissioned with its first lift in April of 2010 and has proven to be the perfect solution for Colonna’s business growth goals. “The boat hoist has increased demand that justified an increase in workstations,” explains Crutchfield. “Since its addition, the Travelift has significantly reduced turnaround times, enhanced our efficiencies, allows us to accommodate a wider range of vessels, and improved scheduling flexibility.”
Although the business plan for the Marine Travelift centered on enhancing the shipyard operation, it didn’t take long for Colonna’s to find additional uses for the machine which would also benefit the growth of the company. The Steel America division of Colonna’s Shipyard fabricates heavy structures which are then loaded/unloaded onto barges for delivery. They realized the Travelift could adapt to lifting these heavy pieces and quickly became a means to fabricate larger and heavier steel structure, an unexpected benefit to Colonna’s. Crutchfield says, “The return on investment was earlier than expected and demand for the Travelift has been continuous since its inception.” He added, “The unit has enhanced our efficiency, expanded service capacity and improved safety, benefiting both our team and customers.”
As Colonna’s Shipyard celebrates their 150th year in business, and the immense growth they’ve experienced, the Marine Travelift has proven to be a big contributor to achieving the goals they’ve set for themselves. They chose a top-tier brand they could trust to match the commitment they have to their customers. Crutchfield finished by stating, “The investment in the boat hoist has strengthened our operations, reinforcing Colonna’s commitment to delivering top-tier maritime services.”
###
Officially established in 1954, Marine Travelift Inc. has a long-standing reputation as a marine industry leader and is recognized for its tradition of excellence on a global scale. The company manufactures mobile boat hoists, marine forklifts, self-propelled transporters, and other related marine lifting products. It also has an extensive U.S. and international dealer network, with more than 4,500 units in service worldwide.