Swan Island Shipyard — Portland, Oregon

Plaintiffs alleged in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation that workers at the Swan Island Shipyard in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, sustained occupational asbestos exposure during World War II emergency shipbuilding operations and postwar maritime activities.

Facility Background

The Swan Island Shipyard, operated by Kaiser Shipbuilding Company on Swan Island in the Willamette River, was one of three Kaiser shipyards in the Portland area that became famous for the rapid mass production of Liberty ships and T2 tankers during World War II. The Swan Island yard built T2 tankers and other vessels at a pace unmatched in maritime history, employing tens of thousands of workers on around-the-clock shifts.

Plaintiffs alleged that the intensive shipbuilding operations at Swan Island — with insulators, pipefitters, boilermakers, and other trades working simultaneously in confined ship spaces — created conditions for widespread occupational asbestos exposure among the workforce.

Alleged Asbestos Pathways

Plaintiffs alleged in litigation that asbestos exposure occurred through multiple pathways:

  • Ship machinery space insulation: Plaintiffs alleged that insulators and asbestos workers applied asbestos block insulation, pipe covering, and blankets in engine rooms, boiler rooms, and pump rooms aboard tankers under construction, creating intense fiber concentrations in confined spaces.
  • Steam system work: Plaintiffs alleged that the steam propulsion and auxiliary systems of T2 tankers required extensive asbestos insulation on boilers, turbines, steam headers, and piping within machinery spaces.
  • Pipe fitting and gaskets: Plaintiffs alleged that pipefitters installing cargo, ballast, fuel, and steam systems encountered asbestos gaskets, packing, and pipe covering throughout ship construction.
  • Bystander exposure: Plaintiffs alleged that shipfitters, welders, electricians, painters, and other tradespeople working adjacent to insulation operations in enclosed ship spaces received bystander asbestos exposure.

Oregon has a two-year statute of limitations under ORS § 30.907, running from the date of mesothelioma diagnosis under the discovery rule. Wrongful death claims also carry a three-year limit under ORS § 30.020. Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland handles most Oregon asbestos claims.

Workers who were employed at Swan Island Shipyard and who have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma or asbestos-related disease may have legal remedies available. Contact O’Brien Law Firm at (314) 237-3332 to discuss your work history and legal options at no cost.