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RICHMOND, VA – Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced that Colonna’s Shipyard, Inc. (CSI) is acquiring its fourth drydock, marking a significant milestone for the oldest continuously operating family-owned shipyard in the United States. According to company officials, the new drydock represents a major company investment of over $79 million. Drydock #4 is expected to have an approximate lifting capacity of 25,000 tons, positioning CSI to further enhance its capabilities in providing critical ship repair and maintenance services to a diverse range of maritime clients. 

“‘Made in America’ means ‘Made in Virginia,’ and with this major investment by Colonna’s Shipyard, that is especially true for America’s naval shipbuilding and commercial maritime industry,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “The acquisition of this new drydock is not just an investment in infrastructure, it’s an investment in the long-term strength of our national defense and commercial fleet support. I congratulate CSI on this exciting new chapter and applaud their ongoing commitment to growth in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Together, we’re ensuring that Virginia remains the premier hub for shipbuilding and repair on the East Coast and across the nation.” 

“I’ve witnessed first-hand the growth and success of Colonna’s Shipyard over the years,” said Secretary of Transportation W. Sheppard Miller III. “As home to the world’s largest military installation, a best-in-class port and other top-tier infrastructure, there’s no better place for Colonna’s Shipyard to make this strategic investment. I’m excited to see shipbuilding continue to thrive in the Commonwealth as our nation renews focus on this critically important industry.”  

“This new drydock acquisition is a testament to our continued dedication to quality service, on-time delivery, and our steadfast focus on the future,” said Randall Crutchfield, Chairman & CEO of Colonna’s Shipyard, Inc. “The expansion of our drydock capacity will further strengthen our ability to serve both our commercial and government clients, ensuring that we can meet their ever-evolving needs with unmatched expertise and reliability. This investment is also a continued commitment to our employees and the economic vitality of Norfolk’s industrial working waterfront, which has been an integral part of our success for over a century.” 

“Colonna’s Shipyard has been a cornerstone of Norfolk’s economy and maritime identity for more than 145 years,” said Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander. “This $79 million investment not only strengthens Norfolk’s position as a national leader in ship repair and innovation, but also reflects the company’s enduring commitment to our people, our port, and our future. The expansion of Colonna’s drydock capacity will create opportunity, sustain good-paying jobs, and ensure our city’s working waterfront continues to thrive for generations to come.” 

The Drydock #4 Project is slated for delivery in the first half of 2028, continuing CSI’s ongoing efforts to expand and modernize its facilities to meet the growing demand for ship repair and conversion services. Over the past decade, Norfolk-based CSI has invested more than $150 million to grow shipbuilding and sustainment capacity within its U.S. facilities.

Norfolk’s Half Moone Cruise & Celebration Center, operated by Nauticus, announced an expanded slate of cruise ship port calls from the world’s fourth-largest cruise company, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). In 2027, the 2,400-passenger Norwegian Pearl is scheduled to call on Norfolk each week from April to August. These newly-added visits — 20 in total — represent one of the largest port-of-call commitments in Norfolk’s history and will introduce approximately 49,000 additional cruise ship passengers to the Hampton Roads region. Unlike Carnival Cruise Line’s year-round calls in which passengers set sail for the Bahamas or Bermuda, NCL’s 2027 port-of-call activity positions Norfolk as an itinerary stop. While in town passengers can opt to take guided excursions or explore the region on their own.

“We’ll have the opportunity to welcome nearly 2,500 additional passengers and a thousand crew members every single Tuesday for five months,” said Nauticus executive director, Stephen E. Kirkland. “That activity, coupled with our Carnival sailings each weekend, represents a broadening economic impact for this entire region.”

In February, the Carnival Sunshine began sailing weekly from Norfolk’s cruise terminal; Nauticus has welcomed more than 180,000 unique passenger visits so far this year. Other cruise lines scheduled to visit in 2025 and 2026 include Holland America, Princess, TUI Cruises, AIDA Cruises, Azamara, Seabourn, and Viking.

About Cruise Norfolk: The Half Moone Center is located at Nauticus along the downtown Norfolk waterfront. The 80,000 sq. ft. facility is home to Virginia’s only cruise ship program. Cruise Norfolk offers passengers a unique setting from which to begin and end their cruise as it shares its space with Nauticus’ Maritime Discovery Center, sailing center and the historic Battleship Wisconsin.

About Nauticus: Nauticus is a maritime discovery center located along the waterfront in downtown, Norfolk, VA, offering a unique form of experiential learning for all ages. Through interactive exhibits and STEM to Stern programming, Nauticus uses the museum, Battleship Wisconsin, sailing center, and Schooner Virginia to tell the story of the maritime environment, industry, and the military. The Nauticus Foundation is the nonprofit, 501©3 that supports the mission and activities of Nauticus. Nauticus’ mission is to benefit the community through education, impactful experiences, and sharing access to maritime resources. For more information, visit www.nauticus.org.

Congress recently approved legislation spearheaded by President Donald Trump that eliminates thousands of dollars in incentives for homeowners who invest in solar energy.

If you’ve been considering going solar, now is the time.

Solar installers in Hampton Roads say they’re seeing a surge in demand for rooftop panels as homeowners seek to get a federal tax credit that expires at the end of this year.

“Business is exploding right now,” said Nolie Diakoulas, director of business development for Virginia Beach-based Convert Solar, which operates statewide.

The federal tax credit “has been a very, very large driver over the past 13 years or so that we've been in business,” he said. “Specifically, right now, people are understanding, ‘Oh, wait a second, it’s going away.’”

The Investment Tax Credit first started rewarding homeowners who installed solar in 2006, but the amount fluctuated over the years. President Joe Biden’s signature climate legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act, expanded and stabilized the credit by setting it at 30% through 2032.

President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, recently passed by Congress, gets rid of the residential credit, along with several others meant to help stimulate growth in clean energy.

People who want to take advantage before it expires will have to have panels installed and in service by Dec. 31.

Diakoulas said the cost of home solar systems varies depending on the size, but the average is about $30,000, which can be paid with cash or through loan financing.

That means the tax credit saves homeowners an average of $9,000 in upfront costs, which he said is often a deciding factor for customers. People without a tax liability that large can split the credit across several years.

Donny Damon, who lives in the Thoroughgood area of Virginia Beach, installed panels through Convert Solar a few years ago, and said it was a “no-brainer.”

“We want to comply with what's going on in the world and try not to use as much energy – and, of course, get the tax credit,” he said.

Damon said his monthly electric bill is now less than $8 per month, with the solar panels covering a majority of electricity needs even in the peak summer heat.

He pointed to his thermostat set at 64 degrees. “I keep it frosty in here, because I can.”

Deborah Arenstein is program manager with Solarize Virginia, an outreach initiative of the nonprofit Local Energy Alliance Program based in Charlottesville. Rising energy costs are another big reason she encourages the switch.

The regional power grid operator recently held an auction that set record-high prices for electricity, amid surging demand from data centers and delays in new energy projects.

“Energy prices are going up,” Arenstein said. “By going solar, it is guaranteed that your electric bills will not be going up (significantly) over time.”

Dominion Energy is also proposing changes to a different type of credit that benefits homeowners, called net metering.

“If you produce more energy than you are using, you're banking it, which means that you can then access that energy when you are not producing as much, without a charge,” Arenstein said.

The current ratio is 1:1, meaning if you produce one extra kilowatt-hour, that’s the same amount you earn back. Dominion plans to reduce the ratio of return starting next year.

Each year, Solarize requests proposals from solar installers and selects vetted companies to offer discounted pricing to its participants.

The group recently extended its deadline for interested homeowners to sign up for the 2025 program through Aug.15, allowing people an additional window to secure tax credits.

Diakoulas said the cutoff for Convert Solar to accept new orders that can be completed in time will likely be around mid-October.

Installers will then shift their focus toward the leasing model of rooftop solar, in which a third party owns and maintains the system, while the homeowner pays a set monthly fee.

Virginia’s General Assembly only started allowing solar leasing last year. That change is now key to keeping solar companies alive, Diakoulas said.

But he worries the elimination of tax credits will likely put smaller installers out of business.