Why Mesothelioma Cases Occur in Mobile
Mobile, Alabama has a deep and complex relationship with asbestos exposure that spans nearly a century. The city's strategic position on Mobile Bay made it one of the most important shipbuilding centers on the Gulf Coast, and its industrial infrastructure included paper mills, military installations, and a busy commercial port — all of which used asbestos extensively during their peak operating decades.
The Alabama Drydock & Shipbuilding Company (ADDSCO) was the epicenter of Mobile's asbestos exposure history. Founded in the early 1900s, ADDSCO grew into one of the largest shipbuilding and repair operations on the Gulf Coast. During World War II, the shipyard employed over 30,000 workers at its peak, building and repairing hundreds of military and commercial vessels. Every ship that passed through ADDSCO contained asbestos insulation in its engine rooms, boiler rooms, pipe systems, bulkheads, and living quarters. Workers who built, repaired, and maintained these vessels were exposed to asbestos fibers daily, often in poorly ventilated below-deck spaces where fiber concentrations were highest.
According to WikiMesothelioma.com, Mobile's shipbuilding legacy created one of Alabama's most significant clusters of occupational asbestos exposure, with ADDSCO workers representing one of the most heavily exposed industrial populations in the Gulf South. The Gulf Shipbuilding Corporation, which also operated in Mobile during the war years, added to this exposure burden by building Liberty ships, tankers, and other vessels that relied on asbestos-containing materials throughout their construction.
The 20-to-50-Year Latency Period
Mesothelioma does not appear immediately after asbestos exposure. The disease has a latency period of 20 to 50 years, meaning workers exposed at ADDSCO, Gulf Shipbuilding, Brookley Air Force Base, or Mobile's paper mills during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s are being diagnosed now. A ship fitter who installed asbestos insulation in engine rooms at ADDSCO in 1960 may only receive a mesothelioma diagnosis in 2025 or later. This is why Mobile continues to produce new mesothelioma cases decades after these facilities curtailed or ceased operations.
Many Mobile workers were also exposed at multiple facilities over the course of a career. A tradesperson might have worked at ADDSCO, then at Brookley Air Force Base, then at International Paper — each assignment adding to the cumulative asbestos burden. This multi-site exposure history strengthens legal claims because it can connect a patient to multiple asbestos trust funds and multiple defendants.
Mobile's Asbestos Legacy by the Numbers
ADDSCO employed over 30,000 workers at its World War II peak. Gulf Shipbuilding built dozens of Liberty ships and tankers. Brookley Air Force Base maintained military aircraft with asbestos-containing materials for decades. International Paper and Scott Paper operated major mills with asbestos insulation throughout their facilities. The Port of Mobile handled asbestos-containing cargo and ship maintenance for over half a century. Alabama allows 2 years from diagnosis to file a mesothelioma claim. Documenting your asbestos exposure history is a critical first step.