First Lady to christen ship in Pascagoula

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - First Lady Michelle Obama will be in Pascagoula this week for the Friday christening of the Coast Guard cutter Stratton at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. Stratton, a 418-foot cutter, is the third in an eight-ship program. It's named after the first commissioned female officer in the Coast Guard. Northrop Grumman announced last year that Michelle Obama would be the sponsor of the Legend class ship. (Source: Mississippi Press, 07/19/10)

Colle Towing has new owner

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Colle Towing, founded in 1878 in Pascagoula, has changed ownership and is now Colle Maritime, a division of Signet Maritime Corp., headquartered in Houston. The change was announced at Tuesday's Port of Pascagoula Board meeting. Colle Towing provides ship docking, marine transportation, vessel construction and repair. (Source: Mississippi Press, 07/14/10)

Atlantic Marine buy finalized

BAE Systems has completed its acquisition of Atlantic Marine Holding Co. after receiving necessary U.S. regulatory approvals. The company announced in May its definitive agreement to acquire Atlantic Marine from JFL-AMH Partners, LLC, a portfolio company of the private-equity firm J.F. Lehman & Co., for a cash consideration of $352 million. The acquired Atlantic Marine operations at Mayport and Jacksonville, Fla., Moss Point, Miss., and Mobile, Ala., employ about 1,000 people and will become known as BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards. This new business provides vessel maintenance, repair, overhaul, and conversion; marine fabrication; and ship construction services. (Source: BusinessWire, 07/13/10)

NOAA ends VT Halter contract

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - NOAA terminated its latest contract with VT Halter Marine for a 110-foot ocean and coastal mapping vessel, the SWATH Ferdinand R. Hassler. The vessel is 98 percent complete and has undergone sea trials in the Gulf. But a dispute with NOAA over how much weight the vessel could carry has led to an impasse and NOAA executed an option to terminate the contract. Halter CEO Bill Skinner said they are still trying to work through the issue, but there's a possibility someone else will finish the job. (Source: Sun Herald, 07/13/10)

NG closing Avondale, may shed shipbuilding

Northrop Grumman is closing its shipyards in Avondale and Tallulah, La., and consolidating its work in Pascagoula, Miss., while it considers shedding all its shipbuilding operations. According to the company, it's exploring "strategic alternatives" for its shipbuilding unit, which also includes Newport News in Virginia. That includes the possible sale or spin off to shareholders. CEO Wes Bush said the company sees little synergy between shipbuilding and its other business. (Sources: Sun-Herald, Mobile Press-Register, Virginia Pilot, Wall Street Journal, 07/13/10)

NG gets tax break

BILOXI, Miss. - Northrop Grumman received a five-year tax exemption Monday for a $16 million improvement project at the company's Gulfport operation. Harrison County supervisors voted 2-1 to grant the property tax break on equipment purchased for the facility. In a statement, Northrop Grumman officials said they purchased a new bridge crane and mold table used in the fabrication of composite structures. The Gulfport facility employs about 550, including 146 whose jobs were created by the purchases. (Source: Sun Herald, 07/12/10)

Jindal worried about Avondale

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal added his voice to concerns that Northrop Grumman may close its shipyard in Avondale, La. The company "has indicated to us that Northrop Grumman does not intend to keep Avondale open for the long term in the absence of a viable Navy shipbuilding program there," Jindal said in an e-mailed statement, according to Bloomberg. When Northrop completes work on the LPD- 17 class transport ships at Avondale in 2012, the company intends to move potential work on the next two ships in the category to its shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss., Jindal said. (Source: Bloomberg, 07/12/10)

Final ship bids submitted

MOBILE, Ala. - Austal USA and rival Lockheed Martin have submitted final offers to build 10 littoral combat ships for the Navy. The contract could be worth $5 billion and would require Austal to hire 2,000 more workers at its Mobile River shipyard, which currently employs about 1,500. The Navy is expected to choose a shipbuilder next month, Austal officials said in a news release. Both competitors have built one ship so far. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/12/10)

Austal to lay keel for JHSV

MOBILE, Ala. - Austal USA will hold a keel-laying ceremony July 22 for its first Joint High-Speed Vessel, Spearhead. The ceremony will be at Austal's shipyard on Mobile River across from downtown. The high-speed transport ferry will carry military equipment and troops at speeds of up to 43 knots. Austal was selected as the prime contractor on the project in November 2008, and has received money for four more ships. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/07/10)

Moret: Northrop Avondale at risk

NEW ORLEANS, La. - Louisiana's economic development secretary said Friday he's concerned that the curtailment of Navy ship programs has put the future of Northrop Grumman's 5,000-employee Avondale shipyard in doubt. Stephen Moret made the comments after being briefed by Northrop Grumman officials. The Avondale yard is the state's largest manufacturing employer, but the smallest of Northrop Grumman's three major shipyards, which also include yards in Pascagoula, Miss., and Newport News, Va. A Northrop Grumman official reached Saturday by the Times-Picayune deferred comments to a company spokeswoman in Washington, D.C., who did not respond. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 07/03/10)

Navy, Northrop blamed for ship woes

A report released Thursday says both the government and contractors share the blame for the problems that have plagued the USS San Antonio. The failures, from shoddy workmanship to bad quality control, caused the problems aboard the San Antonio-class amphibious ship, which was built at Northrop Grumman in Avondale, La. The USS San Antonio needs $7.5 million in repairs. The report details findings from a six-month Navy investigation. (Sources: Norfolk Virginia-Pilot, 07/02/10, Navy Times, 07/01/10)

Naval engineer consortium formed

A new consortium has been formed to center on training naval systems engineers for the Navy's civilian acquisition, engineering and science workforce. Established by Naval Sea Systems Command through a five-year, $7.5 million contract, the Naval Engineering Education Consortium involves 15 colleges and universities, including the University of New Orleans, as well as the American Society of Naval Engineers and the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. The consortium is led by the University of Michigan and includes, in addition to UNO, Penn State, Virginia Tech, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Georgia Tech, Webb Institute, Florida State, Florida Atlantic University, Old Dominion University, Tennessee State University, Stevens Institute of Technology, University of Iowa, University of Texas-San Antonio and the University of Washington. (Source: Penn State University, 06/30/10)

Contract: Northrop, $175.5M

Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., is being awarded a not-to-exceed $175,497,896 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the procurement of long-lead time material, and planning and advance engineering services in support of one landing helicopter assault replacement Flight 0 amphibious assault ship. Twenty-three percent of the work will be done in Pascagoula, and 24 percent in Brunswick, Ga., and 24 percent in locations not yet determined. Other work locations are Los Angeles, Calif., York, Pa., and Brampton, Canada. Work is expected to be completed by March 2014. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/30/10)

Destroyer returns from sea trial

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - The Aegis guided missile destroyer Gravely successfully completed its sea trial last week in the Gulf of Mexico. The DDG 107's successful sea trial paved the way for delivery from the Pascagoula yard to the Navy later this summer, the company said. Gravely is the 27th destroyer to be built at Northrop Grumman's Pascagoula yard. (Source: Mississippi Press, 06/30/10)

Skimmers to be built

Mississippi will have as many as 23 new belt skimmers operating in state waters by Aug. 1, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality said Saturday. The skimmers will be built by Overing Yachts in Ocean Springs, Miss., and Trinity Yachts in Gulfport, Miss. Gov. Haley Barbour directed the construction of the vessels and for the costs to be paid by BP. (Source: FOX10-TV, Sun Herald, 06/26/10)

Navy to christen Lorenzen

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - The Navy will christen the missile range instrumentation ship USNS Howard O. Lorenzen on Saturday at a 1 p.m. ceremony at VT Halter Marine in Pascagoula. The ship is named in honor of the Naval Research Laboratory electrical engineer who was instrumental in the creation of the nation's electronic intelligence capabilities. Designated T-AGM 25, the ship will provide a platform for monitoring missile launches and collecting data that can be used to improve missile efficiency and accuracy. It will be operated by the Military Sealift Command and conduct missions sponsored by the Air Force. The 12,575-ton ship is 534 feet long and will have a combined crew of civilians who will operate and navigate the ship and military and civilian technicians from other government agencies who will operate monitoring equipment. (Source: DoD, 06/24/10)

Cochran honored by shipbuilders

U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi is being honored with the American Shipbuilding Association's 2010 Herbert H. Bateman award, which will be presented Wednesday night during the ASA's Salute to the 111th Congress reception in Washington, D.C. The award was established by the ASA in 2000 to recognize an individual in government or industry who has demonstrated years of leadership in working for a stronger shipbuilding industry. (Source: Mississippi Press, 06/23/10)

Ship to be christened Saturday

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - The Navy will christen the newest amphibious transport dock ship, San Diego, Saturday during a 10 a.m. CDT ceremony at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. The ship is named for the city of San Diego, principal homeport of the Pacific fleet. Designated LPD 22, San Diego is the sixth amphibious transport dock ship in the San Antonio class and is capable of embarking a landing force of up to 800 Marines. The ship is 684 feet long and powered by four turbo-charged diesels. (Source: DoD, 06/10/10)

Academy groundbreaking set

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - A groundbreaking will be held today for the $20 million Jackson County Maritime Trades Academy at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Gulf Coast in Pascagoula. The shipbuilder and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College are partners in the apprentice school. The new academy will enable the program to expand from 610 students to 1,000 apprentices. The facility is funded by a HUD Community Development Block Grant awarded by the state last year. (Source: Sun Herald, Mississippi Press, 06/08/10)

Contract: Austal, $99.6M

Austal USA, Mobile, Ala., is being awarded a $99,557,548 modification to previously awarded contract for long lead time material for ships four and five of the Joint High Speed Vessel program. This contract provides LLTM for main propulsion engines, aluminum, waterjets, reduction gears, generators and other components to support construction of JHSV ships four and five. Ten percent of the work will be done in Gulfport, Miss., and 3 percent in Mobile. Other work will be done in Michigan, Virginia, Australia, West Virginia, Florida, Indiana, California and Iowa, and is expected to be completed by December 2011. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/04/10)