Austal USA starts construction on first steel ship
Austal USA says it started yesterday the construction on the company’s first steel ship - a U.S. Navy Navajo Class Towing, Salvage, and Rescue Ship (T-ATS 11).
The milestone was observed during a ceremony at which Congressman Jerry Carl, U.S. representative for Alabama’s first district, and Rear Admiral Thomas J. Anderson, U.S. Navy’s program executive officer for ships spoke alongside Austal USA Vice President of New Construction, Dave Growden.
“It seems like only yesterday we were breaking ground on our steel shipbuilding facility and here we are, a little over a year later, beginning construction on our first steel ship,” Growden said. “Our shipbuilders are excited to demonstrate how effectively their talent and our proven processes translate to steel production.”
Congressman Jerry Carl and Rear Adm. Tom Anderson both remarked on the importance of Austal USA’s emergence in the steel market and spoke to the quality of Austal USA built ships.
Austal’s new 170,000 square foot enclosed steel production facility houses state-of-the-art computerized and robotic steel processing equipment. The new facility will operate using Austal’s proven ship manufacturing processes and innovative methods that incorporate lean manufacturing principles, modular construction, and moving assembly lines. Modules for T-ATS will be built in the new steel production facility before being transported to the final assembly hall to be erected.
T-ATS will provide ocean-going tug, salvage, and rescue capabilities to support U.S. fleet operations and will be a multi mission common hull platform capable of towing heavy ships. Delivery of T-ATS 11 is planned for late 2024.
Austal USA is a ship manufacturer headquartered in Mobile, Ala. with service centers in San Diego and Singapore. With the addition of the most modern steel panel line in the shipbuilding industry, Austal USA’s modern facility is capable of supporting the manufacture of both aluminum and steel ships. Austal USA leverages a moving module production line and strict adherence to lean manufacturing principles to consistently deliver on-schedule and on-budget. Austal USA is currently under contract to build the Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), the Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF), and the Navajo-class Towing, Salvage and Rescue ships (T-ATS) and is supporting Navy unmanned vessel programs leveraging its advanced machinery control system.
