Austal increased profits

MOBILE, Ala. - Austal Ltd.'s Mobile shipyard increased its profit in the second half of 2009 compared with the previous year, despite an overall drop in both profit and revenue for the Australian company, according to a recent earnings report. The company's Mobile facility, which is producing joint high speed vessels and littoral combat ships for the U.S. Navy, employs about 1,000 people and is expected to hire another 400 this year. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 02/24/10)

ST Engineering profits down

Singapore Technologies Engineering said profit fell 6 percent for the year to $314.5 million while revenue grew 4 percent for the year to $3.93 billion. The company is the parent of VT Halter Marine, which employs 1,100-plus at shipyards in Pascagoula, Moss Point and Escatawpa, Miss., and ST Aerospace Mobile, which employs 1,300 at Mobile, Ala.'s Brookley Field Industrial Complex. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 02/19/10)

Contract: Northrop Grumman, $41.2M

Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., was awarded a $41,288,005 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for life cycle engineering and support services on the LPD 17 class amphibious transport dock ship program. Work will be performed in Pascagoula and is expected to be completed by December 2010. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 02/16/10)

East Bank to be cleaned up

PASCAGOULA, Miss. – Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding’s East Bank property will be cleaned up by the end of the year. A contractor will be demolishing all of the buildings and warehouses on the 166-acre area that Northrop Grumman no longer uses, spokesman Bill Glenn said. Work should begin in two weeks. The East Bank is the original site of the shipyard until it acquired land on the west side of the river. (Source: Mississippi Press, 02/16/10) Note: In 2004 Northrop Grumman looked into the possibility of converting the yard into an industrial park for contractors.

Chilean ship christened

MOBILE, Ala. - The Chilean Navy's newest ship was christened Wednesday at Atlantic Marine's shipyard. The 677-foot Almirante Montt will leave Mobile at the end of the month. The ship will be used to ferry fuel and supplies to other ships, serving both the Chilean and U.S. navies for the next 10 years, according to an agreement reached between the two countries. The ship was built in 1987 and used by the Navy until it was decommissioned in 1996. Atlantic Marine won the bid to refurbish the ship. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 02/11/10)

Contract: Northrop Grumman, $8.4M

Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Miss., is being awarded an $8,362,542 modification to previously awarded contract to exercise options for the accomplishment of the follow yard class services for the DDG 51 class AEGIS destroyer Program. Northrop Grumman shipbuilding will provide expert design, planning, and material support services for both DDG 51 ship construction and modernization. Work will be performed in Pascagoula and is expected to be completed by August 2010. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 02/10/10)

Campus getting $7.6M science building

LONG BEACH, Miss. - The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park campus will be getting a new $7.6 million science building that will feature 33,580 square feet of biology and chemistry laboratories, a marine science laboratory, faculty offices, research space and classrooms. Construction for the facility, on the northwest corner of the campus, is scheduled to begin in fall 2010 and is expected to be ready for occupancy by spring 2012. (Source: USM, 02/10/10)

30-year shipbuilding plan released

The Navy's new 30-year fleet plan calls for a ramp up construction of the Littoral Combat Ship and the Joint High Speed Vessel. A total of 66 LCS ships is now forecast to be bought over 30 years. The plan also affirms two earlier decisions: selecting a single design for the LCS program and the 2008 decision to end the DDG 1000 destroyer program at three ships. The plan also confirms the continued development of a new Advanced Missile Defense Radar for DDG 51-class destroyers, and plans to maintain an amphibious landing force of about 33 ships. The new plan was sent to the Hill this week to accompany the president's budget proposal. (Source: Defense News, 02/04/10) Gulf Coast note: The region’s shipyards are involved in building the LCS, JHSV, DDG-51 and amphibious vessels.

Northrop Grumman 4Q report

Northrop Grumman Corp. reported Thursday it posted a fourth-quarter net earnings of $413 million, and 2009 net earnings of $1.7 billion. Last year the company reported a fourth quarter net loss of $2.5 billion and net loss for the year of $1.3 billion. (Source: Northrop Grumman, 02/04/10) Gulf Coast note: Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman has multiple operations in the Gulf Coast region, including shipyards in Pascagoula and Gulfport, Miss., and New Orleans.

NOAA takes delivery of survey ship

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has taken delivery of Bell M. Shimada, the agency's newest high-tech fisheries survey vessel. Built by VT Halter Marine in Moss Point, Miss., the ship's primary mission will be to study, monitor and collect data on a wide range of sea life and ocean conditions, primarily in U.S. waters from Washington state to southern California. The ship will also observe environmental conditions, conduct habitat assessments and survey marine mammal, sea turtle and marine bird populations. The $45 million, 208-foot ship was launched in late 2008. (Source: NOAA, 02/02/10)