No buying strategy yet for LCS-Frigate

WASHINGTON – Details of a buying strategy for the Littoral Combat Ship-to-frigate program is still under a Navy review and will likely fall behind its established submission deadline. Last year, then Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel directed the Navy to develop and turn LCS into some kind of frigate and submit an buying strategy by May 1. The Navy continues to evade specifics or a commitment. Navy has drafted an acquisition strategy framework outlining design and procurement, said Cmdr. Thurraya Kent, spokesperson for the service's acquisition directorate. It also has prepared an assessment for forward- and back-fitting LCS with frigate capabilities. Beginning with hull number 33, LCS are officially being called frigates. Unclear is whether the next eight LCSs to be ordered (numbers 25 to 32) will be classified as frigates or LCS. The Navy is working to back-fit many features of the LCS- frigate into earlier variants, including eight interim ships, but that frigate design remains elusive. Pre-preliminary design and system selection will be made in October, said a Naval Sea Systems Command spokesman. Preliminary design will eventually result in a technical package to support a shipbuilding contract in FY 2019. (Source: Defense News 05/28/15) Gulf Coast Note: Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala., currently builds the Independence class of LCS - one of two LCS variants under contract with the Navy.

Future shipyard bond bill signed

PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- Gov. Phil Bryant visited Huntington Ingalls Industries Ingalls Shipbuilding division Thursday to participate in a ceremonial signing of a $20 million bond bill supporting Ingalls' "Shipyard of the Future" project. The investment will go toward current building improvements, new covered facilities providing better work areas for shipbuilders, and enabling more work to be accomplished out of the weather. The infrastructure improvements also include a new dry dock that will allow Ingalls to translate and launch ships from various locations in the shipyard. HII will match the state's investment on a 2:1 scale. (Source: Ingalls, 05/28/15)

CG searching for two teens separately

Coast Guard Sector Mobile, Ala., and CGS New Orleans were called out separately on May 24-25 to search for a pair of teenagers missing off Ship Island in the Gulfport, Miss., Ship Channel and Grand Isle (La.) State Park. On Sunday, CGS Mobile dispatched a 45-foot Response Boat from Gulfport; an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from New Orleans; an HC144-Ocean Sentry fixed-wing aircraft from Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile. The boy was last seen drifting northwest from Buoy 26 in the ship channel. On Monday, CGS New Orleans was helping search for a 16-year old boy who went missing in the vicinity of Grand Isle State Park. In response, the CG dispatched a special purpose shallow water craft from CGS Grand Isle; an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from New Orleans; and a fixed-wing aircraft from the Coast Guard Auxiliary. (Source: Coast Guard 8th District 05/24-25/15)

Snowden takes helm at CGS Mobile

MOBILE, Ala. – Capt. Joe Snowden is the new commander of Coast Guard Sector Mobile, Ala., following a change of command ceremony May 21 at the Alabama Cruise Terminal. CGS Mobile has responsibility for operations along the Gulf of Mexico coastline and adjacent inland waterways systems. Snowden previously was Deputy Commander. Outgoing commander Capt. Duke Walker retired after 28 years of CG service. (Coast Guard 8^th District 05/21/15)

CG responding to GoM platform fire

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard is responding to an oil-production platform fire within Breton Sound Block 21 near Breton Island (La.) in the Gulf of Mexico early today (May 22). Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report at 2:50 a.m. from an offshore supply vessel. All 28 workers on the platform have been evacuated to Venice, La. There were no reported injuries. The CG conducted an over flight and observed a 1.4 nautical mile sheen drifting southwest of the platform. Initial response vessels are on scene. A boat crew from CG Station Venice is also on scene as well as an HC-144 Ocean Sentry fixed-wing aircraft crew from Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala. The well was shut and production ceased. The platform has an estimated 4,000 barrels of crude oil on board in storage tanks. The incident is under investigation. (Source: Coast Guard 8th District 05/22/15)

Austal launches 6th JHSV

The Austal-USA shipyard launched the recently christened USNS Brunswick on May 19. It is the shipbuilder's sixth Joint High Speed Vessel under a 10-ship, $1.6 billion contract with the Navy's Military Sealift Command. It was also the second Navy ship launched from the Mobile, Ala., shipyard in a little more than three months (Jan. 10). USNS Brunswick will begin final outfitting and testing before sea trials and delivery to the by the end of 2015. (Mobile Register 05/20/15) http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2015/05/austal_usa_launches_usns_trent.html

Oyster basket dredging hearing

BILOXI, Miss. – The Department of Marine Resources is to hold a public hearing May 28 here in the Bolton Building to consideration the prohibition of basket dredges for oyster harvesting. The public written comment period has been extended until June 15. At DMR’s regularly-scheduled June 16 meeting, the Commission on Marine Resources will consider prohibiting basket dredges. A basket dredge, also called a self-dumping dredge, uses a rigid framed basket, instead of a flexible bag made out of rope or chain to retain harvested oysters. (Source: DMR 05/20/15)

Unrest at BIW shipyard

BATH, Maine – The 1,000-member International Association of Machinists Union contract shipbuilders will march in a “solidarity” rally May 21 at Bath Iron Works. The company is attempting to navigate its way through the largest labor unrest in decades. The planned action follows a two-month old event in which IAM members marched midday across the shipyard to protest proposed changes - including outsourcing work and cross-training employees - by BIW President Fred Harris. Caps on defense spending are expected to result in fewer Navy contracts. The proposed changes are designed to increase shipyard’s efficiency and keep the costs of building destroyers competitive. There are two major Navy shipbuilding bids on the horizon; but disagreements between management and its largest union have accusations and a federal lawsuit charging BIW with violating its contract with workers. BIW, known for building the DDG-51 Arleigh Burke destroyers, has about 5,700 shipbuilders. (Source: Bangor Daily News 05/18/15) Gulf Coast Shipbuilding Note: BIW competes with Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss., for Navy ship contracts, which run about $1.5 billion each to build. In June 2013, the Navy awarded BIW contracts for four DDG-51s. HII landed contracts for five.

Mandatory Red Snapper reporting

BILOXI, Miss. – It is now mandatory for recreational fishermen and captains of for-hire vessels to report Red Snapper harvestings landed in Mississippi. In 2014, Red Snapper reporting was voluntary. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources has implemented methods how to report those harvests beginning May 28, including a smartphone App, website and a call center. Federal Red Snapper season runs from June 1-10. (Source: MDMR 05/20/15)

Contract: Ingalls, $14.5M

Huntington Ingalls Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., is being awarded a $14,524,779 cost-plus-award-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-12-C-2312) to exercise options for DDG 51 class destroyer follow yard services (FYS). The FYS provides liaison; technical support; engineering, design, and configuration management; systems engineering team and turnkey, and crew indoctrination and orientation. Work will be performed in Pascagoula (97 percent); Washington, D.C. (2 percent); and Bath, Maine (1 percent), and is expected to be completed by May 2016. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 05/13/15)

Ingalls picks two VPs

PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- Huntington Ingalls Industries announced today the appointment of two vice presidents at its Ingalls Shipbuilding division. George Jones has been appointed vice president of operations, and Tim Farrell has been appointed vice president of new Navy programs. Jones will be responsible for all facets of ship construction through delivery. He is responsible for enhancing cost and schedule performance, process and facility improvements and driving production strategies across all Ingalls programs. Farrell, who was most recently vice president of operations, he will lead efforts to capture new shipbuilding contracts. (Source: Huntington Ingalls via Globe Newswire, 05/12/15)

State of MS coast conference

BILOXI, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources will hold its inaugural conference, “State of Our Coast: Moving Forward Together” from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 13, here at the Golden Nugget Casino. Speakers will include MDMR Executive Director Jamie Miller, Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann and LSU professor Rex Caffey, Ph.D. Participants also will hear updates on red snapper season and the Governor’s Oyster Council. (Source: MDMR 05/08/15)

JHSV to be christened

MOBILE, Ala. -- The Navy will christen the future USNS Brunswick (JHSV 6) Saturday during a 10 a.m. CDT ceremony in Mobile. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Named for a seaport city located on the southeast coast of Georgia, Brunswick is the fourth ship to bear the name. The 338 foot-long aluminum catamaran is under construction at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile. (Source: NNS, 05/08/15)

CG urges dockside safety exams

NEW ORLEANS - The 8th Coast Guard District is working to increase safety awareness and enforce safety regulations aboard Gulf of Mexico commercial fishing boats. In an effort to reduce onboard injuries, the CG will be conducting safety boardings through early June, and encouraging early participation in the dockside exam and safety decal program that becomes mandatory Oct. 15. All commercial fishing vessels that operate more than three nautical miles offshore will require a safety decal. Gulf of Mexico’s commercial fishing industry is the second most dangerous occupation in the country with more than 75 fatalities per 100,000 workers. (Source: CG 8th District 05/07/15)

Cutter completes acceptance trials

PASCAGOULA, Miss. – Ingalls Shipbuilding’s fifth U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter (NSC), James (WMSL 754), has successfully completed acceptance trials. The Ingalls-built NSC spent two full days in the Gulf of Mexico proving the ship's systems. Ingalls has delivered four NSCs and has three more, including James, under construction. Earlier this year, a construction contract was awarded for an eighth NSC. NSCs are 418 feet long with a 54-foot beam and displace 4,500 tons with a full load. They have a top speed of 28 knots, a range of 12,000 miles, an endurance of 60 days and a crew of 120. (Source: Ingalls via Globe Newswire, 05/04/15)

Textron to host NOLA job fair

The New Orleans-area based Textron Systems shipyard and military-vehicle manufacturing plant will host a May 9 job fair to hire workers. The company is seeking production-related and skilled craft positions such as electricians, outfitters, ship-fitters, welders and truck drivers. Textron is beefing up its staff to fulfill a Navy-option contract to build two additional ship-to-shore connectors (SSCs). In 2012, Textron was awarded a $214 million contract with options to build up to eight SSC by 2020. The Navy program calls for 73 craft. The majority of hires at the job fair will be from the manufacturing plant in Slidell, which is about to begin production on 500 tactical armored patrol vehicles (TAPVs) for the Canadian army. (Source: NOLA.com 04/29/15)

UNO prof among Navy winners

University of New Orleans assistant professor Dr. Christine Ikeda, PhD, was among 36 college and university faculty to receive the Navy’s 2015 Young Investigator Program award, one of the oldest and most selective scientific research advancement programs in the country. Collectively, the awardees will receive $18.8 million in grants to fund research across a range of naval-relevant science and technology areas. Dr. Ikeda is on the faculty of UNO’s School of Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering. Among her research interests are experimental studies on fluid-structure interactions; hydrodynamic loading effects on ship hulls and off-shore structures; and composite structures. (U.S. Navy 04/30/15)