ESG steel like none other

PANAMA CITY, Fla. - Eastern Shipbuilding Group held a keel-laying ceremony for the Coast Guard’s first of class Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) Argus (WMSM-915) on April 28. Keel layings represent the ceremonial start of a ship’s life by commemorating the assembly of the initial modular construction units. Historically, to attest that the keel was properly laid and of excellent quality, the shipbuilder would carve their initials into the keel. This practice is commemorated by welding the ship’s sponsor’s initials into the keel authentication plate. The ship’s sponsor, Capt. Beverly Kelley (USCG, Ret.), was the first woman to command a U.S. military vessel as Commanding Officer, of the 95-foot patrol boat USCGC Cape Newagen in 1979. She also became the first woman to command both a medium endurance cutter and a high endurance cutter. The steel joined is unlike any seen before. It came from steel scrap that ravaged ESG by a 162 mph hurricane in October 2018. (Source: Eastern Shipbuilding 05/04/20) http://www.easternshipbuilding.com/wp-content/sdaolpu/2020/05/Press-Release-Eastern-OPC-1-Keel-Laying_Final-for-Release_04May20-R1.pdf