Page 50: of Marine News Magazine (June 2020)

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VESSELS

Eastern Lays Keel for

OPC USCGC Argus

Eastern Shipbuilding Group

Eastern Shipbuilding Group reports that the keel laying The 360-foot OPC is designed to conduct multiple mis- ceremony for the U.S. Coast Guard’s ?rst-of-class Offshore sions in support of the nation’s maritime security and border

Patrol Cutter (OPC) Argus (WMSM-915) was held on April protection. The OPC will provide a capability bridge between 28, 2020 at Eastern’s Nelson Street facility in Panama City, the national security cutter, which patrols the open ocean in

Fla. USCGC Argus is scheduled to be delivered in 2022. the most demanding maritime environments, and the fast re-

The ceremony was performed and recorded without audi- sponse cutter, which serves closer to shore. The OPC design ence to comply with CDC guidelines to combat the spread of includes the capability of carrying an MH-60R or MH-65 he-

COVID-19. licopter and three operational Over The-Horizon small boats.

The keel laying represents the ceremonial start of a ship’s life The vessel is also equipped with a highly sophisticated combat by commemorating the assembly of the initial modular con- system and C4ISR suite that will enhance capabilities to ex- struction units. Historically, to attest that the keel was properly ecute the service’s missions.

laid and of excellent quality, the shipbuilder would carve their U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz said initials into the keel. This practice is commemorated by welding in his most recent State of the Coast Guard Address that the the ship’s sponsor’s initials into the keel authentication plate. new OPC “will become the backbone of [the Coast Guard’s]

The ship’s sponsor is Capt. Beverly Kelley, USCG (Ret.). modernized ?eet.”

Capt. Kelley was the ?rst woman to command a U.S. mili- “The ?rst in its class, Cutter Argus, is already under con- tary vessel as the Commanding Of?cer of the 95-foot patrol struction and will be delivered in 2022. The Offshore Patrol boat, USCGC Cape Newagen in 1979. Throughout her dis- Cutter program is set to deliver 25 hulls and that ?eet will tinguished career, she became the ?rst woman to command ultimately comprise almost 70% of our offshore presence.” both a medium endurance cutter and a high endurance cutter Adm. Schultz said in February.

in USCGC Northland and USCGC Boutwell respectively. On September 15, 2016, the U.S. Coast Guard exercised

Eastern’s President Joey D’Isernia said, “Eastern Shipbuild- the option for Detail Design on Eastern Shipbuilding Group’s ing Group is humbled and proud to have been chosen to build OPC contract. Eastern Shipbuilding Group will construct this next generation ship for the world’s best Coast Guard, the Offshore Patrol Cutters to replace the Medium Endur- and we think today represents a milestone that all those in- ance Cutters currently in service. The contract includes the volved in the program can be proud of. production of up to four vessels.

“The steel joined here today is unlike any you or I have In April, the U.S. Coast Guard executed a modi?cation to seen before. This steel has been ravaged by 162 mph winds, the contract for Eastern to build the second OPC and Long generated by the third most powerful hurricane to make land- Lead Time Materials for the third, following completion of a fall in this country’s history. This steel has borne witness to a Production Readiness Review (PRR) in February 2020.

Pandemic that has caused fear and shaken our core. Steel cutting for the second OPC, Coast Guard Cutter “But through all this, it remains sturdy, it remains resilient, Chase (WMSM-916) commenced on April 27.

and today it will join with other steel to become stronger, more In support of OPC construction, ESG has made improve- de?ned, and more resolute. Today is representative of how we ments to the Nelson Street facility. In conjunction with the build, and of unwavering resolve in the face of adversity for a state of Florida and Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., ESG has com-

Coast Guard and a nation that deserves nothing less.” menced construction on additional warehousing, a state-of-

Joey D’Isernia was accompanied on the podium by Capt. the-art C4ISR Production Facility, improved building and

Andrew Meverden, representing the USCG, and Bradley launch ways, among numerous other improvements. This

Remick, the expert welder charged with welding the sponsor’s wave of facility improvements positions ESG to continue initials onto the ceremonial keel authentication plate. OPC production as ef?ciently as possible.

June 2020 50 MN