Lays Keel News

Bollinger Shipyards announced it has laid the keel for the future USNS Muscogee Creek Nation at its yard in Houma, La.The vessel is the 10th Navajo-class Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (T-ATS) and the fifth T-ATS vessel being constructed by Bollinger since acquiring the program in April of 2021.The keel authenticators were the Hon. David W. Hill, Principal Chief of the Muscogee Creek Nation, the Hon. Geri Wisner, Attorney General of the Muscogee Creek Nation and ship sponsor…

The construction of the next cruise ship for Disney Cruise Line has reached another milestone: assembly of the ship's hull began today with the traditional keel-laying ceremony. The ship is the sister ship of the Disney Treasure, which is also under construction, and the Disney Wish, which launched in 2022.The keel was laid in the 504-meter-long covered building dock at Meyer Werft in Germany. Philip Gennotte, portfolio project management executive, Walt Disney Imagineering Germany…

South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean has laid the keel for Cadeler’s newbuild wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV), Wind Maker.The vessel was ordered in 2021 by Eneti, which was acquired by Denmark-based Cadeler in 2023. The vessel was to be named Nessie under previous ownership.The Gusto MSC NG16000X self-propelled jack up will be fitted with a Huisman 2600t at 31m radius leg encircling crane, allowing the installation of 14MW+ offshore wind turbines. It will feature a main deck area of 5…

Philly Shipyard this week held a keel laying ceremony for the fourth of five new purpose built, state-of-the-art training vessels for America’s state maritime academies.The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) new vessel program – known as National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMVs) – was designed to provide world-class training for America’s future mariners and to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in times of need.

Mobile, Ala. shipbuilder Austal USA held a keel laying ceremony for USNS Billy Frank, Jr., marking the official start of construction on the U.S. Navy’s eleventh Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (T-ATS 11).Ship sponsor Peggen Frank and her husband, William Frank III, authenticated the keel by welding their initials into a keel plate that will be welded to the hull of the ship. They were assisted by Brandon Auld, a four-year Austal USA veteran A-class structural fitter.Local community leaders…

Seaspan Shipyards hosted a ceremonial keel laying event for the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) future HMCS Preserver.Scheduled for delivery in 2027, the vessel is the second of two Joint Support Ships being built by Seaspan as part of Canada's National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS). Through incorporating lessons learned on the design and construction of JSS1, the second Joint Support Ship is tracking ahead of schedule and efficiencies are seen throughout the build process – from advancements in design and supply chain streamlining…

General Dynamics Electric Boat held a keel laying for the Virginia-class submarine Tang (SSN 805) at its facility in Quonset Point, North Kingstown, R.I.The submarine will be the third ship in the U.S. Navy to carry the name Tang. The first USS Tang was a Balao-class submarine, SS 306, credited as the most successful U.S. submarine of WWII, sinking the most tonnage of any U.S. submarine—33 enemy ships—on five war patrols over the course of just 14 months."This ship represents…

South Korea-based Asia Shipbuilding recently held the keel laying ceremony for hull number ASB – 1245 of the Pacific Island Supply Vessel, an innovative sailing cargo ship for the needs of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.The consortium of Asia Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., and the naval design company Kostec Co., Ltd., last year signed a contract with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH to deliver an innovative sailing cargo ship for the needs…

Philly Shipyard held a keel laying ceremony on Monday for the third vessel in a series of new purpose-built, state-of-the-art training ships for America’s state maritime academies.The newbuild is the third of five new National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV) being built under a program for the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD), which owns and operates training ships for the nation's state maritime academies. The third NSMV is scheduled to be delivered to Maine Maritime Academy in 2024.MARAD's NSMV program is designed to provide a purpose-built…

German shipbuilder Meyer Werft held a keel laying ceremony for the second of three new Triton class cruise ships it is building for U.S. based Disney Cruise Line.The 144,000 GT Disney Treasure will have 1,240 cabins and is scheduled for delivery in 2024.Like sister ship Disney Wish, delivered by Meyer Werft in 2022, Disney Treasure will be equipped with low-emission liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion. Beyond Disney Wish, Meyer Werft has already delivered the Disney Dream and…

Silversea Cruises has celebrated the keel laying of the cruise ship Silver Ray at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.The 155-foot, 728-guest Silver Ray is the second ship in Silversea’s Nova class and is expected to enter service in summer 2024, following sister ship Silver Nova which is expected to enter service in summer 2023.The Nova-class ships will be fitted with dual-fuel LNG engines, energy storage and a 4MW fuel cell system. The system is the result of a research project involving Freudenberg e-Power Systems…

German shipbuilder Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) on Monday held a keel laying ceremony for a new new roll-on / roll-off (RoRo) vessel currently under construction Tasmanian shipping and logistics company SeaRoad. It was announced during the ceremony that the vessel will be named SeaRoad I.During the ceremony, the first module for the newbuild, weighing more than 154 tonnes, was lowered by crane onto the blocks, and a coin was placed under the keel in accordance with maritime tradition.At 210 meters long and over 43,000 gross tonnes, the ship will be the largest in SeaRoad’s history.

Palatka, Fla. shipbuilder St. Johns Ship Building held a keel laying ceremony on January 18 for the second in a series of up six new aluminum crew transfer vessels (CTVs) for Rhode Island-based Atlantic Wind Transfers (AWT) to service the offshore wind farm industry."This is another milestone for Atlantic Wind Transfers as we lay the keel for our second crew transfer vessel at St. John’s as AWT continues to expand its CTV fleet to support offshore wind construction and O&M in the U.S., said AWT founder Charles A. Donadio Jr.

Damen Shipyards Group hosted a keel laying ceremony for a series of four customized Stan Tug 1706 ICE vessels under construction for the Swedish Navy at Albwardy Damen in the UAE to be delivered from 2023.Swedish Defense materiel organization FMV Director Naval Division Patric Hjorth performed the keel laying ceremony, which started with three coins placed in a stainless steel plate: a Swedish Crown, a Dutch Rijksdaalder and an Emirates Dirham. The plate with the coins was then…

Palatka, Fla. shipyard St Johns Ship Building this week held a keel laying ceremony for the second vessel in a series of new Jones Act compliant crew transfer vessels (CTV) it is constructing for WINDEA CTV to operate in the U.S offshore wind industry.WINDEA CTV, a partnership between Hornblower Wind and MidOcean Wind, earlier this year announced orders for three CTVs, including the two being built at St Johns Ship Building, plus another at Gulf Craft in Franklin, La.In the years ahead…

Philly Shipyard held a keel laying ceremony on Thursday for the second vessel in a series of new purpose built, state-of-the-art training ships for America’s state maritime academies.The newbuild, to be named Patriot State, is the second of five new National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV) being built under a program for the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD), which owns and operates training ships for the nation's state maritime academies.

Finnish shipbuilder Helsinki Shipyard said it has laid the keel of the third of three Vega-class polar expedition vessels for Swan Hellenic.The keel was laid with outfitted grand block 305 that arrived at the shipyard during week 50 in 2021 among several blocks for the newbuild on board the carrier vessel M/S Meri.Construction is proceeding smoothly, the builder said. More than half of the block deliveries have already arrived from the block supplier, and the rest of the blocks will arrive during April-May.

German shipyard Meyer Werft announced it has laid the keel for the newest member of the P&O Cruises fleetDuring a ceremony at the shipyard this week, a 800-ton crane placed a 570-ton block for Arvia's underwater hull onto the traditional keel-laying coins. Coins from Barbados, the ship's future winter homeport, were used.The 184,000 GT newbuild is a sister ship of the Iona, which Meyer Werft delivered to the British shipping company in 2020. Both vessels feature liquefied natural…

Philly Shipyard on Friday hosted a keel laying ceremony for the first of up to five new purpose built, state-of-the-art training vessels for America’s state maritime academies.The new vessels—known as National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV)—will be owned and operated by U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) and are designed to provide training for America’s future mariners and to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in times of need.

Manson Construction Co. and Keppel AmFELS, Inc. reached another on-time milestone on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021, celebrating with a Keel Laying Ceremony for the hopper dredge Frederick Paup. The keel laying represents the official commencement of construction of a maritime vessel in its final build position, in this case the starboard half of Hopper Bay No. 3.The ceremony was attended by dignitaries from the shipyard and Manson, including the vessel’s namesake, Manson Chairman of the Board and Executive Vice President…

U.S. company Dominion Energy expects to file plans later on Friday with the Virginia State Corporation Commission for approval to construct the 2.6-gigawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) commercial project, which will generate enough clean energy to power up to 660,000 homes."The filing keeps the project on schedule and builds on recent economic development announcements, such as the Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy turbine blade factory at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal and Dominion Energy's investment in the only U.S.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) on Monday held a keel authentication ceremony for the U.S. Coast Guard’s future Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC), USCGC Chase (WMSM-916), at its Nelson Street facility in Panama City, Fla.The 360-foot vessel is the second of the Heritage-class OPC being built by Eastern to replace the Coast Guard's 210-foot and 270-foot Medium Endurance Cutters. The series' first vessel, USCGC Argus, is scheduled to be delivered in 2022.“Here at Eastern we start…

The U.S. government has recently announced plans to promote offshore wind, with a goal to have 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity installed by 2030, and a whopping 110GW of offshore wind by 2050. It has also committed to supporting the development of a sustainable local offshore wind supply chain, which is set to benefit from $136 billion expected to be spent on U.S. offshore wind development in the U.S. within this decade, as estimated by World Energy Reports. Still, it will take some time to build the local supply capacity, meaning foreign firms will benefit from the U.S.