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Austal USA hosted a keel laying ceremony for the future USS Pierre (LCS 38) Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship at the company’s Gulf Coast shipyard. Ship sponsor Larissa Thune Hargens, with the assistance of Hon Tran – a 13-year Austal USA veteran A-class welder, authenticated the keel by welding her initials into a keel plate that will be welded to the hull of the ship.The future USS Pierre is the final Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship being built by Austal USA in Mobile, Ala. LCS 38 is the second U.S. Navy ship named for the South Dakota capital city.

Some Russian ships have stopped transporting cargo to Ukraine, deeming it risky after a Russian tanker was detained in a Ukrainian port as Kiev made good on sanctions against Moscow, two sources at shipowners said.It is the latest fallout from Russia's annexation of the Crimea peninsula in 2014 and the emergence of a pro-Moscow insurgency in eastern Ukraine.The Mekhanik Pogodin oil tanker, under the Russian flag, has been moored in the port of Kherson since Aug. 10, Reuters ship tracking data shows.A spokeswoman for a regional unit of the Ukrainian state security service (SBU) said the tanker had been detained in the port and prevented from offloading because its owner is on a list of sanctions imposed by Kiev."We are just following the law…

1812 - The frigate USS Constitution captures the frigate HMS Guerriere, off Halifax, Nova Scotia after an intense battle. 1818 - Capt. James Biddle, as commanding officer of USS Ontario, takes possession of Oregon Territory for United States. 1936 - Lt. B. L. Braun, pilot, completes test bombing against the submarine USS R -8 (SS 85) off the Virginia capes, sinking the old submarine and proving the value of properly armed aircraft in antisubmarine warfare. 1943 - USS Finback (SS 230) sinks the Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser (No.109) off the eastern Celebes.

1860 - Screw frigate USS San Jacinto, commanded by Capt. William M. Armstrong, captures the American slaver Storm King with 619 slaves on board, off the Congo River. A prize crew from the steam frigate sailed the captured slaver to Monrovia and turned 616 freed Negroes over to the United States agent there before proceeding to Norfolk with the prize. 1861 - During the Civil War, the frigate USS Santee commanded by Capt. Eagle captured the schooner C.P. Knapp in the Gulf of Mexico. 1863 - During the Civil War, the screw steam gunboat, USS Sagamore, commanded by Lt. Cmdr.

1943 - USS Permit (SS 178), USS Snook (SS 279) and USS Sawfish (SS 276) damage two Japanese ships and sink two freighters and a gunboat. 1944 - The hospital ship, USS Comfort (AH-6), is commissioned at San Pedro, Calif., and is the first ship to be manned jointly by U.S. Army and U.S. Navy personnel. 1948 - Fighter Squadron Seventeen A (VF-17A), with 16 FH-1 Phantoms, becomes the first carrier-qualified jet squadron in the U.S. Navy. 1961 - Cmdr. Alan Shepard Jr. makes the first U.S. manned space flight. USS Lake Champlain (CVS-39) recovers the capsule after the 15 minute flight.

1823 - The barges USS Mosquito, USS Gallinipper, and sloop-of-war Peacock chase the pirate schooner, Pilot, which is driven ashore off Havana, Cuba. 1848 - The first U.S. flag is flown over the Sea of Galilee when Lt. William F. Lynch sails in an iron boat up the Jordan River. He later authors a book, Narrative of the United States' Expedition to the River Jordan and the Dead Sea. 1925 - Lt. John D. Price, piloting a VF-1 plane, makes a night landing on USS Langley (CV 1), at sea off San Diego, Calif., the first on board a U.S. Navy carrier. 1944 - USS Seahorse (SS 304) and USS Trigger (SS 237) successfully attack a Japanese convoy off Guam, damaging a Japanese destroyer and a tanker.

1910 - USS Michigan, the first U.S. dreadnought battleship, is commissioned. 1943 - USS Shad (SS 235) sinks German minesweeper M 4242 (ex-French trawler Odet II) in the Bay of Biscay. 1944 - USS Bluefish (SS 222) and USS Rasher (SS 269) attack a Japanese convoy off French Indochina; Bluefish sinks a merchant tanker while Rasher damages another tanker. Also on this date USS Cabrilla (SS 288) sinks a Japanese freighter off Cape Padran, French Indochina while USS Tautog (SS 109) sinks a Japanese freighter off southern Honshu. 1945 - During attacks against the U.S.

Vice Adm. Nora Tyson relieved Vice Adm. Kenny Floyd as commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet during a change of command and retirement ceremony held on Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) while pierside at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego July 24. During the ceremony, Floyd retired from active duty after 35 years of honorable naval service. He assumed command of U.S. 3rd Fleet in May 2013. Under Floyd's strategic vision, 3rd Fleet expanded its influence and contributions across all maritime lines of operations, theater security cooperation, experimentation, disaster relief, and joint operations. At sea, Floyd served in several F-14 Tomcat fighter aircraft squadrons…

Today in U.S. Naval History - August 19 1812 - USS Constitution captures HMS Guerriere. 1812- Devastating hurricane struck the Navy's New Orleans station, delaying military preparations in the War of 1812 1818 - Capt. James Biddle takes possession of Oregon Territory for U.S. 1967 - Operation Coronado IV begins in Mekong Delta 1981 - Two VF-41 aircraft from USS Nimitz shoot down two Libyan aircraft which fired on them over international waters For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.

Today in U.S. 1947 - First Navy all jet squadron (VF-17A) receives its first aircraft (FH). 1948 - USS Putnum (DD-757) evacuates U.N. team from Haifa, Israel and becomes first U.S. Navy ship to fly the U.N. flag. 1958 - USS Nautilus (SSN-571) departs Pearl Harbor for first submerged transit of North Pole. 1993 - Sarah Deal becomes first woman Marine selected for naval aviation training. For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.

Today in U.S. Naval History - May 5 1944 - USS Comfort is commissioned in San Pedro, Calif.; first ship to be manned jointly by Army and Navy personnel 1948 - VF-17A becomes first carrier qualified jet squadron (USS Saipan) 1961 - Cdr. Alan Shepard Jr. makes first U.S. manned space flight. Flight of Freedom 7 (Mercury 3) which lasted 15 minutes and 28 seconds reached the altitude of 116.5 statute miles with a velocity of 5,134 mph. Recovery was by HUS1 helicopter of HMR(L)-262 from USS Lake Champlain(CVS-39). 1980 - USS Robert E. Peary rescues 440 Vietnamese refugees from disabled craft south of Thailand For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.

Today in U.S. Naval History - April 8 1925 - First planned night landings on a carrier, USS Langley, by VF-1 1950 - Unarmed Navy patrol aircraft shot down over Baltic Sea by USSR 1951 - First of four detonations, Operation Greenhouse nuclear test For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.

Today in U.S. Naval History - March 10 1783 - USS Alliance (Capt. John Barry) defeats HMS Sybil in final naval action of Revolution in West Indies waters 1933 - Pacific Fleet provides assistance after earthquake at Long Beach, Calif. 1945 - Navy and civilian nurses interned at Los Banos, Philippines flown back to U.S. Navy nurses awarded Bronze Star. 1948 - First use of jets assigned to operational squadron (VF-5A) on board a carrier (Boxer) For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.

Today in U.S. 1775 - Commodore Esek Hopkins appointed to Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy. 1915 - In AB-2 flying boat, L.Cdr. Henry C. Mustin makes first underway catapult launch from a ship, USS North Carolina, at Pensacola Bay, Fla. 1917 - German submarine torpedoes USS Alcedo off French coast. 1923 - Tests designed to prove the feasibility of launching a small seaplane from a submarine occur at Hampton Roads Naval Base. A Martin MS-1, stored disassembled in a tank on board USS S-1, was removed and assembled.

Today in U.S. 1941 - German submarine U-552 sinks USS Reuben James (DD- 245), which was escorting Convoy HX 156, with loss of 115 lives. First U.S. ship lost to enemy action in World War II. 1943 - Lt. Hugh D. O'Neill of VF(N)-75 destroys a Japanese aircraft during night attack off Vella Lavella in first kill by a radar-equipped night fighter of the Pacific Fleet. 1956 - Navy men land in R4D Skytrain on the ice at the South Pole. R.Adm. George Dufek, Capt. Douglas Cordiner, Capt. William Hawkes, Lt.Cdr. Conrad Shinn, Lt. John Swadener, AD2 J. P. Strider and AD2 William Cumbie are the first men to stand on the South Pole since Captain Robert F. Scott in 1912. 1956 - USS Burdo (APD-133) and USS Harlan R.

GE’s Global Offshore and Marine business powers and propels ships, keeping them in position at the touch of button. The Korean naval, offshore and merchant, shipbuilding industry, one of the largest and most important in the world, has long since recognized the benefit that GE’s experience and technology can deliver—partnering together for 30 years. That is why Kormarine 2013 is one of the key events where GE will showcase its latest advancements in diesel engines, gas turbines and dynamic positioning solutions, all designed to deliver reliability, fuel efficiency, lower maintenance and life cycle costs. SB Ahn, GE’s Global Offshore and Marine leader said, “GE provides solutions that affect vessels and marine installations from stem to stern and from ocean to sea bed.

Today in U.S. Naval history - August 19 1812 - USS Constitution captures HMS Guerriere. 1812- Devastating hurricane struck the Navy's New Orleans station, delaying military preparations in the War of 1812 1818 - Captain James Biddle takes possession of Oregon Territory for U.S. 1967 - Operation Coronado IV begins in Mekong Delta 1981 - Two VF-41 aircraft from USS Nimitz shoot down two Libyan aircraft which fired on them over international waters For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.

Today in U.S. 1815 - Capt. Stephen Decatur concludes treaty for U.S. 1842 - Signing of Webster-Ashburton Treaty under which U.S. and Great Britain agreed to cooperate in suppressing the slave trade. 1865 - Return of Naval Academy to Annapolis after four years at Newport, R.I. 1945 - Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan. Navy weaponeer arms the atomic bomb. 1949 - First use of pilot-ejection seat for emergency escape in U.S. made by LT Jack I. Fruin of VF-171 near Walterboro, S.C.

GE’s Power Conversion business unveiled a new power and propulsion system at OTC that they say reduces fuel consumption by controlling engine speed on platform support vessels. The Variable Frequency Active Front-End power and propulsion system, or VF-AFE, enables ship owners using conventional power system components to lower engine speeds when feasible, cut fuel consumption and reduce emissions and maintenance requirements, the manufacturer claims. “We are increasing efficiency of existing technology for the benefit of our customers,” says Paul English, marine leader of GE Power Conversion.

Today in U.S. Naval History - July 3 1898 - At Battle of Santiago, Cuba, RADM Sampson's squadron destroys Spanish fleet 1950 - USS Valley Forge and HMS Triumph participate in first carrier action of Korean Conflict. VF-51 aircraft (Valley Forge) shoot down two North Korean aircraft. The action is first combat test of F9F Panther and AD Skyraider. For more information about naval history, visit the Naval Historical Center website at history.navy.mil.

Ask any Mariner, weathering a storm is hair raising. Weathering the perfect storm literally leaves fingernail marks deep in the leather of a captain’s chair. The making of today’s perfect storms results from a combination of the industries financial restraints and environmental responsibility coupled with the need to go further, deeper, faster in ever more challenging environments. Ship’s crews, captains, owners and operators weather these risks every day. GE Power Conversion experts and technologies are providing robust solutions to face the planet’s toughest challenges. According to the company, they do this by understanding the operational environments their customers are at work in. Moreover, GE Power Conversion knows ships.

Trelleborg released a whitepaper, webinar, short film and specification tool that highlight and explain the importance of understanding rubber compound composition when selecting marine fender systems. The resources discuss the properties of superior rubber compounds and the use of rubber compound composition to optimize fender performance. They also detail a new test method available to help specifies determine the formulation of the fenders they procure. Richard Hepworth, President of Trelleborg Marine Systems…

Today in U.S. 1947 - First Navy all jet squadron (VF-17A) receives its first aircraft (FH). 1948 - USS Putnum (DD-757) evacuates U.N. team from Haifa, Israel and becomes first U.S. Navy ship to fly the U.N. flag. 1958 - USS Nautilus (SSN-571) departs Pearl Harbor for first submerged transit of North Pole. 1993 - Sarah Deal becomes first woman Marine selected for naval aviation training. For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.