Cutter James News

The crew of the US Coast Guard Cutter James Rankin has finished replacing the summer buoys with seasonal winter buoys on the Chesapeake Bay, Md., Friday.Throughout the month of December the crew replaced 66 summer buoys and removed the Francis Scott Key buoy in preparation for the winter season. The seasonal buoys are kept in until late February or early March.Ice and snow have the potential to damage, displace and submerge the large summer buoys, which would leave the channel unmarked and could create a substantial hazard to mariners.

For the average person, tracking down a spare part is often merely an annoyance. But for the crew of a Coast Guard cutter, the availability of spare parts can be important to mission completion or greatly affect their work environment. The Coast Guard Research and Development Center in New London, Conn., is currently studying how the use of 3-D printing technology might improve mission readiness through logistical support. Now in the evaluation phase, 3-D printers are available…

U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft delivered the 2017 State of the Coast Guard Address at the National Press Club Thursday. This was Adm. Zukunft's third State of the Coast Guard Address and he emphasized the service as a unique instrument of national security. First and foremost an armed service, the Coast Guard is the only branch of the U.S. armed forces that has broad law enforcement authorities and a portfolio of more than 60 bi-lateral agreements that extend around the globe, Zukunft said.

The National Security Cutter James (WMSL 754) sailed away from Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division on Sunday, July 12, one month after being delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard, HII announced. The newbuild vessel James was commissioned on August 8 in Boston before heading to Charleston, S.C., where it will be stationed alongside Ingalls’ fourth NSC, Hamilton (WMSL 753). The shipbuilder has delivered five NSCs so far, with two more under construction. An additional construction contract for an eighth NSC was awarded to Ingalls earlier this year.

Fresh from commissioning festivities in Boston, Coast Guard’s newest National Security Cutter, James, made its first port call to Baltimore, Tuesday. Wednesday, Aug. 19 from 8 to 10 a.m.; 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (GPS unit: 920 S Broadway, Baltimore, Md. Cutter James was recently commissioned for operational service at Boston Aug. 8 and is making way to its inaugural homeport in Charleston scheduled to arrive Aug. 28. Its namesake links the next generation of men and women serving aboard to the renowned lifesavers of the past, most notably of Capt. Joshua James, a native of Hull, Massachusetts, who is credited with saving more than 600 lives during his time with the U.S.

The Coast Guard commissioned its newest National Security Cutter, the 418-foot Coast Guard Cutter James, Saturday during a ceremony at Coast Guard Base Boston. "Joshua James began his life-saving career at 15 and saved more than 600 lives," said Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft. During the ceremony, Zukunft, Charlene James Benoit, of Milford, Connecticut, the ship's sponsor and great-great niece of the ship's namesake, and James' commanding officer, Capt. Andrew J. Tiongson, a native of Somerville, ordered the ship to "come to life", officailly appointing James as an active cutter in the Coast Guard's fleet. James's crew will play a vital role in the Coast Guard's ability to secure our nation's maritime domain and borders…

The U.S. Coast Guard will officially debut its newest National Security Cutter (NSC), Coast Guard Cutter James (WMSL 754) during a ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 8 at Coast Guard Base Boston. Ahead of the commissioning ceremony, Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City coordinated a photo opportunity with the Coast Guard Cutter James and Coast Guard Barque Eagle while underway in the Atlantic Ocean. The new cutter is named for Capt. Joshua James, who is one of the most celebrated lifesavers in history.

The Coast Guard’s latest 418-foot National Security Cutter James (WSML 754) entered Boston Harbor August 3, 2015. The James is the fifth of eight planned National Security Cutters – the largest and most technologically advanced class of cutters in the Coast Guard’s fleet. The cutters’ design provides better sea-keeping, higher sustained transit speeds, greater endurance and range, and the ability to launch and recover small boats from astern, as well as aviation support facilities and a flight deck for helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) latest 418-foot National Security Cutter James (WSML 754) entered Boston Harbor August 3 ahead of her commissioning scheduled for August 8. James is the fifth of eight planned National Security Cutters – the largest and most technologically advanced class of cutters in the USCG fleet. A $482.8 million contract for James’ construction was awarded to Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division on September 9, 2011. James was launched on May 3, 2014 and christened August 16 of that year.

The National Security Cutter James (WMSL 754) sailed away from Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division on Sunday, July 12, one month after being delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard, HII announced. The newbuild vessel James will be commissioned on August 8 in Boston before heading to Charleston, S.C., where she will be stationed alongside Ingalls' fourth NSC, Hamilton (WMSL 753). "James is an excellent ship and another example of the outstanding work accomplished by our shipbuilders," said NSC Program Manager Derek Murphy.

The fifth National Security Cutter, James, completed builder’s trials in Pascagoula, Mississippi, marking the next step in preparing the cutter for delivery to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). "James’ successful completion of builder's trials means it’s one step closer to joining the Coast Guard fleet and executing some of  the most challenging maritime security missions facing our Nation. The men and women of Huntington Ingalls Industries and the Coast Guard Acquisitions Program should feel proud of getting James to this point in construction," said Capt.

Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division launched the U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter James (WMSL 754) on Saturday. James is the company's fifth NSC and is expected to deliver in 2015. "Our learning curve continues to improve in this program, and the hot production line certainly provides a foundation for this progress to continue," said Jim French, Ingalls' NSC program manager. "We are able to provide an affordable ship for our customer while providing a capable ship to the Coast Guard fleet.

Huntington Ingalls Industries' Ingalls Shipbuilding division received a $76.8 million fixed-price contract from the U.S. Coast Guard to purchase long-lead materials for Kimball (WMSL 756), the company's seventh National Security Cutter (NSC). Construction and delivery will be performed at the company's Pascagoula facility. "This advance procurement contract allows us to maintain production line and supplier base momentum while we prepare for the ship construction contract," said Jim French, Ingalls' NSC program manager.

Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division authenticated the keel of the company's fifth U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter, James (WMSL 754). "Our shipbuilders have done outstanding work to make us more efficient in building this ship, driving the cost down and becoming more competitive," said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Irwin F. Edenzon. "This not only positions us to continue all the way through the current build plan of eight ships, but we're going to see if we can get the Coast Guard interested in four more.

The Coast Guard Cutter James Rankin is scheduled to set the historic "Francis Scott Key" buoy off of Fort McHenry, Md., near the Key Bridge Monday, June 5, 2006. The buoy marks the spot where the ship carrying Francis Scott Key, the author of the Star Spangled Banner, was anchored during the bombardment of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812. Each year the buoy is set in the spring marking the historic location of the event and then removed in the fall. Park Rangers from Ft. McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine and members of the Dundalk-Patapsco Neck Historical Society and others will join the James Rankin wearing period uniforms and clothing, and provide a narrative of the events that occurred on that historic day.