PASCAGOULA, Miss., Nov. 3, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Huntington Ingalls Industries' (NYSE:HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division's fourth National Security Cutter, Hamilton (WMSL 753), sailed away from the shipyard on Saturday afternoon. The U.S. Coast Guard ship will be commissioned on Dec. 6 in Charleston, S.C.
"The U.S. Coast Guard is receiving our finest NSC to date," said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias. "We are performing well in this program, and we expect to continue improving our learning over the next four ships in the class. This program shows what can be accomplished with serial production in terms of affordability and quality. We wish Capt. Douglas Fears and his crew the best, and I congratulate our NSC team of shipbuilders on a job well done."
The ship was delivered to the Coast Guard on Sept. 15, 2014, and the crew of Hamilton officially took possession of the ship. At the end of the summer, Ingalls' test and trials team successfully completed acceptance trials on the ship by conducting extensive testing of the propulsion, anchor handling, steering and combat systems for the Board of Inspection and Survey.
Many shipbuilders gathered to watch Hamilton leave Pascagoula for her final sea voyage to her eventual homeport in Charleston.
Tugboats help the Ingalls-built U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutter Hamilton (WMSL 753) leave the dock on Saturday afternoon. The ship sailed away en route to her commissioning site and homeport in Charleston, S.C. Photo by Lance Davis
