Austal USA Holds Keel-Laying for its First Offshore Patrol Cutter

On Monday, Austal USA laid the keel for the future USCGC Pickering, the first vessel for the yard's Offshore Patrol Cutter contract for the U.S. Coast Guard. The service has executed options for six hulls, and the contract provides for as many as 11 vessels.

The OPC will provide a replacement for the service's medium-endurance cutters (WMECs), many of which are well past their planned service lives. The new vessel class has been a long time coming, and Austal is the second yard to hold a contract under the program. The first yard recently suspended work on its contract and the future of its partially-completed hulls appears uncertain.

Austal's first OPC is named for Colonel Timothy Pickering, former secretary of state under President George Washington and namesake of the revenue cutter Pickering, a brig that was launched in 1798 and lost at sea in 1800. On Monday, descendant Dr. Meghan Pickering Seymour authenticated the future USCGC Pickering's keel in the traditional welding ceremony. Coast Guard acting commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday was on hand, along with Rep. Mike Ezell (R-MS) and local leaders.

"Meeting this important milestone for the Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Cutter program is a significant achievement that underscores our commitment to the on-time delivery of the cutters the USCG needs," said Austal USA President Michelle Kruger. "Today’s ceremony is representative of the hard work and dedication of our skilled workforce and the strength of the shipbuilding team of Austal USA, the Coast Guard and our suppliers."

Austal has already started production on the second of its OPCs, the future USCGC Icarus. The company says that it has improved the hull design compared to the original version, and that its block-building process allows a higher level of preassembly for block completion and faster overall production.