MOBILE, Ala. (NBC 15) — Austal USA hosted a keel laying ceremony today for the first U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Heritage-class Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) to be built at the company’s Mobile, Ala. ship manufacturing facility. Pickering (WMSM 919) is being built under a contract that includes up to 11 cutters and has a potential value of $3.3 billion. The Coast Guard has executed contract options for six of the 11 cutters to date.
Ship sponsor Dr. Meghan Pickering Seymour authenticated Pickering’s keel by welding her initials onto a keel plate in front of over a hundred distinguished guests including The Honorable Mike Ezell, House of Representatives Mississippi’s 4th District and Chair of House Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, Admiral Kevin Lunday, Commandant (acting) U.S. Coast Guard, as well as Mobile community leaders and members of the Austal USA and USCG shipbuilding team.
Dr. Seymour is the great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter of Colonel Timothy Pickering, the namesake of the first USCGC Cutter Pickering launched in 1798. She was assisted in welding her initials by one of Austal USA’s advanced welders, Mr. Ravi Khamsourin…