Halter Marine in Moss Point christens Navy ship in honor of early oceanographer
SUBMITTED The USNS Maury is launched Wednesday at VT Halter Marine in Moss Point.
PASCAGOULA -- The great-grandson of a new U.S. Navy ship's 19th-century namesake spoke Wednesday at its christening.
The USNS Maury, a T-AGS 66, is named for Cmdr. Matthew Fontainer Maury, great-grandfather of George Werth, who along with his own great-grandchildren attended the ceremony at VT Halter Marine's Moss Point shipyard.
Maury, who was born in 1806 and died in 1873, was an astronomer, historian, oceanographer, meteorologist, cartographer, author, geologist and educator in the Navy. He is known as the "pathfinder of the seas" and the "father of modern oceanography," according to Halter Marine.
VT Halter Marine won an $87 million contract in December 2009 to build an enhanced version of the T-AGS 60-class oceanographic survey ship for the Navy.
Construction began in September 2010, the keel-laying ceremony was held in February 2011 and the ship is expected to be delivered in January.
About 250 people attended Wednesday's christening ceremony.
"We take great pride in our
build history with the T-AGS 60-class oceanographic vessels for the U.S.
Navy," Halter Marine CEO Bill Skinner said. "This vessel, the USNS
Maury, is an enhanced version of the prior T-AGS. We are very pleased to
host the christening ceremony for this impressive ship."The USNS Maury, a T-AGS 66, is named for Cmdr. Matthew Fontainer Maury, great-grandfather of George Werth, who along with his own great-grandchildren attended the ceremony at VT Halter Marine's Moss Point shipyard.
Maury, who was born in 1806 and died in 1873, was an astronomer, historian, oceanographer, meteorologist, cartographer, author, geologist and educator in the Navy. He is known as the "pathfinder of the seas" and the "father of modern oceanography," according to Halter Marine.
VT Halter Marine won an $87 million contract in December 2009 to build an enhanced version of the T-AGS 60-class oceanographic survey ship for the Navy.
Construction began in September 2010, the keel-laying ceremony was held in February 2011 and the ship is expected to be delivered in January.
About 250 people attended Wednesday's christening ceremony.
Other speakers at the ceremony were Rear Adm. Mark Buzby, commander of Military Sealift Command; Rear Adm. Jonathan White, a Navy oceanographer and navigator and director of Maritime Domain Awareness; and Rear Adm. David Lewis, program executive officer for ships; and U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo.
Other area government officials, crew members, shipbuilders and family members were in attendance. The Navy Band New Orleans performed.
The T-AGS 66 vessel is 24 feet longer than previous T-AGS 60 vessels and will accommodate a moon pool, which releases and retrieves underwater vehicles. The Maury is designed to perform acoustic, biological, physical and geophysical surveys of the ocean.
The Maury, 353 feet long with an overall beam of 58 feet, will be operating under the Military Sealift Command.
No comments:
Post a Comment