Construction of the USNS Montford Point began in May 2011, incorporating a “design-build” approach to improve the ship’s readiness for production. The 785-foot-long auxiliary ship will serve as a floating base for amphibious operations, and operate as a transfer point between large ships and small landing craft.

“Congratulations to the NASSCO-Navy-MSC team and to the entire group who built this ship,” said Fred Harris, president of General Dynamics NASSCO. “The approach we have taken in building this first-of-class ship, with the requirements and planning complete and the material available at the start of construction, has resulted in the delivery of MLP-1 under budget and on schedule. This reflects NASSCO’s tradition of delivering high-quality, mission-ready ships.”

NASSCO is currently building the second ship of the class, MLP-2, scheduled for undocking in September and delivery in the first quarter of 2014. Construction of MLP-3, the third ship in the class, began in February.

More information about NASSCO, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD), can be found at www.nassco.com.

More information about General Dynamics is available at www.generaldynamics.com.

More than 1,000 people attended the Saturday morning christening ceremony at NASSCO’s San Diego shipyard. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus was the ceremony’s principal speaker. Alexis (Jackie) Bolden, wife of NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, served as the ship’s sponsor. She christened the ship by breaking the traditional bottle of champagne against the vessel’s hull.

“NASSCO delivers high-quality, mission-ready ships to the fleet and MLP 1 is no exception,” said Fred Harris, president of General Dynamics NASSCO. “NASSCO’s performance on the MLP program is a direct reflection of our design-build strategy. When MLP 1 construction began, 100 percent of the design was complete, nearly all the production planning was complete, and all the material to support production was in the pipeline. The result of this rigorous approach to shipbuilding is a high-quality, affordable vessel that was 91 percent complete at undocking and now more than 97 percent complete at christening. MLP 1 is on track to be delivered under budget and on-schedule.”

“Thanks to the efforts of the Navy and NASSCO team, the MLP Class provides a model for success. Industry and the Navy must continue to work hand-in-hand to seek low-cost, affordable solutions,” Harris said.

USNS Montford Point is the first ship of the Montford Point Class (T-MLP). MLP ships will serve as a floating base for amphibious operations, and operate as a transfer point between large ships and small landing craft. Following its at-sea testing phase, USNS Montford Point will be delivered to the Navy in the second quarter of 2013.

More information about NASSCO can be found at www.nassco.com.

“The award recognizes our responsibility to create a sustainable environment while promoting a vibrant economy,” said Secretary for Environmental Protection Matt Rodriquez. “These 17 public and private entities are showing us the way forward. Their unique approach shows how, given a challenge, California’s businesses, non-profit organizations and governments can rise to the occasion.”

Established in 1993, GEELA honors individuals, companies and organizations that make significant contributions to the state by developing environmentally friendly practices, while contributing to the local economy.

The 17 2012 winners will receive the award tonight, at a ceremony at the California Environmental Protection Agency in Sacramento.

The 2012 GEELA winners are:

Aquarium of the Pacific for adopting a master plan committing the institution to growth without increasing energy and potable water consumption. It became the first museum in the U.S. to earn the status of Climate Action Leader. Their building is the City of Long Beach’s first LEED platinum building, with solar panels that have reduced dependence on the electric grid by 14,000 kilowatt hours per year. Their landscaping and irrigation innovations have saved 550,000 gallons of water a year.

Joseph Gallo Farms for using biogas digesters that set a new industry standard and for their work to become the first large cheese plant to integrate green energy. The farm reclaims or reuses 100 percent of its effluent. The company has also reduced the need for 3,000 truck deliveries by pumping milk directly into the cheese plant, saving thousands of gallons of diesel fuel.

General Dynamics for reclaiming and recycling more than 78 percent of their waste in 2009, and for raising that figure to 981 percent in 2010.The current recycling rate is estimated at more than 90 percent. This accomplishment is due to the company’s on-site recycling center that uses a custom hopper, conveyor and compactor to improve waste segregation.

The City of San Diego for their work to become a leader in plug-in vehicle (PEV) infrastructure. It is the first city in the nation to support a fleet of all-electric shared vehicles that can be rented by the minute. It is also the administrative hub for the Clean Vehicle Rebate Program, the San Diego Regional Clean Fuels Coalition and is a member of the EV Project that focuses on EV readiness planning. The city’s goal is to hopes to reduce San Diego’s gasoline consumption by 50 percent before 2020 and 90 percent by 2035.

The County of Sonoma for being named the Bay Area’s “EV (Electric Vehicle) Ready Community” in 2011 and for setting a goal to have the first all-battery fleet of vehicles in the state. The Sonoma County Electric Trail is an EV charging network that promotes the use for plug in vehicles that will provide an EV infrastructure for all major county cities when complete.

The City of Richmond and transMETRO, Inc. for implementing the EasyGO program to enhance mobility options for low-income residents while reducing vehicle miles and mobile source emissions. The partnership offers a number of services for Richmond residents and addresses the community’s need for better access to environmentally friendly and low-cost transportation.

The University of California Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology for their work to become a world-class research facility focused on the responsible use and safe implementation of nanotechnology in the environment. The Center’s efforts have helped create a paradigm shift for investigating nanomaterial hazard and risk at a scale commensurate with the rate of new nanomaterial development.

Environmental Defense Fund for launching a non-profit revolving loan fund to give low-interest loans to fishermen and seafood businesses that implement sustainable fishing practices and innovative business models. Money from the loans is used to buy equipment or improve infrastructure that supports the catching, marketing or processing of eco-friendly seafood.

San Francisco Giants’ AT&T Park for diverting 2,947 tons of its waste from landfills. The diverted waste was composed or recycled. The park is the single largest contributor to the San Francisco Compost Program. The Giants organization (which includes AT&T Park) , in partnership with PG&E, became the first team to install a solar power system in its ballpark, a decision that generated enough energy to power 5,200 homes.

Mattole Restoration Council for their work to restore and conserve the Mattole River watershed. The Council’s Forest Futures Project applies long-term thinking to the future of the forests, and establishes a set of “light-touch” harvest methods that promote the development of older forests and are compatible with economically viable logging.

Ecology Action for their 40 years of work empowering individuals, businesses and communities to take actions that achieve environmental and economic sustainability. Their Right Lights Energy Efficiency Program assists small- and medium-sized businesses with energy efficiency upgrades and offers customers a free energy audit.

Wildwoods Foundation for providing innovative outdoor and nature-based programs to the communities of the greater Los Angeles region. Their Full Circle project helps students understand the importance of interdependence, diversity and sustainability. The program serves 350 students a year and allows students to create a web site that documents their exploration of the community surrounding their school.

Sapphos Environmental, Inc., a consulting company, for recently completing a major solar power conversion project that installed 506 photovoltaic panels on its building and parking lot. Staff members installed solar carports to test their ability to put into practice the kinds of technologies they recommend to clients. It uses its building as an example to clients in order to demonstrate pride in projects that have a minimal environmental footprint.

State of California, Department of General Services for recently completing a central utility plant in Sacramento that provides chilled water and steam to cool and heat 23 state-owned buildings. The project is an environmentally sustainable facility, is LEED Platinum certified, and saves an estimated $464,000 in electrical and $148,000 in gas costs each year.

Alameda-Contra Costa Transit for building the most comprehensive hydrogen fuel cell demonstration program in the country. Its zero-emission fuel cell cars and buses emit only water vapor from their tailpipes and have saved more than 68,000 gallons of diesel fuel. The system will install 400 kilowatt hours of solid fuel cells that will provide stationary power to its largest operating division, and has also installed 2,500 solar panels on its buildings, delivering a significant portion of the power needed to operate each facility during the day.

U.S. Navy Region Southwest for achieving an 81.5 percent diversion rate of its waste through its innovative and comprehensive recycling program. Its efforts have reused $1.2 million worth of office furniture and diverted 344 tons of waste from landfills. It recycled 343 obsolete rails cars from Seal Beach at no cost to taxpayers. Their model sustainability showroom showcases recycled furniture and office products that are both beautiful and functional.

County of Santa Cruz for achieving a 75-percent waste diversion rate in 2010 and is striving for a zero-waste goal. In the past year, the county has banned the sale of polystyrene foam, plastic bags at most retail establishments, passed an ordinance to properly recycle e-waste, grown a thriving green business program, and established comprehensive strategies to reduce waste. Local beach cleanup efforts have collected more than 900 pounds of trash and 4,000 pounds of recyclable material.

GEELA program recipients are selected by a large panel of evaluators including secretaries from the California Environmental Protection Agency, the California Natural Resources Agency, Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, the Department of Food and Agriculture, the State and Consumer Services Agency, the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, Health and Human Services Agency and the Governor’s Office.

Winners were evaluated in the following categories: Children’s Environmental Education, Climate Change, Comprehensive Land Use Planning, Ecosystem and Watershed Stewardship, Enhanced Environmental and Economic Partnerships, Environmental Justice, Green Chemistry, Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PEV) Readiness, Sustainable Practices or Facilities, Technological and Market Innovation, and Waste Reduction.

For more information about GEELA, visit http://www.calepa.ca.gov/Awards/GEELA/

“We are very excited to be engaged in another LNG project with TOTE,” said Fred Harris, president of General Dynamics NASSCO. “This project provides yet another sign that we are in the dawn of a new era of LNG propulsion. NASSCO will be a leader in the design, construction and conversion of ships to take advantage of the economic and environmental benefits of LNG.”

The TOTE conversion and new-construction projects validate NASSCO’s reputation as one of the nation’s leading shipyards for commercial and government new construction. The projects add to the engineering and construction capabilities the shipbuilder offers customers and leverages its design/procurement partnership with Daewoo Ship Engineering Company (DSEC), as well as its recent investments in people, facilities and equipment.

Conversion of these ships to LNG propulsion will significantly reduce or nearly eliminate the sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide (SOx, NOx, and CO2) and particulate matter from ship emissions when compared to traditional diesel fuel. In recent years, there have been large increases in the cost of diesel fuel as well as stricter emission regulations. These factors, along with the incredible environmental benefits made possible by this new technology, make LNG propulsion desirable for many new shipbuilding and conversion projects.

The 839 ft Orca Class ships, which operate between Tacoma, Wash., and Anchorage, Alaska, were designed and built by NASSCO. Both ships were delivered in 2003.

For more information about General Dynamics NASSCO, please visit www.nassco.com.

More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.generaldynamics.com.

MLP-2 keel laying ceremony honorees Mrs. Helen L. Toolan (left), wife of Lieutenant General John A. Toolan, Jr., and Ms. Lyn Glenn, daughter of John Herschel Glenn, Jr., (right). Click image for hi res version.

Glenn and Toolan validated the MLP ship’s keel by welding their initials onto a steel plate. The steel plate on which their initials are welded will be permanently affixed to the ship’s keel, remaining with the vessel throughout its time in service.

Delivery of the second MLP ship is scheduled for first quarter 2014. This second MLP ship will be named John Glenn, in honor of John Herschel Glenn, Jr., the former U.S. Marine Corps pilot, astronaut and U.S. senator. Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space.

“Laying the keel of this second Mobile Landing Platform and finishing construction of the first ship are the latest milestones in this successful shipbuilding program,” said Fred Harris, president of General Dynamics NASSCO. “These events serve as evidence of the NASSCO team building and delivering MLP ships efficiently, in support of U.S. Navy efforts to maintain a forward presence.”

The MLP is a flexible platform that will provide capability for large scale logistics movements such as the transfer of vehicles and equipment from sea to shore. It will significantly reduce dependency on foreign ports and provide support in the absence of any port, making it especially useful during disaster response and for supporting Marines once they are ashore. The MLP in its basic form possesses a core capability set that supports a vehicle staging area, sideport ramp, large mooring fenders and up to three landing craft air cushioned vessel (LCAC) lanes.

Additional information on General Dynamics NASSCO, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), can be found at www.nassco.com.

Artist’s rendering of new TOTE ships. Click image for hi res version.

The ships will be designed by DSEC, a subsidiary of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), located in Busan, South Korea. The design will be based on proven containership-design standards and will include DSME’s patented LNG fuel-gas system and a MAN ME-GI dual fuel slow speed engine. NASSCO has successfully partnered with DSEC previously for the design and construction of five State-class product tankers which currently operate in the U.S. Jones Act market. All of the containerships will be constructed at the NASSCO shipyard in San Diego.

“This project breaks new ground in green ship technology,” said Fred Harris, president of General Dynamics NASSCO. “It adds to our design and production capabilities and validates our reputation as one of the nation’s leading shipyards for commercial and government new-construction shipbuilding. Securing this contract has been a real team effort and will help sustain the jobs of the talented skilled tradesmen and women in our workforce.”

The vessels will operate on either fuel oil or gas derived from LNG, which will significantly decrease emissions while increasing fuel efficiency as compared to conventionally-powered ships. The LNG-powered containerships will also include a ballast water treatment system, making them the greenest ships of their size in the world. The double-hulled ships will operate between Jacksonville, Fla., and San Juan, P.R.

Anthony Chiarello, President and CEO of TOTE, Inc. said, “This investment demonstrates our commitment to the people of Puerto Rico and our environment. These vessels mark a new age of shipping using the best technology in the world.”

For more information about General Dynamics NASSCO, please visit www.nassco.com.

More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.generaldynamics.com.

USNS Montford Point (MLP-1) undocking at General Dynamics NASSO. Click on the image to access a high resolution version.

The MLP is a new class and type of auxiliary support ship, as part of the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Prepositioning Force of the Future (MPF-F) program. The ship will serve as a transfer station or floating pier at sea, improving the U.S. military’s ability to deliver equipment and cargo from ship to shore when land bases do not exist. It will provide capability for large scale logistics movements such as the transfer of vehicles and equipment from sea to shore.

Additional information on General Dynamics NASSCO, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD), can be found at www.nassco.com.

USNS Cesar Chavez is the fourteenth and final ship of the T-AKE class of dry cargo ammunition ships built by General Dynamics NASSCO for the U.S. Navy. NASSCO began constructing the 689-foot-long ship in October 2010, incorporating international marine technologies and commercial ship-design features, to minimize operating costs over its projected 40-year service life. With a 79.2-percent ship-over-ship learning curve, the T-AKE Program is among the most efficient shipbuilding programs in the United States.

“This is an exciting day for the American shipbuilding industry and the U.S. Navy, as T-AKE 14 joins a distinguished tradition of NASSCO-built ships supporting the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps,” said Fred Harris, president of General Dynamics NASSCO. “As demonstrated on our successful sea trials three weeks ago, the Cesar Chavez is ready for immediate service to our nation.”

T-AKE 14 is an extremely capable auxiliary ship that is equipped to fulfill a variety of U.S. Navy global combat logistics requirements. With a cargo capacity of more than 10,000 tons, the primary mission of USNS Cesar Chavez will be to deliver food, ammunition, fuel and other provisions from shore stations to combat ships at sea.

More information about NASSCO, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), can be found at www.nassco.com.

More information about General Dynamics is available online a at www.generaldynamics.com.

Click on image for hi res version.

The final block for the first MLP ship, comprised of the ship’s exhaust stacks and weighing 277 short tons, was lifted onboard via crane and installed on August 17. The final structural welds were completed August 31 and inspected by the American Bureau of Shipping and the Navy. Work is continuing on outfitting and painting the ship in preparation for a November 13 undocking.

“The MLP is the beneficiary of the ship-construction lessons learned during the successful T-AKE Program and a concerted ‘Design for Producibility’ effort,” said Fred Harris, president of General Dynamics NASSCO. “With this ship, we have further reduced construction time and applied improvements that have increased the efficiency of our workforce.”

NASSCO is the sole designer of the MLP ships and has construction contracts to build three. Once delivered to the fleet, MLP ships will join the Maritime Prepositioning Force squadrons that are strategically located around the world to enable rapid response in a crisis. These ships will provide a “pier at sea” that will become the core of the Navy/Marine Corps sea basing concept. This capability will allow prepositioning ships to offload equipment and supplies to the MLP for transfer to shore by other vessels.

Through the T-AKE Program, NASSCO has produced 14 “Lewis and Clark” class dry cargo/ammunition ships. Construction of the first ship began in 2003, and the final ship is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy later this year. These ships provide logistic lift from sources of supply, either in port or at sea, and transfer cargo that includes ammunition, food, fuel, repair parts, and expendable supplies and material to station ships and other naval warfare forces at sea.

Additional information about General Dynamics NASSCO, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), can be found at www.nassco.com.

Additional information about General Dynamics can be found at www.generaldynamics.com.

General Dynamics NASSCO received funding to begin modifications to USS Comstock (LSD 45) in April 2012 and began performing onboard renovation and modernization activities in May. Work under this new award, which covers inspection and testing of ship systems and components, will occur in San Diego through May 2013.

“This contract award highlights NASSCO’s ship-repair capabilities as a premier provider of maintenance services to the U.S. Navy,” said Fred Harris, president of General Dynamics NASSCO. “NASSCO is committed to delivering the same high-quality performance across the board, in new construction as well as ship repair activities, in San Diego, Norfolk and Portsmouth, Va., and Mayport, Fla.”

Additional information on General Dynamics NASSCO can be found at www.nassco.com.

More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.generaldynamics.com.