Austal USA has christened the first ship completed on its three-year-old steel production line.
The USNS Billy Frank Jr. is a Towing, Salvage and Rescue ship. In addition to the uses in the ship name, it can also be used for tasks such as oil spill response or humanitarian aid.
Billy Frank Jr., a member of the Nisqually Indian Tribe, served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the Korean War. Later he chaired the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. He was honored with the Common Cause Award for Human Rights Efforts, the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism, the American Indian Distinguished Service Award, the 2006 Wallace Stegner Award, the Washington State Environmental Excellence Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Peggen Frank, daughter-in-law of the ship’s namesake, broke the champagne bottle across the bow at the ceremony March 28.
“Austal USA is excited to christen our first steel ship today,” said Dave Growden, vice president of surface programs. “It’s an honor to participate in this ceremony alongside the ship sponsor, Ms. Frank, and the Native American tribes represented here today. I am proud to represent our talented workforce in celebrating this milestone accomplishment and we look forward to completing T-ATS 11 and delivering her to the Fleet.”
Including T-ATS 11, Austal has two T-ATS ships in progress and contracts for two more.
