Austal USA To Build New US Navy Steel Vessel

Shipbuilder Austal USA has been awarded a design contract to build a new ship for the U.S. Navy. The agreement, valued at $3.6 million, is for the functional design and construction of the new 80-meter (252.5 foot) Navajo-class Steel Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (T-ATS).

This follows recent news of Austral USA’s new steel manufacturing line to build steel ships for the Navy and Coast Guard in Mobile, Ala., expected to begin production next April. The company, best known for its construction of aluminum vessels, will utilize high-strength and corrosion-resistant steel plate to construct steel ships. Southern-based steel producers and plate suppliers stand to benefit from the Austal USA’s investment.

David Schollaert

David Schollaert is deputy editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. David joined SMU after more than a decade in the metals and mining industry in a myriad of different roles. Much of his early experience and expertise were within the coverage and analysis of steel-making raw materials and served previously as senior editor of the CRU Prices Service. Most recently, however, before his return to market analysis, David held roles as a metals buyer and an operations manager for raw material suppliers. He can be contacted at david@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-720-1008.