The last of eight ships in a class of tankers is scheduled to be launched at General Dynamics NASSCO Saturday night in an event that’s open to the public.
The 610-foot-long Palmetto State and its sister ships were designed to be 33 percent more fuel efficient than their predecessors, according to NASSCO. The vessel was also made in a way so that it can be easily converted to liquefied natural gas.
Rep. Susan Davis, D-San Diego, is scheduled to deliver the keynote address, and Linda Rankine, wife of the manager of marine chartering and operations for CITGO, will christen the ship with the traditional breaking of a champagne bottle on the hull.
Gates at the shipyard off Harbor Drive are scheduled to open to the public at 6:30 p.m. The previous ship in the class, the Liberty, was delivered to owner SEA-Vista LLC just over three weeks ago. The vessels are designed to sail routes between U.S. ports.
— City News Service
