Reporters with CAVASShips and USNI recently visited Ingalls as part of a five-day tour of 11 shipbuilding and ship repair yards across the Gulf Coast. They came to see the capacity, technology and innovation shaping the future of American shipbuilding.
And they left Ingalls impressed.
They saw 13 ships under construction, toured Bougainville (LHA 8) and George M. Neal (DDG 131), and walked the automated steel panel line to see how robotics, automation and new production methods are helping shipbuilders build at a high tempo.
Chris Servello of CAVASShips called Ingalls the “New York Yankees of shipbuilding,” highlighting the shipyard’s scale, coordination and consistent output.
“It's a very busy, highly organized shipyard,” Servello said. “There are a lot of things going on, but they're all moving in the same direction.”
Chris Cavas, also with the podcast, noted the difference he saw from his previous visits.
“It's really cooking,” Cavas said. “It's a very different shipyard than it was the last time I was here.”
Their observations came as reporters toured shipyards across the Gulf Coast, including Breaux Brothers Enterprises, HII’s partner in building the 151-foot Romulus unmanned surface vessel. The tour highlighted how partnerships between large and small shipyards are expanding the nation’s shipbuilding capacity through distributed shipbuilding.
Ingalls is leading that effort, sharing its expertise and capabilities while bringing more shipyards into the work of building for the Navy.
What reporters saw at Ingalls is a shipyard moving with purpose, investing in new ways to build, and setting the pace for an entire industry.
The critical work done by Ingalls shipbuilders does not go unnoticed.
It sets the standard.
It leads the way.
It builds for the warfighter.
Read more or listen to the full podcast here: Gulf Coast Shipbuilding Impressions | HII Newsroom