LOS ANGELES, Sept. 4, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) facilities along the Gulf Coast are undergoing a significant recovery effort across all of its shipyards this weekend. More than 700 Northrop Grumman Ship Systems sector shipbuilders have responded to the call to clean up and bring the shipyards back to production.
Corporate Vice President and Ship Systems President Philip Teel toured the facilities in Pascagoula and Gulfport, Miss., on Friday, supervising recovery operations, and then flew to the New Orleans facility yesterday to assess recovery efforts at the shipyard there. "I am so proud of our shipbuilders and their sacrifices in the midst of this unprecedented national crisis," said Teel. "This is like a city coming back to life."
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"This morning, we have transferred the Pascagoula shipyard command center from the U.S. Navy's guided missile destroyer Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) to our headquarters administration building, which is a striking indication of how far the recovery effort has come," Teel continued. "We are greatly appreciative of the Navy's active support of our recovery efforts."
A number of major shipyard assets, such as cranes and most fabrication facilities at all the Ship Systems sector facilities, appear to have survived the hurricane, and are being brought back to an operational status. An increased number of workers have reported to the Pascagoula facility to assist with clean up, damage assessment, and recovery operations, while workers at the Gulfport facility continue the effort to restore operations.
More than 16,000 gallons of much needed fuel were transferred Friday from the Chevron refinery in Pascagoula to its industrial neighbor, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, to fuel the increasing fleet of rolling stock (trucks and heavy lifting equipment). As of this weekend, virtually all of the critical rolling stock had been recovered and restored to operational status.
The Navy continues to provide extraordinary support to Northrop Grumman by offering facilities, communications, and accommodations aboard its ships at Pascagoula facility to assist in the restoration of shipyard operations. In addition to providing the temporary operations center aboard the Forrest Sherman, the Navy is also assisting with communications at the shipyards and is transporting critically needed fuel-pumping trucks from its Newport News facilities.
Initial inspections at the company's Pascagoula shipyard dry-dock facilities indicated no major damage. Divers are conducting more detailed inspections this weekend. Crucial production and fabrication facilities at the shipyard were cleared and are ready to receive power.
Critical materials continue to arrive at the Pascagoula shipyard from the company's Newport News sector, including trucks and heavy lifting equipment, generators, food and water. These materials are playing a pivotal role in accelerating the operational start-up schedule for the Pascagoula shipyard.
The company's New Orleans shipyard has made significant progress this weekend and is making final preparations to receive power by repairing several power towers. A convoy of trucks arrived at the shipyard Saturday from Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector facilities in Lake Charles, La. bringing much needed fuel, water and food.
The company's Gulfport Center for Composite Excellence is in better condition than originally expected given the force of Hurricane Katrina. Damage assessments and clean-up efforts continue this weekend. In addition, regional search-and-rescue teams are operating from the Gulfport facility.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense company headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif. Northrop Grumman provides technologically advanced, innovative products, services and solutions in systems integration, defense electronics, information technology, advanced aircraft, shipbuilding and space technology. With more than 125,000 employees, and operations in all 50 states and 25 countries, Northrop Grumman serves U.S. and international military, government and commercial customers.
