June 2009 - Alabama State Port Authority

Austal Continues
INDEPENDENCE
Testing
The INDEPENDENCE is moored at Austal USA, Mobile, Ala., and will complete outfitting, test
and system activation activities in preparation for upcoming sea trials.
Port Authority Welcomes
Captain Terry Gilbreath
as New Harbor Master
Capt. Terry Gilbreath is taking his place as the harbor master
at the Port of Mobile. He replaces Capt. Dave Carey, who
retired in January 2009 after more than 18 years of service.
Mobile is a familiar surrounding for Gilbreath. In his more than
25-year career with the United States Coast Guard, he was
twice stationed in the Port City.
With his background as a marine safety expert and having
served as Captain of the Port in two different ports, Gilbreath
brings a wealth of experience to the position of harbor master.
However, he’s quick to note that he has big shoes to fill.
Austal USA has successfully completed main engine light
off of the two propulsion diesel engines and the two gas
turbine engines on the INDEPENDENCE. The light off of
the main engines follows the fuel load and the testing of all
four generators.
The diesels are considered the highest power high-speed
diesel engines in the world. Austal has installed a total of
twenty-four MTU 8000 Series diesel engines on six Austal
vessels over the past four years.
The GE LM2500 gas turbines each are the standard workhorse
engines installed in almost all the U.S. Navy surface
combatant ships. More than 750 of these gas turbines power
the Navy’s fleet of surface combatants. The LM2500 marine
gas turbine is GE’s most widely applied gas turbine. It powers
more than 400 ships in 30 world navies, fast ferries, coast
guard cutters, supply ships and cruise ships. No stranger to
these engines, Austal installed them in a fast vehicle ferry
operating in Denmark.
INDEPENDENCE will be moored alongside the Austal USA
facility while the activation and testing of combat and other
onboard systems continues. Sea trials are expected to commence
this summer with delivery planned for later in the year.
In reaction to the success of this important event leading up
to LCS 2 sea trials, Joe Rella, president and COO of Austal
USA commented, “Austal USA continues to establish its
rightful place as one of the world’s premium shipbuilders. The
successful achievement of this major milestone is another example
of Austal’s commitment to the LCS program’s goal of
completing sea trials and delivering the LCS 2 to the Navy as
quickly as possible.”
“Capt. Carey has 18 years of knowledge of this port,” Gilbreath
said. “I’ve got to come up to speed on everything he
knows. I’m learning the port personnel, partners and the people
at the docks. It’s a challenge to absorb as much information
as possible.”
One of the chief responsibilities in his new role as harbor
master is a general awareness of what is taking place at the
Port of Mobile. This includes incoming and outgoing ship
traffic, which vessel is at what dock, channel depth and pier
facing conditions, and the overall condition of the port’s facilities.
Gilbreath also communicates working port efforts to the
U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as
well as other state and federal agencies. These collaborative
efforts allow for more efficient services and exchanges
of information.
The Port of Mobile’s two contract harbor pilots also report
to the harbor master on the movement of vessels around the
harbor. Additionally, he works closely with Alabama State
Port Authority operations staff to coordinate traffic through
the public terminals.
Gilbreath brings a broad range of experience to his new role at
the Port of Mobile. He served as Captain of the Port in Louisville,
Ky., regulating primarily the inland “brown water” industry.
He held the same position in Morgan City, La., regulating the
coastal oil supply and tanker industry. With that mix, he feels
he offers inland, offshore and deep draft experience, as well as
a strong knowledge of the regulatory side of the industry. He
served as the officer in charge of marine inspection and the
federal maritime security coordinator in both locations.
New Harbor Master Terry Gilbreath
Early in his Coast Guard career, Gilbreath served with the
Chief Marine Safety Strategic Planning Division at the Coast
Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. During that time,
he developed and maintained the Marine Safety Strategic
Business Plan, which was selected as a pilot project for the
Government Performance and Results Act for measurement.
In addition to his strong regulatory background as a marine
safety expert, Gilbreath served four years afloat on two different
Coast Guard cutters focusing his efforts on law enforcement,
migrant interdiction, and search and rescue. His ships
were based in Gulfport, Miss., and Miami Beach, Fla., with
extensive operational experience in the Gulf of Mexico and
Caribbean Sea.
The Port of Mobile and the maritime industry has changed
a great deal since the last time Gilbreath was stationed in
Mobile during his Coast Guard tour from 1999 to 2002. Gilbreath
served as acting Captain of the Port in Mobile during
the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The events of 9/11 provided
Gilbreath with insight and experience in Incident Command
structures, which provides for coordinated communications
and emergency response amongst all jurisdictional agencies
during a security or emergency incident. These insights will
prove invaluable as the harbor master serves on the Port of
Mobile’s Area Maritime Security Committee and as one of the
Authority’s Facility Security Officers.
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