Preparations are underway for Saturday’s christening and launch ceremony for the Palmetto State — the last vessel under construction as part of an eight-ship ECO Class tanker program at General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, California.
The 53,700 dwt Palmetto State is also the fifth ECO Class tanker built for crude oil transporter American Petroleum Tankers (APT).
In September 2016, NASSCO held a keel-laying ceremony for Palmetto State.
In May 2013 and June 2014, NASSCO inked deals with an affiliate of APT for the design and construction of a total of five 50,000 deadweight ton LNG-conversion-ready product carriers with a 330,000 barrel cargo capacity.
The first four tankers including the Lone Star State , the Magnolia State , the Garden State and the Bay State were delivered earlier and are already in service.