A christening ceremony for the Pathfinder-class oceanographic survey ship USNS Robert Ballard (T-AGS 67) was held at Bollinger Mississippi Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Miss., on Feb. 28.
The vessel is named in honor of Dr. Robert Ballard, a retired U.S. Navy commander, University of Rhode Island professor, and president and founder of the Ocean Exploration Trust. Dr. Ballard is best known for his 1985 discovery of the RMS Titanic, as well as landmark expeditions that located the USS Yorktown, USS Quincy, and President Kennedy's PT-109.
Barbara Earle Ballard, spouse of the vessel's namesake, served as the ship's sponsor, christening the USNS Robert Ballard by breaking a bottle of champagne across its bow.
"Today is a proud day for Bollinger Shipyards and the skilled men and women whose skill and dedication brought her to life," Ben Bordelon, president and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards, Lockport, La., said in a press release. "The USNS Robert Ballard will go to sea ready to do consequential work. She and her crew are tasked with understanding the undersea environment, supporting our fleet, and advancing the Navy's mission. It is only fitting that a United States Navy ship defined by capability, access, and awareness now carries Dr. Ballard's name and legacy into service."
The ceremony was attended by U.S. Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.; former Secretaries of the Navy The Honorable John Lehman and The Honorable Carlos Del Toro; Rear Adm. Benjamin Nicholson, commander, Military Sealift Command; Rear Adm. Erin Acosta, commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command; Rear Adm. Brian Metcalf, program executive officer, Ships; and Capt. Randy Slaff, supervisor of Shipbuilding Gulf Coast.
Scheduled for delivery in December 2026, the USNS Robert Ballard will be operated by Military Sealift Command to gather acoustical, biological, physical, and geophysical survey data for the U.S. military. It will be crewed by 28 civilians and 39 scientists.
The 350'x58' vessel is equipped with a moon pool for deploying and retrieving uncrewed vehicles. Pathfinder-class survey ships feature two multipurpose cranes, five winches, and oceanographic equipment including multibeam echo-sounders, towed sonars, and expendable sensors. The vessels carry two 34' hydrographic survey launches for data collection in coastal regions with depths between 10 and 600 meters and in deepwater to 4,000 meters. The launches are equipped with Kongsberg high-frequency active hull-mounted and side-scan sonars and use a small diesel engine for propulsion at towing speeds up to 6 knots.
The USNS Robert Ballard features diesel-electric propulsion with four main diesel generator sets. Two Siemens Energy 1DK1122-1NY08-0NA2 generators are each coupled with an EMD 8-710G7CT3 16-cylinder diesel engine rated at 3,600 bhp at 900 rpm. Two 1,440-kW KATO 8P7-2600 generators are each coupled with an EMD L8-710G7C 8-cylinder diesel engine rated at 1,800 bhp.
"Oceanographic survey ships are a strategic necessity," Bordelon said. "They help us understand the undersea environment, map what's unseen, and give our fleet the information it needs to operate with confidence and advantage. Every weld, every panel, every bolt on this ship reflects the Bollinger Standard, which is our unwavering commitment to American craftsmanship, American workers, and American strength."
Since Bollinger's acquisition of the Pascagoula facility in 2022, the shipyard has grown its Mississippi workforce by 61%, according to the company. The yard currently builds T-AGS and Auxiliary Personnel Lighter programs for the U.S. Navy, as well as the Polar Security Cutter for the U.S. Coast Guard.
