U.S. Navy’s USNS Maury completes acceptance trials

PASCAGOALA, Miss., Nov. 25 (UPI) — The U.S. Navy’s 7th Pathfinder-class ship, USNS Maury, completed its acceptance trials after a week of extensive testing.

USNS Maury, also identified as T-AGS 66, completed its final evaluation required for its delivery. The Acceptance Trials included testing on major propulsion, auxiliary, damage control and deck systems. Mike Kosar, the craft program manager for the Navy’s Program Executive Office Ships, said the vessel performed very well during the evaluation.

“The Navy-Industry team worked tirelessly to ensure the success of this event and we’re very proud of the ship’s performance,” Kosar said in a statement.

Pathfinder-class ships, also referred to as Oceanographic Survey Ships, are designed to provide the U.S. military with information on the ocean environment by performing biological, physical, and geophysical surveys. Built by Halter Marine Moss Point, MS, Pathfinder-class vessels are 328 feet in length, able to travel at a speed of 16 knots, and displace 4,762 tons at sea. USNS Maury is 24 feet longer than the previous T-AGS design, with a length of 353 feet.

T-AGS is named in honor of Commander Matthew Fontaine Maury, nicknamed “Pathfinder of the Seas” and the “Father of Modern Oceanography.” The vessel is scheduled for delivery in early 2016.