NEWPORT NEWS — Parallel parking a 100,000-ton aircraft carrier was only part of their job.
First, a small fleet of tugboat operators nudged the Gerald R Ford from Pier 3 at Newport News Shipbuilding into the James River — but not too far — then spun it 180 degrees.
The carefully choreographed move resulted in the forward part of the ship, or bow, facing land when it returned to the pier. It took less than 90 minutes, and the Navy’s newest aircraft carrier now looks poised to attack downtown Newport News.
In reality, the move was required to complete further tests on the first-in-class ship before it heads out for sea trials. Certain tests and outfitting need to happen over water, without obstructions from the pier. Flipping the ship resulted in the starboard side facing the water, which allows more work to be done.
In a larger sense, it is one more step toward a new generation of aircraft carrier.
“It’s a good signifying event that you’re nearing the end of the test program,” said Rolf Bartschi, Newport News Shipbuilding vice president of Gerald R. Ford construction.
Newport News Shipbuilding preformed a turn shift for the Gerald R. Ford “CVN 78” rotating the aircraft carrier 180 degrees and docking it back to the pier on Saturday, June 11, 2016.
The shipyard, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, is the sole builder of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers for the U.S. Navy, and an event like this doesn’t come along very often. The Ford hadn’t ventured out into the James River since 2013, after it was christened.
This was a relatively short trip, and it didn’t go very far — which was the plan. The weather, visibility, tides and river current had to be just right for the tugboats to do their job, said Capt. Tim Axsom, who was at the helm of the Capt. Ambrose, one of two shipyard-owned tugs in the mix. The other was the Huntington.
GoPro video as Newport News Shipbuilding preformed a turn shift for the Gerald R. Ford “CVN 78” rotating the aircraft carrier 180 degrees and docking it back to the pier on Saturday, June 11, 2016.
GoPro video as Newport News Shipbuilding preformed a turn shift for the Gerald R. Ford “CVN 78” rotating the aircraft carrier 180 degrees and docking it back to the pier on Saturday, June 11, 2016.
Tugboats from Moran Norfolk and McAllister Towing of Virginia were also on hand. In all, five tugboats kept the Ford on the straight and narrow. When it finally goes to sea, the $ 12.9 billion ship will rely on nuclear propulsion. But at the moment, it’s dead in the water — prone to drifting with the current and unable to stop on its own.
Axsom played a support role aboard the Capt. Ambrose, staying away from the action as five other tugboats pushed and pulled the ship into position.
The river was clear and there appeared to be plenty of room near Pier 3 for the Ford to maneuver. But that was deceiving.
Not all the area around the pier is dredged to carrier depth. And the ship could only venture into the James about the length of the carrier and a half, Axsom said. He pointed to a buoy in the river that marked the limit.
“That’s no man’s land,” he said.
To start the job, the Huntington served as the power tug, joined to the side of the …
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