The US Navy's expeditionary fast transport vessel, Burlington, has successfully completed builder's trials.
The week of trials began dockside at the Austal USA Shipyard in Alabama. The ship engaged in pierside dock trials with the supervisor of Shipbuilding Gulf Coast working with the shipyard to demonstrate ship equipment and system operation including fire protection equipment.
The ship then spent two days performing various tests to demonstrate the ship's readiness, including calibration of communication and navigational systems, ship propulsion, ride control, and anchor handling.
Manoeuvrability trials tested the ship's four steerable water jets while a series of high-speed turns demonstrated the stability and agility of the EPF catamaran hull form.
The next step for Burlington will be acceptance trials, during which the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey will inspect and evaluate the ship to certify its readiness for delivery to the US Navy. Burlington is scheduled to begin acceptance trials in late July.
