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On Saturday 25th March, General Dynamics NASSCO christened and launched into the San Diego Bay the Palmetto State.

The vessel is the last in an eight-ship 'Eco'-class tanker construction program for two separate customers, with three ships built for SEA-Vista LLC and five for American Petroleum Tankers (APT).

The last of the three SEA-Vista tankers, the Liberty, was launched earlier this month, whilst the Palmetto State is the fifth ship for APT - the other four vessels are the Lone Star State, Magnolia State, Garden State and Bay State.

The APT vessels were ordered back in May 2013 and June 2014, when NASSCO inked an agreement with an affiliate of APT for the design and construction of five 50,000-deadweight-tonne (dwt), LNG-conversion-ready product carriers with a 330,000-barrel cargo capacity.

The 610-foot-long tankers were designed by South Korea's Daewoo Ship Engineering Company (DSEC), a subsidiary of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME). DSEC's 'Eco' design is said to achieve improved fuel efficiency through several features, including a G-series MAN ME slow-speed main engine and an optimized hull form.

In a statement, NASSCO said: "A product of advanced technology, innovation, and strong manufacturing, the Palmetto State and her sister ships have earned the title as the most fuel-efficient tankers to service the Jones Act trade. With their sleek 'Eco' design, the tankers offer 33 percent increased fuel efficiency and cleaner shipping options."

Congresswoman Susan Davis served as the principal speaker for Saturday's event. As the ship's sponsor, Linda Rankine - wife of Bill Rankine, manager of marine chartering and operations for CITGO Petroleum Corporation - christened the ship with the traditional break of a champagne bottle on the ship's hull.

In the past decade, NASSCO says it has delivered 29 ocean-going ships to government and commercial customers - including the world's first LNG-powered containership, the Isla Bella, which was delivered to TOTE Maritime in October 2015.