A new amphibious transport dock being built for the U.S. Navy has been christened the Portland by Huntington Ingalls Shipbuilding.

The Portland (LPD 27) is the 11th San Antonio-class vessel for the Navy, which are used to embark and land U.S. Marines and their equipment and supplies.

The vessels are 684 feet long and 105 feet wide.

"Marines love these ships," said U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Christopher Owens, director of the U.S. Navy's expeditionary warfare division, at the ceremony Saturday. "They are perhaps the most versatile ships in the fleet.

"And in this current era when the United States faces a variety of threats and potential crises across the globe, LPDs uniquely enable the Navy and Marine Corps team to adapt and respond to a full range of scenarios we might face."

Ingalls delivered to the Navy the tenth LPD, John P. Murtha, on May 13 and has received more than $300 million in advance procurement funding for the 12th ship in the class, the Fort Lauderdale.

"Portland is the 11th ship in the San Antonio class, and she is the best LPD to date," Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias said. "Working closely with our Navy partner, we continue to improve on each ship we build."

Sea trials begin for new Italian frigate
Rome (UPI) May 23, 2016 - The Italian navy's sixth FREMM-class frigate has left a Fincantieri shipyard to begin initial sea trials, the Italian navy says.

On board the ITS Luigi Rizzo is Vice-Adm. Donato Marzano, Italian navy logistic commander and chairman of the Naval Ship Acceptance Commission, navy test personnel and representatives from technical organizations involved in testing activities.

"This activity marks the beginning of the program of sea trials which will continue until the completion of the ship's outfitting phase," the Italian navy said. "The FREMM frigate is scheduled to be delivered to the Italian Navy in early 2017."

FREMM, or European Multimission Frigate, ships were designed for France and Italy by DCNS/Armaris and Fincantieri. They are between 466 feet and 474 feet long, depending on national requirement, have a speed of more than 27 knots, and a range of more than 6,000 nautical miles.