Bozinovic visited works on the USS “Mount Whitney”

Minister Bozinovic after the visit said that the works were carried out within deadlines and in an extremely high level of technical performance, and particularly noted that this was the first case where the command ship of the U.S. Navy was overhauled outside the United States. “Getting this job was a joint effort of state policy, which has succeeded in achieving the strategic goal of joining NATO, and “Viktor Lenac” Shipyard, which got a job in competition with several European shipyards”, Bozinovic said.

This work is important because it should represent the future of “Viktor Lenac” and the Croatian shipbuilding industry in general, adding that we must use the chance that came with NATO and the European Union membership and that “we have all the resources.” He pointed out that the synergy of a successful foreign and security policy at the state level and the restructuring of the shipyards and training to compete in the most demanding markets was the recipe for the success of Croatian industry. Minister Bozinovic said that we have a quality work force, that about 25 percent of employees in “Viktor Lenac” Shipyard was highly educated and have great scientific potential, which was recognized by the American partners. All works on the American warship has been carried out within deadlines and in an extremely high level of technical performance, adding that the commander of the ship said to him that in several instances he encountered such quality works for the first time. Bozinovic concluded that such activities should give the necessary “optimism at this time”, and this was the best proof that we can do it and that we are on the right track.

The ship commander, Navy Captain Ted Williams thanked the minister for the visit and expressed his satisfaction with the work on the ship, which have been of very good quality, and that the works have been done successfully. He pointed out that the crew was very pleased with the stay in Croatia and with shipyard.

U.S. warship “USS Mount Whitney” is one of two flagships of U.S. Navy, or Navy headquarters on the water. 195 feet long, 33 meters wide and with speed of 16 knots. It was launched in 1971, can spend at the sea 90 days and to evacuate 3000 people. Crew consists of 300 sailors and civilians.

Work on repairs and maintenance, worth $ 6.5 million, began in September this year, after the official visit of the Commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples and Commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Europe Samuel J. Lockear to the Ministry of Defence, when it was announced cooperation between the U.S. forces and “Victor Lenac”. The U.S. side back then expressed the hope that cooperation with “Viktor Lenac” would be a positive example for other Croatian shipyards for maintenance and repair of the U.S. vessels, and that it would enable training and technical cooperation between the 6^th fleet and the Croatian side.