USS US Shipping Partners

SAN DIEGO, July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD), today began construction of the third ship in its series of nine product carriers. The shipyard is scheduled to lay the ship's keel in November and deliver the ship to U.S. Shipping Partners (NYSE:USS) in the fourth quarter of 2009. In August 2006, General Dynamics NASSCO received a $1 billion contract from U.S. Shipping Partners to build the nine ships, which are designed to carry petroleum and chemical products in Jones Act trade between U.S. ports. The ships will be double-hulled, 183 meters (600.4 feet) in length and can carry cargo weighing up to 49,000 tons. U.S. Shipping Partners previously announced that the third ship will be named "Sunshine State," in honor of the state nickname of Florida. General Dynamics NASSCO employs approximately 4,700 people and is the only major ship construction and repair yard on the West Coast of the United States. In addition to the Product Carrier ship program, NASSCO is also building the Lewis and Clark-class of dry cargo-ammunition ships for the U.S. Navy. Additional information on NASSCO can be found at http://www.nassco.com/. General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 84,000 people worldwide and reported 2007 revenues of $27.2 billion. The company has leading market positions in mission critical information systems and technologies, land and amphibious combat systems, shipbuilding and marine systems, and business aviation. More information about the company is available on the Internet at http://www.generaldynamics.com/. DATASOURCE: General Dynamics NASSCO CONTACT: Karl D. Johnson of General Dynamics NASSCO, +1-619-544-8860, Cell, +1-619-756-5039, Web site: http://www.nassco.com/ http://www.generaldynamics.com/

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