Keel-laying ceremony at General Dynamics NASSCO - CBS News 8 - San Diego, CA News Station - KFMB Channel 8

SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - A keel-laying ceremony was held Friday for a new tanker ship at General Dynamics NASSCO.

San Diego's first lady Katherine Faulconer etched her initials into a steel plate that will be permanently attached to the ship.

The eco-designed tanker is the first of five tanker ships to be constructed locally for American petroleum tankers.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer says that the ship building industry is incredibly important to our local economy.

"One of our leading drivers in our maritime economy. These are thousands of San Diegans with good quality, high paying jobs, something I'm very, very proud of as mayor and working very hard to continue to grow the operations here," he said.

General Dynamics NASSCO employs nearly 3,800 San Diegans.