FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

CONTACT:

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., May 27, 1999 – Newport News Shipbuilding (NYSE: NNS) announced today that its final Double Eagle tanker, HMI Brenton Reef, returned to the shipyard today after completing successful sea trials that began Monday, May 24.

"We are extremely pleased with the sea trials for HMI Brenton Reef," said Newport News Shipbuilding’s Vice President of Engineering Bob Gunter, who oversaw the ship’s construction and sea trials. "The ship performed well throughout the trials and we expect an on-time delivery to the customer by the middle of the year," Gunter said. "The success of this sea trial is a tribute to the workmanship and teamwork of all those involved in the design, building and testing of this great ship."

Hvide Marine Incorporated Vice President of Engineering Tom Denning assisted with the sea trials and commented: "Hvide is very satisfied with the performance of the HMI Brenton Reef. It’s another good ship from Newport News and will make a wonderful addition to our fleet. We’re particularly impressed that even with the ongoing labor strike, the company was able to put the ship to sea on-time and in great shape, and will deliver her on-time."

Newport News Shipbuilding's Final Double Eagle on Sea Trials

Work performed during the trials included testing of the ship’s main engine, speed, maneuverability, anchor system, fire-fighting system and cargo system.

The 46,000-ton ship, the last in a series of double-hull tankers built by Newport News Shipbuilding for Hvide Marine Incorporated, will be christened in mid-June. The delivery of this ship will signal the completion of the company’s exit from the commercial shipbuilding business, announced in March 1998.

HMI Brenton Reef, a petro-chemical carrier, will be operated by Hvide Marine and marketed through Hvide’s Ocean Specialty Tankers Corporation subsidiary in Houston, Texas. The ship is capable of carrying a wide variety of chemical products in 14 specialty-coated tanks.

Newport News Shipbuilding designs and constructs nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines for the U.S. Navy and provides life-cycle services for ships in the Navy fleet. The company employs 18,000 people and has annual revenues of approximately $1.8 billion. Visit NNS on the Web at www.nns.com.

Hvide Marine Incorporated, based in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., is one of the world’s leading providers of marine support and transportation services, primarily to the energy and chemical industries. Visit HMI on the Web at www.hvide.com.