Our History
Established 1929
Gibbs & Cox, Inc. was founded in 1929 in New York, NY, a successor to Gibbs Brothers, Inc., (Which was formed in 1922), with the addition of Daniel H. Cox (also of Cox & Stevens, Inc.), a noted yacht designer of the era. Since then, Gibbs & Cox, Inc. has continuously provided services to the U.S. and international navies, other government agencies, shipyards, and commercial clients.
Over our century-long history, more than 7,000 naval and commercial vessels have been built to Gibbs & Cox, Inc. designs. Since 1933, the firm has designed every class of destroyers fielded for the U.S. Navy, with the exception of the DD 963 and DDG 1000 classes.
Our recent surface combatant designs include the FFG 62 CONSTELLATION class frigates (adapted from the Fincantieri FREMM frigate for Fincantieri Marinette Marine), the US Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter (for Bollinger Shipyards), LCS 1 FREEDOM variant Littoral Combat Ship (for Lockheed Martin), the DDG 51 class AEGIS Destroyers (for Bath Iron Works), and the FFG 7 class Frigates for the US Navy).
World War II support effort
During World War II, Gibbs & Cox was a leader in the shaping of the U.S. maritime forces. Over 5,400 ships were built to Gibbs & Cox, Inc. designs during the War. These included destroyers, destroyer escorts, light cruisers, landing ships and amphibious assault vessels, minesweepers, icebreakers, tankers and tenders.
Gibbs & Cox also designed the famous, standardized cargo-carrying Liberty ships of World War II and was instrumental in the implementation of modular construction, centralized material and equipment procurement, and design-for-production features that are the foundation of cost-effective shipbuilding today.
The firm developed and implemented many improvements in ship design and construction based on fleet feedback, constantly improving the designs of surface combatants and other ships throughout the war. Beyond the design work supporting the war effort, Gibbs & Cox was responsible for the central procurement of all materials and equipment. At its peak, the firm issued 10,000 blueprints a day, representing 26 acres of blueprints per month, and 6,700 purchase orders per day, representing contracts for about $1M worth of materials per day.
Following the war
Since establishing a close working relationship with the U.S. Government during World War II, Gibbs & Cox, Inc. has maintained a strong role as a direct provider of professional services.
This includes engineering and design services and acquisition program support services on a broad range of government programs such as U.S. Navy New Construction and Upgrade Programs, Naval Systems and Technologies, Military Sealift Command Programs, Missile Defense Agency Programs, Army Programs, and Coast Guard Programs.
SS United States
The firm’s signature ship is the oceangoing passenger superliner SS UNITED STATES. The SS UNITED STATES was the largest and fastest passenger vessel ever constructed in the US when completed in 1952, and is considered to be the greatest American ocean liner ever built.
The SS UNITED STATES was designed to be rapidly converted from a luxury liner to a high-speed troop transport (for up to 15,000 troops) or hospital ship in wartime, and incorporated many of the advanced fire protection and ship survivability design features developed from the firm’s warship design experience.
The SS UNITED STATES established the transatlantic speed record on her maiden voyage, averaging 35.6 knots in its crossing, winning the Hales Trophy and coveted Blue Riband for the fastest crossing. The ship remained in operation until 1969.
International relationships
Frequently, our US Government projects have led to international projects, as the ships or their designs are approved for export to our allies around the globe. Examples include the FFG 7 transfers to and variants developed for Australia, Bahrain, Egypt, Pakistan, Poland, Spain, Taiwan, and Turkey; and our early design work for the Royal Australian Navy’s Air Warfare Destroyer (a derivative of the DDG 51 design).
Today, Gibbs & Cox, Inc. continues to support international clients through the U.S. Navy’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, as well as through direct commercial sales. Through FMS, the firm has developed design changes for incorporating upgraded combat capabilities on the Taiwan Navy PFG 2 class and ex-KIDD class destroyers and is providing in-yard design and engineering support during the installation.
Also under the FMS program, the company has also been supporting programs to assist the Egyptian Navy with upgrades to their Frigates as well as other naval vessels. Under direct commercial sales, Gibbs & Cox is supporting Irving Shipyards and the Royal Canadian Navy on the early stages of the Canadian Surface Combatant Program.
Breadth of work – government, commercial and recreational
Over our century-long history, more than 7,000 naval and commercial vessels have been built to Gibbs & Cox, Inc. designs. Since 1933, the firm has designed every class of destroyers fielded for the U.S. Navy, with the exception of the DD 963 and DDG 1000 classes.
Our recent surface combatant designs include the FFG 62 CONSTELLATION class frigates (adapted from the Fincantieri FREMM frigate for Fincantieri Marinette Marine), the US Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter (for Bollinger Shipyards), LCS 1 FREEDOM variant Littoral Combat Ship (for Lockheed Martin), the DDG 51 class AEGIS Destroyers (for Bath Iron Works), and the FFG 7 class Frigates for the US Navy).
Today, there are approximately 180 ships in service or under construction/contract worldwide based on Gibbs & Cox, Inc. designs. Nearly 70% of the current U.S. Navy’s surface combatant fleet, and over 40% of the entire U.S. Navy’s Active In-Commission surface ships in the fleet are built to our designs. Gibbs & Cox, Inc. continues to work with Industry and Government clients to identify and advance current and future ship design, ship systems development and modernization opportunities worldwide.
The evolution of engineering and design through the years
Throughout our entire history, Gibbs & Cox has stayed at the forefront of technological applications related to the design and engineering of marine vessels. Gibbs & Cox has seen ship design evolve in terms of hydrodynamic efficiency, powering & propulsion, systems and whole-vessel architecture, and technological advancements across all ship systems.
Similarly, the tools used to develop these systems have evolved, with hand calculation, drawing, and modelling being replaced by far more powerful and efficient computer applications. The Naval Sea Systems Command hosts an interesting webpage displaying some of the amazing hand-made models that were produced by Gibbs & Cox prior to the digital age.
Donald L. Blount and Associates, Inc.
In December of 2015, Gibbs & Cox acquired the renowned Naval Architecture & Naval Engineering firm of Donald L. Blount and Associates, Inc. (DLBA). DLBA was established in 1988, and specializes in the full design, construction management, testing and service life support of motor yachts, commercial, military and paramilitary vessels, technology demonstrators, prototypes and recreational vessels.
DLBA also directs research programs to develop and/or extend technologies that advance maritime applications. DLBA is deeply rooted in development and initial applications of emerging technology focused on operational requirements of high-performance craft in open ocean environments, coastal and inland waters.
The addition of DLBA augments our portfolio of services offered to include a broader range of commercial shipbuilding and yacht design and engineering support services.
Gibbs & Cox Australia
In Australia, Gibbs & Cox has been supporting the RAN for over 60 years. We have been involved in every surface combatant program of the RAN since designing the USN Charles F. Adams / RAN Brisbane class DDGs in the 1960s. In 2017, Gibbs & Cox establishing Gibbs & Cox Australia (GCA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Gibbs & Cox as a permanent Australian business. Headquartered in Canberra, ACT, GCA is conveniently collocated with our primary government customers.
Today GCA has four principal teams operating across technical advisory services, nuclear submarine engineering and infrastructure, sustainment & shipbuilding operations, and maritime autonomous systems.
Our clients include Department of Defence major naval projects, other Defence teams, Australian government civil operators, and corporate clients. GCA’s specialty engineering and program management support to our clients is characterised by a focus on knowledge transfer that supports the upskilling and development of our clients’ workforce.
