November 2, 2009 USS New York sails up Hudson River Play video

(NECN/WABC: New York, NY) - The USS New York, a Navy assault ship which was built with steel from the fallen World Trade Center and is named in honor of the city and state that were home to the twin towers is making its inaugural visit there.

The $1 billion ship sailed up the Hudson River Monday morning.

It was built in Louisiana with about 7.5 tons of World Trade Center steel melted down and used in the bow.

The ship is 684 feet long and can carry as many as 800 Marines while its flight deck can handle helicopters and the MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.

The ship is scheduled to stop when it nears ground zero, where first responders, families of September 11th victims, and the public, have been invited to watch a 21-gun salute.

Then the USS New York is expected to sail upriver to the George Washington Bridge, where it will turn around and head south to Pier 88, where it will dock.

An official commissioning ceremony is scheduled for Saturday (11/7). The New York will remain in the city through Veteran's Day and then head to Norfolk, Va., for about a year of crew training and exercises.

It was scheduled to be built before the terrorist attacks.

About a year later, the announcement came that the ship would bear the name New York to honor the city, state, and those who died.