CREWBOATS

Penguin Delivers its First FLEX‐38 Green Crewboat

Penguin Shipyard International (“PSI”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore‐based Penguin International Limited (“PIL”), has delivered its first Flex‐38 Green Crewboat, “Pelican Grace”, following a successful sea trial that saw the triple screw 38‐metre crewboat achieve cruising speeds of over 24 knots with a fuel consumption rate of only 510 litres per hour, which is substantially less than the fuel consumption of other mid‐sized, mechanically powered crewboats.   The Flex‐38 is a joint development by PSI, PIL’s offshore operating unit; Pelican Offshore Services (“POS”), which is also the vessel’s owner‐operator; and Moteurs Baudouin (“Baudouin”), an established marine engine maker based in Cassis, France. The new Flex‐38 hull form is a stretched, re‐engineered and optimised version of the Flex‐36, the industry‐leading multi‐role crewboat that has been a part of PSI’s internally funded evergreen production series since 2006. The Flex‐38 is the offshore industry’s first mechanically driven mid‐sized crewboat to be designed with fuel efficiency as the primary design driver. In addition to an optimised hull form and a re‐designed aerodynamic deck house, the Flex‐38 is also lighter and sleeker than its 36‐metre predecessor, and features ‐ for the first time on a crewboat – Baudouin 12M26.2 mechanical main engines.

C&G Yard Crowded with Crewboats

Pictured are Rigdon's Hammerhead and Alioth crew boats on the left and two Tidewater crewboats to the right. Following hard on the heels of the recently delivered M/V Gayla Graham, C&G Boat Works has multiple vessels in all stages of construction with still more on the order books. The firm’s 12-acre yard in Mobile, Ala., is packed with vessels. Four crewboats are currently lined up along the riverside in various states of completion with several more hulls coming together in the

Vessel Sales Arranged by Marcon

Marcon International has reported the following sales, all arranged by the company. C & C Boats of Southern California has sold crewboat Irene T II (57 x 17.5 ft., built 1970 by Halter Marine) to Anchorage Launch of Portland, Ore. Anchorage will employ the boat in its ship services business on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. C & C Boats has also purchased U.S. flag 120 x 24 ft. crewboat Miss Johnette, which was built 1988 by Breaux Bay Craft from Graham Offshore of Texas

VT Halter Appoints Laborde Board Director

VT Halter Marine, Inc. (VT Halter Marine), a subsidiary of VT Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), announced the appointment of Cliffe F. Laborde to its Board of Directors. Laborde is owner and co-manager of Laborde Marine Services, LLC and Laborde Brothers Crewboats, LLC. These companies own and operate platform supply vessels and crewboats that service the offshore energy sector. Laborde previously held the position of Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary to Tidewater, Inc

Thailand’s Marsun Shipbuilder Grows Their Crewboat

Thailand’s Marsun Co. Ltd. has built a number of in-house designed 118-ft crewboats. Earlier this year they launched a 131-ft version. Delivered in February the Uniexpress 18 went into service in the Gulf of Thailand for owner Uniwise Offshore Ltd. transporting up to 70 workers to and from oil rigs. In addition to personel, the boat can carry up to 50 tons of cargo on the 120 square-meter after deck. Tankage is provided for 50,000 liters of fuel and 20,000 liters of water.  

Thai Boats for Thai Waters

Marsun Company Limited has built a strong reputation in the building of GRP, steel and aluminum military, patrol and pleasure vessels. In 2004 they built a successful crewboat. More recently they have won a significant contract to build six 36 by 7.6-meter crewboats for operation in the Gulf of Thailand. By mid-January fabrication of the first two vessels was well underway for a scheduled September 2008 delivery. The balance of the order will follow in sets of two every three months.

Seacor Continues to Build Monohulls

In spite of the success of their catamaran crewboats, Seacor continues to build their conventional crewboats. 464, to be named Alice G. McCall, is currently building at Gulf Craft in Patterson . The Alice G. McCall is due for delivery in August of this year. The 190 x 34-ft. boat will be followed by two more conventional vessels in 2009 and 2010. The DP2 classed Alice G. McCall will be powered by five 1800 hp Cummins KTA50-M2 main engines for a total of 9000 hp

Steady Demand for 40m Crewboat

Strategic Marine’s Singapore branch is meeting a steady demand for its 40-m crewboat. With a beam of 7.5 m and a molded depth of 3.23 m, the aluminum vessels have a 2.3-m operating draft. Three heavy duty rated Cummins engines provide propulsion power – two KTA38 M3 wing engines each delivering 1350 at 1950 rpm and one KTA50 M2 center engine delivering 1800 hp at 1900 rpm. This combination gives the vessels a total of 4,500 hp that drive the boats at up to 28 knots with a 25-knot cruising speed

New Crewboat for Dubai Shipping Firm

In February Inchcape Shipping of Dubai took delivery of the 4,200-hp crewboat Inchcape – 20. At sea trials in Dubai anchorage the boat demonstrated speeds of 26.5 knots. Main engines are three Cummins KTA38 M2 engines each rated for 1,400 hp at 1,950 rpm. The engines turn into ZF 4540 reduction gears with 2.571:1 ratios and turning Teighnbridge 5-blade 43 x 52-in. fixed-pitch propellers. The 105-ton displacement vessel is 33.5-m long with a 6.7-m beam and a 3.5-m molded depth midships

Hvide Marine Sells Six Vessels to Tidewater

Hvide Marine Inc. signed an agreement in principle with Tidewater Inc. for the sale of six offshore support vessels for $22 million. The price includes the assumption by Tidewater of Hvide's remaining obligations for the cost of construction of three of the vessels that have not yet been delivered. The transaction, which has been approved by the Board of Directors of both companies, is subject to customary conditions, including the negotiation of definitive agreements