GRAVOIS ALUMINUM BOATS
Metal Shark Awarded $192M Coast Guard Contract
Louisiana Manufacturer will Replace Coast Guard's Small Response Boat Fleet. Metal Shark Boats has been awarded a contract to replace the U.S. Coast Guard's fleet of Response Boat - Small (RB-S) vessels. Up to 470 boats will be delivered across the Coast Guard fleet, with an additional 20 boats will be available to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with another ten slated for purchase by the U.S. Navy. The $192 million contract is one of the largest boat buys of its kind for the Coast Guard, and provides a significant economic boost to the state of Louisiana. To better manage the increase in manufacturing requirements, Metal Shark plans to expand its 65,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Jeanerette while increasing its production team of skilled aluminum welders, rigging and electronics experts, and installation professionals from 80 to 120 employees over the next six months. A New Breed of Coastal Security Based on Metal Shark's exceptional Defiant platform, the 28-foot RB-S is powered by twin 225-horsepower (hp) Honda outboards for speeds exceeding 40 knots with a minimum range of 150 nautical miles. RB-S meets all Port Security Grant requirements and is ideally-suited for port and waterway enforcement, search and rescue operations, drug and coastal interdiction, environmental and other law enforcement missions
Feature: Aluminum Boats Prove Their Mettle
By John Simpson, Editor, Aluminum Now and Michael Skillingberg, VP, Technology, The Aluminum Association, Inc. Aluminum has been used in the marine industry for more than 100 years because of its light weight and ease of fabrication combined with good corrosion and fatigue resistance. However, for much of the past 30 years, fiberglass has been the material of choice of North American boatbuilders, particularly for higher-volume production lines
Chinook Aluminum Cruiser Delivered
The William E. Munson Company delivered a 32 ft. Chinook welded aluminum cruiser to Ed Robinson's Diving Adventures. Powered by twin Volvo KAD43 diesels, coupled to Volvo dual prop drive legs, the USCG certified 15-passenger dive boat has a top speed of 45 mph light and 40 mph fully loaded. Outfitting includes port and starboard side dive doors, large stern dive platform with two flip out dive ladders, aluminum tank rack for 30 dive bottles, tropical style open-backed wheelhouse with sunroof
Grandweld Shipyards Awarded Contract for Wesal Shipping
Grandweld Shipyards has been awarded a new contract to build 42M Aluminum Crew Boat for Wesal Shipping which was signed on the 9th October 2012. This contract follows the successful delivery of the 41M Aluminum Crew Boat which Grandweld delivered to Wesal Shipping early in October 2010. The 42M Aluminum Crew Boat is a heavily modified version of the 41M, and is designed to reach a speed in excess of 25 knots and includes luxury seating, accommodation for VIP guests
Kvichak Names Kirby as Proposal Manager
Kvichak Marine Industries in Seattle Washington announces the appointment of Kevin Kirby as their new proposal manager. Kevin has been with Kvichak for over 2 years as a project lead engineer. His most recent projects include the recently launched 67’ Connor Foss Pilot Boat, a 54’ hydrofoil catamaran, the 30’ Rapid Response Skimmers and the Bridge Erection Boat prototypes currently undergoing testing by the US Army
Grandweld Delivers Aluminum Crew Boat
Grandweld Shipyards delievered “Zamil 101” the first of three fast aluminum crew boats to Zamil Offshore. The vessel was part of a contract, which was signed in November 2011, to build and deliver three sister crew boats. The 33.5m fast crew boat is powered by 3 high speed diesel engines driving 3 fixed pitch propellers to produce a speed of 27 Knots. The vessel is designed and built according to the classification rules and requirements of Bureau Veritas for Aluminum vessels
Zamil Offshore Orders Crew Boats from Grandweld
In yet another sign that the offshore oil and gas business in the Middle East continues to grow at breakneck speed, Grandweld Shipyards won a contract to design, build, and deliver three 33.5M Fast Aluminum Crew Boats for Zamil Offshore. The contract was signed by Sufyan Al Zamil, President of Zamil Offshore (pictured left) and Jamal Abki, General Manager of Grandweld Shipyards. The 33.5M fast crew boats will be powered by 3 high speed diesel engines driving 3 fixed pitch propellers to
COVER STORY: The Best Kept Secret in Bellingham, No More
Larry Wieber's Aluminum Chambered Boats Inc. (ACB) has maintained a low profile during its first four years of operation. With a growing demand for security craft, and ACB's stellar performances in front of government buyers, his company's success is now Bellingham, Washington's worst kept secret. by Greg Trauthwein Personal sacrifice and pain often accompany success. Larry Wieber never knew the pain part would be literal, not figurative.
Conrad Aluminum to Deliver First Crew/Supply Boat
By Larry Pearson Conrad Industries, Morgan City, La. opened a crew/supply boat fabrication and repair facility in nearby Amelia, La. about a year ago. Since that time they have used their 330-ton Marine Travelift to haul out and repair various crew boats. "We do a lot of basic underwater repairs such as shafts, props and rudders, said Jerry Hoffpauir, general manager of Conrad Aluminum. The 16-acre facility sits on Route 90 in the heart of south Louisiana boat building country
Worskiff 23 Chosen for Laboratory
The Onondaga County Department of Drainage and Santiation recently chose an aluminum Workskiff 23 to house water sampling equipment on Lake Onondaga, near Syracuse, N.Y. The boat will be equipped with instruments and equipment for water sampling to monitor improvement in water quality. Sanitary Engineer Nicholas Capozza said the boat will be equipped with struts off the side with pulleys to handle water sampling gear, sampling gear
Monohull Crewboat Swissco Cheetah Delivered
Incat Crowther launched Swissco Cheetah, the first of a pair of 36-meter crewboats built by Cheoy Lee Shipyards of Hong Kong. Capable of carrying 50 tons of deck cargo, the 70-passenger vessel was delivered by Cheoy Lee’s Zhuhai shipyard to Singapore-based operator, Swissco Offshore.
TY Offshore Launches Eighth of Eighteen FMT Industries Barges
TY Offshore, LLC launched the FMT 3256, the eighth of eighteen 297’6” x 54’ x 12’, 30,000 barrel tank barges for FMT Industries, LLC, one of the several companies within the Florida Marine Group. FMT Industries recently exercised its option for four additional barges from
Coast Guard Patrols with New RB-S II Vessel
Most people who encounter the Coast Guard near shore will get a good look at a Response Boat-Small (RB-S). With more than 400 boats in operation, the RB-S is the largest vessel class in the Coast Guard’s fleet. The boats are in constant use
Conrad Industries Report Smooth Sailing in Q1 2013
US shipbuilder & repairer Conrad Industries, announces its first quarter 2013 results and backlog. For the quarter ended March 31, 2013, Conrad achieved net income of $5.9 million and earnings per diluted share of $0.99 compared to net income of $3
GE to Supply Austal with Gas Turbines for Navy Ships
GE Marine said it will provide Austal USA, Mobile, Ala., with four LM2500 marine aeroderivative gas turbines to power the United States Navy’s 14th and 16th Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). GE is providing 20 LM2500 gas turbines for the Austal USA LCS program
Gladding-Hearn Launches Vessel for Northeast Pilots
The Northeast Marine Pilots took delivery of a new Chesapeake-class launch from Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. The vessel joins the pilots’ four-boat fleet, operating from Newport, Rhode Island. With a deep-V hull designed by C
China Shipyard Gets Rescue Boat Contracts
Afai Southern Shipyard awarded contracts to build 4 coastal fast rescue vessels for a Chinese Government agency. The contracts were signed between Afai and the Salvage Bureau of Ministry of Transport in the South China port city of Guangzhou.
Liles Heads Structurmarine Timber Dock Division
David Liles was appointed U.S. sales director for the new division, bringing more than 30 years of marina experience in the timber dock market. Structurmarine recently announced its newest product line, Timber Dock Systems, geared to marina and harbor owners and operators.
Moose Boats Deliver LAPD Police Boat
San Francisco Bay area-based Moose Boats recently delivered a new M1-46 Catamaran Dive Boat to Los Angeles Police Department. At 46 feet in length, the M1-46 is the largest vessel of the Moose Boats fleet to date. The M1-46 all aluminum catamaran, with a maximum speed of 38 knots
Grandweld Shipyards to Build Fast Aluminum Crew Boat
Dubai-based Shipbuilder Grandweld Shipyards has signed a contract to design, build and deliver 33.5-meter Fast Aluminum Crew boat for LIWA Marine Services LLC, Abu Dhabi. The contract was signed on April 9, 2013. The 33.5-meter crew boat will be designed by Grandweld Shipyards and will be
Composite Carries Savings for Offshore Turbine Services
Hereford-based Offshore Turbine Services reported savings from choosing composite over aluminum craft in the offshore wind market. As the company takes delivery of its fourth CTruk 20T multi-purpose cat, Commander P, and eagerly awaits Commodore P, the fifth, this May
Derecktor to Build Catamaran
Robert E. Derecktor, Inc., is pleased to announce its selection to build a new 19.2-meter catamaran research and classroom vessel for The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk (CT). The Maritime Aquarium has been providing student and public research voyages in the protected waters of Long Island
U.S. Shipyards Competing – and Succeeding – Overseas
Foreign Demand For U.S. Military And Commercial Vessels Is Brisk; For Now. In the heavy shadow of possible sequestration-induced federal budget cuts, some U.S. companies are busy supplying vessels to overseas customers under the Navy’s Foreign Military Sales program and through private
Mariner Omnipure M55 Selected for Australian Patrol Boats
The Mariner Omnipure sewage treatment system from Severn Trent De Nora has been installed on Cape St George, a new patrol boat designed and constructed by Austal for the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service. Cape St George is the first in a series of eight patrol boats to be delivered
Seattle Shipyard Delivers Third NYPD Boat
Kvichak Marine Industries, of Seattle, WA, recently delivered a third 44.5’ Response Boat Medium to the New York Police Department Harbor Unit. The first two RB-M C’s were delivered in April 2010 and August 2012. Both have been providing maritime security and law