Offshore: Seacor Raises the Bar Again
Long acknowledged as a firm to watch in U.S. crewboat and fast supply boat innovation, Seacor Marine will be attracting industry attention once again when its latest set of new boats begin delivery in 2014. While this new class of mono-hull boats have some big dimensions, the more noteworthy feature will be the size of its engines. With 10 vessels in three different classes all more than 200-feet long, this is the largest single order of fast supply boats of their size. Cummins QSK60-M engines, each delivering 2,700 hp, will power all vessels.
SEACOR: Raising the Bar, Again
Long acknowledged as a firm to watch in U.S. crewboat and fast supply boat innovation, SEACOR Marine will be attracting industry attention once again when their latest set of new boats begin delivery in 2014. While this new class of mono-hull boats have some big dimensions, the more noteworthy feature will be the size of their engines. During the 2013 International Workboat Show in New Orleans, SEACOR’s Senior Project Manager Joe McCall took some time from his busy schedule to explain the boats.
Crew Boats: GulfCraft Trifecta for Trico
It was inevitable. For several years now crew/supply boats have been following, almost in lock step their "big brothers," the supply boats, with technical and other innovations. Drop down bow thrusters, DP-1 systems, better crew accommodations and advanced radar systems are just a few of the features first introduced on supply boats and now available on crew/supply boats. The next step in this evolution is the introduction of automated monitoring, control and alarm systems on crew/supply boats. Trico Marine, Houma, La., is now operating three 155-ft. by 28-ft. crew/supply vessels that feature what is believed to be the first ever state-of-the-art automation system on this vessel type. Gulf Craft, Patterson, La., built the three identical vessels.
Crewboats More Size, Weight And Power
In recent years the demand for large crew boats has continued to grow in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and has increased in some foreign markets, such as West Africa and Mexico. As their size has grown, so has the horsepower employed by these boats as customers demand greater load capacities and greater speed. "The trend in the 170-ft. (51.8 m) class of boats is to more power and faster speeds," affirms Swiftships' A.J. Blanchard, at the Morgan City yard, "These boats have gone up in power from four 1,000-hp engines to four 1,350-hp engines and bigger jets. We've had more interest from both U.S. and foreign customers in all jet boats since the increase in jet size has removed concerns over the loaded speeds," Blanchard adds.
Seacor Awards Kongsberg Maritime Contract
Kongsberg Maritime Inc. has been awarded a contract to supply the Class 2 Dynamic Positioning Systems for six Gulfcraft crewboats (hulls 462-467) currently in production at Gulfcraft Shipyard in Patterson La., for SEACOR Marine. Kongsberg Maritime will be supplying its latest K-POS 21 DP2 system with a back up joystick, 2 DGPS systems and a Radius 1000. Radius is the latest in relative positioning systems developed for operation in the harsh and demanding environments that crewboats operate in, utilizing radar technology. The crewboats will range in power and size with two 190 ft. vessels, two 175 ft. vessels, one 165 ft. vessel and a 165 ft. catamaran. They will be the first DP2 class crewboats and the first DP2 class catamaran crewboat delivered in the world.
