GULFCRAFT

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. Delivery of the first vessel will be in December, the catamaran is expected to be delivered in December2007, with the delivery of the other vessels spread out between 2007-2008. The main engines on five of the vessels will be Cummins with the Catamaran utilizing the MTU Series 4000 engines. Three of the vessels will have FiFi type capacity fire monitors, and four will have ride control system from Maritime Dynamics. All the vessels will have Thrustmaster of Texas bow thrusters. The catamaran will feature a revolutionary personnel transfer system to enhance the safety of personnel during offshore transfers

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

Crew Boats: GulfCraft Trifecta for Trico

Computerized controls automate many vessel operations By Larry Pearson 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