Amphibious Vessels News

The US Coast Guard has issued an interim final rule on mandated requirements for DUKW amphibious passenger vessels and requested comments.The statutory mandate was enacted after the sinking of the Stretch Duck 7 on July 19, 2018, which resulted in the loss of 17 lives on Table Rock Lake, Missouri.More than seven hours prior to the accident, the National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the area, followed by a severe thunderstorm warning a minute before the vessel departed the passenger boarding facility.

New U.S. legislation included in the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 signed into law by President Biden in December aims to improve safety of amphibious vessels known as DUKW boats.The legislation advances NTSB recommendations for amphibious vessels known as DUKW boats and requires the U.S. Coast Guard to provide an initial response to new NTSB recommendations within 90 days.“We applaud lawmakers for their bold action to improve DUKW boat safety, something the NTSB has been concerned about for more than 20 years," said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy.

My first visit in 2007 to the American Society of Naval Engineers’ (ASNE) Multi-Agency Craft Conference (MACC) was an eye-opener. Having built a naval architecture career with frigates, destroyers and other large naval and commercial ships, I was eager to learn of the smaller craft used by the U.S. Navy and other government and military bodies. As my flight into Norfolk, Va. descended over Chesapeake Bay, I gazed in amazement as a Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) raced toward Virginia Beach, slowed, glided up the beach and into its shore base.

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy on Friday praised the House of Representatives for passing a Coast Guard reauthorization bill that includes policies to improve the safety of amphibious vessels known as DUKW boats and holds the Coast Guard accountable to NTSB safety recommendations.DUKW boats, also known as duck boats, were designed and built in the 1940s for military use during World War II; some were later converted for commercial service. They are unique vessels with special challenges that must be addressed to ensure passenger safety.

U.S.-based marine defense provider Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD) has acquired Welin Lambie, a U.K.-based manufacturer of davits used specifically for the launch and recovery of all types of craft from ships or shore-based installations.The acquisition further expands FMD’s capabilities and service solutions for shipyard, defense and commercial marine customers, including the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Canadian Coast Guard. Additionally, FMD’s acquisition of Welin Lambie enhances its product and service offerings for future uncrewed ship programs…

The continued operation of an amphibious passenger vessel despite severe weather warnings led to its fatal sinking during a derecho in July 2018, the National Transportation Safety Board said during a public board meeting Tuesday.The 33-foot-long, modified, World War II-era DUKW amphibious passenger vessel Stretch Duck 7 sank in Table Rock Lake, near Branson, Mo., killing 16 of 29 passengers and one of two crewmembers on board for a tour.Operator Ripley Entertainment Inc., dba Ride The Ducks of Branson continued to run waterborne tours after a severe thunderstorm warning had been issued.

Australia’s amphibious capability was put to the test recently as the Amphibious Task Group Headquarters took charge of the largest amphibious assault conducted by an Australian force for 70 years as part of Exercise TALISMAN SABER. The assault, led from amphibious sssault ship HMAS Canberra, was a significant milestone in the Australian Defence Force’s development of a high end amphibious warfare capability. The Australian and New Zealand Amphibious Ready Group, consisting of HMA Ships Canberra and Choules and the Royal New Zealand Navy’s HMNZS Canterbury, landed 600 embarked personnel, predominantly consisting of the Australian Army's 2nd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment, as part of a flanking force for the US Marine Corps’ 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

General Dynamics NASSCO has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Navy to support amphibious warfare and surface combatant ships home-ported in the Port of San Diego. The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract has a total potential value of $1.32B among three awardees. As part of the contract, NASSCO will help modernize, maintain and repair Navy ships that dock in San Diego, including six classes of military combat and amphibious vessels. “We look forward to the opportunity to work with the U.S. Navy in support of the modernization and repair efforts for the combatant and amphibious ships home-ported in the Port of San Diego,” said Dave Carver, vice president and general manager for General Dynamics NASSCO’s repair division.

After three days of practice, NASA conducted a stationary recovery test of their latest space craft, the Orion, in the well deck of the amphibious transport dock USS Arlington (LPD 24) while berthed at Naval Station Norfolk's Pier 12 on Aug. 15, 2013. This successful test of the four-man, 16-foot capsule paves the way for future testing of NASA's Orion Program, including a West Coast underway recovery test in January, and the recovery of a low-orbit module following splashdown in the fall of 2014.

Work has been completed on schedule in preparation for the installation by Babcock of a first of class state-of-the-art Membrane Bio-Reactor (MBR) on HMS Ocean. This represents a significant proportion of the vessel’s current upgrade package and is an integral part of the 15-month overhaul program underway at Babcock’s Devonport Royal Dockyard. The new MBR replaces the ship’s existing 15-year-old sewage treatment system and will be capable of processing both waste water and sewage (black and grey water, galley, laundry, sink and shower waste).

Transport Minister David Collenette today announced that Transport Canada has issued a Ship Safety Bulletin reminding vessel operators of recent amendments to the Lifesaving Equipment Regulations and Small Vessel Regulations that require safety briefings on all Canadian passenger vessels. In the course of its investigation into the sinking of the amphibious vessel Lady Duck on June 23, 2002, the Transportation Safety Board issued a Marine Safety Advisory to Transport Canada on July 19, 2002, suggesting that the department take steps to ensure that safety briefings are conducted by vessel operators. As of March 2002, all operators of passenger vessels are required to provide safety briefings to their passengers on or before the departure of the vessel.

Naval Sea Systems Command recently awarded Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Avondale Operations, New Orleans a $171,050,850 contract modification to a previous contract for long-lead time materials for the fifth San Antonio-class ship, LPD 21. 2003. The Shipbuilding Construction (SCN) contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships will be used to transport and land Marines, their equipment and supplies by embarked landing craft or amphibious vehicles augmented by helicopters in amphibious assault. These versatile ships will perform the mission of amphibious transports…

Austal Limited teamed with Raytheon Australia to bid for the upcoming Australian Government tender to build two amphibious ships, which is due to be issued in early 2005. “By combining Austal’s impressive track record of on time, on budget shipbuilding with Raytheon's expertise in electronic systems, we have created a powerful team to build and support the new amphibious vessels, along with considerable potential to bid for other naval contracts in the future,” said Austal’s Managing Director, Mr Bob McKinnon. The amphibious vessel project has an indicative cost of $1.5 to $2 billion. The preferred tenderer is likely to be identified by late 2005, with in-service delivery planned between 2010 and 2014.

The new Spanish military shipbuilder, Navantia, has been unveiled by Pedro Solbes, the Spanish government’s second vice-prime minister and economics minister, along with Enrique Martínez Robles, the Chairman of the state holding company Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales (SEPI), and the Chairman of the new company, Juan Pedro Gómez Jaén. The company, specializing in the design, construction and integration of military ships, is owned by SEPI and is the result of the desegregation of Izar’s military activities in line with the agreement reached in order to make publicly-owned shipyards viable. Mr. Solbes’ referred in his speech to the creation of this new company as the start of a new future for Spanish shipyards…