Blount Boats, Inc. received Notice of Award to design and construct four 75-ft passenger vessels for the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll in the South Pacific. The vessels will be built to meet the USCG Subchapter 'T' for operation between the Marshall Islands of Kwajalein, Rio-Namur and Ennubirr Island on a Protected Waters Route for the Kwajalein Range Service, LLC, a contractor to the U.S. Army.
The 150-passenger mono hull boat will be constructed of welded Corten steel with an aluminum superstructure. The ferries will be powered by twin Detroit Series 60 diesel engines, rated at 475 hp at 1,800 rpm, coupled to ZF 550 1.833:1 ratio gears. The fire and bilge pumps will be PTO driven off both mains, and the steering will be operated by a cable-type steering system. The main deck will be outfitted with the Blount "clam shell" style design for passenger seating.
Blount Boats has designed a vessel that will operate efficiently and with minimum maintenance. For instance, the PTO driven pumps and the manual cable steering eliminates the need for any generators