Yacht Co News

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) on Wednesday announced $20.8 million in grant awards to 27 small shipyards in 20 states through the Small Shipyard Grant Program. The funds will help shipyards modernize, increase productivity, and expand local job opportunities while competing in the global marketplace.“Small shipyards strengthen America’s commercial fleet, bolster our economic security, and generate good jobs,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We are proud to support these shipyards reinforce their vital role in the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) on Monday awarded $19.6 million in grants aiming to help 31 shipyards modernize, increase productivity, and expand local employment opportunities while competing in the global marketplace.The grants were awarded to shipbuilding and repair yards in 15 states throughout the U.S. as part of MARAD's Small Shipyard Grant Program. Since 2008, the program has awarded $262.5 million to nearly 300 shipyards in 32 states and territories.

Hydrogen fuel cell technology to Satisfy Future IMO RequirementsWith an ongoing push by the maritime community to reduce ship emissions to satisfy IMO MARPOL Annex VI regulations and limit the sulfur content of ships from 01 January 2020 to 0.5 percent world-wide, many ship owners are starting to consider hydrogen fuel cell technology to satisfy evolving emissions regulations. To date, hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on research programs to utilize hydrogen fuel cells for transportation. Several maritime powers including the European Union, the United States and Japan have initiated pilot programs to assess the feasibility of maritime hydrogen to reduce emissions while maintaining cost parity with traditional propulsion technology.

California based shipbuilder Bay Ship and Yacht Co. said it has won a contract to build the first hydrogen fuel cell passenger vessel in the U.S. for Golden Gate Zero Emission Marine (GGZEM), a Bay Area company on a mission to eliminate maritime pollution.The zero-emission vessel is expected to be delivered and in service by September 2019 as a first of its kind in the U.S. The 70-foot, all-aluminum ferry will operate on the San Francisco Bay, and will be managed by the Red and…

Bay Ship and Yacht Co. has announced it has once again been honored with the contract to perform maintenance on the historic sailing ship Balclutha. This is the third time the reputable ship yard has been chosen to perform much-needed detailed maintenance on the 131-year-old ship. A three-mast, steel-hulled square-rigged sailing ship, the Balclutha is one of the last of her kind. “The Balclutha is truly a gem of American history. It is a rare day that you are able to see one of these grand old ladies high and dry in dock,” said Richard Maguire, Business Development Manager, Bay Ship & Yacht.

Recently installed aboard the R/V Sikuliaq was Allied Marine Crane’s innovatively redesigned A-Frame crane, which aims to improve the safety and capability of the marine research industry. Built at Allied Systems’ 250,000 sq. foot mfg. facility in Sherwood, Ore., the A-Frame was installed aboard 261-foot oceanographic research ship at the Bay Ship & Yacht Co. in Alameda, Calif. Delivery and installation was completed just about one year from the receipt of order. “We expect the A-Frame to do everything we designed it to do.

The builder of luxury yachts Grand Banks Yachts swung to a net profit of $1.2 million for the first quarter ended Sept 30 compared to a net loss of $1.3 million for the year-ago period. Following restructuring efforts after a major acquisition, gross profit margin increased to 24.5% from 9.5% a year ago. The SGX Mainboard-listed builder yachts said net profit rose after introducing initiatives to integrate design, production and marketing following the acquisition of Palm Beach Motor Yacht Co of Australia, which was completed on Aug 1, 2014. Since the acquisition, the Group has aligned production between facilities in Malaysia and Australia. The Group migrated production of certain Palm Beach models to Malaysia where costs are lower.

Webb Institute, a four-year college specializing in naval architecture and marine engineering, announced the 2015-2016 recipients of Crowley Maritime Corp.’s Thomas B. Crowley, Sr. Memorial Scholarships. Nicholas Ratinaud, of West Bloomfield, Mich., and Andrew Ko, of Philadelphia, were chosen by the school’s scholarship selection committee for their leadership qualities, academic excellence and commitment to the maritime industry. Ratinaud and Ko were able to meet Tom Crowley Jr.…

A cadre of volunteers navigate the regulatory labyrinth and a host of safety requirements to bring back to life an enduring symbol the nation’s can-do spirit and resiliency. Early next year, a 78-foot Patrol Torpedo 305 boat, being restored at the National WWII Museum, should be U.S. Coast Guard compliant and ready for passengers. The fast-attack PT-305, equipped with cannons, torpedoes and machine guns, served in the Mediterranean in 1944 and 1945, operating from Bastia, Corsica.

Bay Ship & Yacht Co., an American service, refit and new construction yards for superyachts and commercial vessels, recently expanded its capacity and capabilities by unveiling a new covered dry dock that accommodates vessels displacing up to 6,300-long tons with a maximum beam of 76 feet. Currently the only dry dock on the West Coast to be fully enclosed by a retractable roof, this new high-tech facility on San Francisco Bay is a conversion of the submersible Hughes Mining Barge (HMB-1), which played a role in a covert Cold War operation. According to CIA documents declassified in 2012, the HMB-1 was built in the 1970s by the U.S. Navy as part of Project Azorian…

The $2.5 million bid from Bay Ship & Yacht Co. won the federal government auction. The firm was interested not so much in the space-age stealth ship but the barge that houses it, which will be converted into a drydock, reports 'The Sacramento Bee'. Sea Shadow was built in 1985 by Lockheed Martin in Redwood City, under contract with the U.S. Navy, for a price of $50 million. The goal was to test whether radar-evading technology proven in fighter aircraft could also be applied to ships. The experiment was a success.

Italian motorboat builder Apreamare has signed an exclusive dealership agreement for China, Hong Kong and Macao with Xiamen Smart Hero Yacht Co Ltd, one of the Smart Hero (HK) Investment Development Group’s subsidiaries, specialised in sales, management and maintenance of yachts, as well as in yacht club activities. Together with the new dealer, Apreamare will take part for the first time at the next edition of Xiamen boat show (November 2-5, 2012), displaying two models of its range: the Apreamare 64’ Fly and Maestro 56’. “After launching two new models, Smeraldo 45’ and Maestro 56’, at last Autumn’s boat shows, we are now concentrating in the strengthening of our dealer network in significant markets, such as the Chinese one,” says Apreamare president Cataldo Aprea.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced $9.98 million in grants to 13 small shipyards throughout the United States to help modernize facilities, increase productivity, and help make the country’s small shipyards more competitive in the global marketplace. Over 50,000 Americans are employed by small shipyards in more than 30 states. The facilities vary in size, from family-owned businesses employing a few dozen workers to state-of-the-art facilities with hundreds of employees. “These grants will help improve our ability to build and repair ships in the United States, strengthening our economy and helping position these small businesses and shipyard workers to be better prepared to win the future,” said Secretary LaHood.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced $9.98 million in grants to 13 small shipyards throughout the United States to help modernize facilities, increase productivity, and help make the country’s small shipyards more competitive in the global marketplace. “These grants will help improve our ability to build and repair ships in the United States, strengthening our economy and helping position these small businesses and shipyard workers to be better prepared to win the future,” said Secretary LaHood. The U.S Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Small Shipyard Grants Program provides money to help this vital segment of America’s maritime industry invest in production equipment…

The air is a little cleaner at the Port of Los Angeles these days. Just this month, the new and improved Crowley harbor class tug Leader re-entered the ship assist and escort fleet of vessels following an extensive repowering of the vessel's main engines and generators. The repower project, the first of four Crowley tug engine replacements, will help reduce emissions and lessen overall environmental impact and is part of a larger Port of Los Angeles emissions and air quality initiative requiring vessel operators to upgrade their engines to be Tier II emissions compliant by 2013.

The 102-year old steam-powered, ocean-going tug, Hercules, is in dry-dock at Bay Ship & Yacht Co.’s Alameda yard for maintenance and repair work. Earlier this month she was towed across the bay from her berth at the Hyde Street Pier of the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, operated by the National Park Service. She will be in dry-dock at BS&Y for about a month for sandblasting and painting the riveted steel hull, replacing the boat deck, and other maintenance work at an estimated cost of some $500,000.

The Department of Transportation has announced 70 grants totaling $98m in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds that will be used to improve small shipyards throughout the United States. The funds, awarded through the Maritime Administration’s Assistance to Small Shipyards program, will help create and preserve jobs, provide valuable employment training and make much needed improvements to shipyards across the country. The Small Shipyards Grant program provides up to 75 percent in ARRA funds for a project and requires the remainder be matched by the shipyard. A detailed list of the grantees is as follows. •    Aker Philadelphia Shipyard, Inc.,  Philadelphia, PA: $2,312,614, for the first year of training program.

A $1m plus contract was recently awarded by the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park to Bay Ship & Yacht Co. of Alameda for the restoration of the historic three-masted, steel-hulled, square-rigged sailing ship, Balclutha. Known locally as the National Maritime Museum, the park is operated by the National Park Service. Fred Shepherd, facility coordinator for the park, which is located adjacent to San Francisco's Fishermen's Wharf, points out that the ship is a star attraction at the park, which has almost 1 million visitors per year.

USS Pampanito, visited by more than 250,000 people annually at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, was placed in drydock at Bay Ship & Yacht Co., in Alameda, Calif., earlier this year for barnacle scraping, hull painting and other projects, including repairs to the torpedo tubes. Towing services to Bay Ship & Yacht Co. were donated by SeaRiver Maritime, Inc. While in drydock, the submarine's underwater hull was inspected, cleaned and painted, and all 38 zincs ("sacrificial" nodes to protect against electrolysis) were replaced. Additionally, Bay Ship & Yacht donated its services to paint the boat's superstructure. At a cost of $250,000, this drydocking is the most extensive overall refurbishment of the submarine since its original restoration, more than 20 years ago.

Western Flyer (shown on cover) is nearing completion of a year-long structural aluminum reinforcement project at Bay Ship & Yacht Co., Alameda, Calif. The 117 x 53 ft. twin-hulled SWATH is undergoing a major overhaul to correct structural cracking that had been discovered and monitored prior to haulout in July, 1998. Built for the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) by SWATH Ocean Systems, Western Flyer, displacing 419 long tons, is home-ported at Moss Landing, Calif., where its primary mission is as support ship and deployment platform for unmanned submarine Tiburon. The ROV is deployed through a "moon pool" opening in the center of the wet deck under the main cabin and has depth capability to more than 13,000 ft.

Traditionally Alaskan cruise vessels are known to make regular stopovers at Bay Ship & Yacht Co.'s Alameda, Calif. shipyard and drydock facility for routine maintenance and repairs. The yard has served as host to clients, such as Special Expedition Marine, which brought in its Sea Bird and Sea Lion vessels before reaching their winter destinations in either Mexico or the Caribbean. Yorktown Clipper, which is owned by Clipper Cruise Lines underwent a major steam boiler refit, while Alaska Sightseeing Cruise West brought its Spirit of '98 for maintenance, as well as Spirit of Endeavour for a habitability retrofit. ecent customers include Red & White Fleet's tour boat Harbor Princess…

In March 2006 Bay Ship & Yacht Co. installed two new series 60 Detroit Diesel engines, a new bulbous bow, bow thruster, and a new reinforced rub rail on the dinner boat Monte Carlo owned by Hornblower Yachts. The initial design for modification work was drawn up by Dejong & Lebet of Jacksonville, Florida. Bay Design and Engineering provided detail design for most of the modification items, including a new engine bed design for proper shaft alignment, and CNC flat patterns for the bulbous bow. Layout, fabrication and assembly of the bulbous bow was accomplished on the drydock by Bay Ship’s experienced pattern makers and welding crew. Meanwhile, a new bow thruster was fitted and welded in place, and new gensets, shafting, boarding gates, sewage transport system and mast were installed.

Bay Ship & Yacht, Co. recently compleed their Rolls-Royce Marine Syncrolift installation. The addition of the Syncrolift aims to improve the customer experience by enabling more flexible scheduling for major refits, hull and propulsion system maintenance and extended-stay repairs to superyachts. This installation positions Bay Ship & Yacht as the only shipyard on the California coast to offer this type of lift and transfer system. Bay Ship & Yacht’s Syncrolift is equipped with four full-length railway tracks which transit from sea onto dry land. Modular cradles support the vessel’s hull and are equipped with four-wheel rail dollies to facilitate transfer. Once lifted out of the water, the vessel is rolled ashore on transfer rails to its pre-assigned berth.