Allen Marine Inc News

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced $9.98 million in grants to 15 small shipyards throughout the United States to pay for modernizations which will increase productivity and help the country’s small shipyards compete in the global marketplace. “In cities and towns across America, shipyards are creating jobs and keeping our nation's economy growing," said Secretary LaHood. The U.S. Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Small Shipyard Grants Program provides equipment and technical skills training for America’s maritime workforce…

Allen Marine, Inc. has announced the construction of the world's first aluminum floating dry dock. This fully self-contained, eco-friendly unit represents a major breakthrough in boat-lifting equipment. The aluminum floating dry dock is the brainchild of CEO David Allen. The dry dock is 140 feet long, with 42 feet of space between the 26-foot tall wing walls. It is capable of lifting vessels of up to 1000 tons, at 5 LT/feet of keel block loading. The Allen Marine floating dry dock is unique because it is constructed entirely of marine-grade aluminum (a high-caliber alloy).

The passenger vessel market is a classic mature marine market. Segments of it are doing well, while other parts have literally died. For example, the overnight segment of the market saw one substantial vessel delivered in 2003 with none on the horizon for 2004. The Empress of the North, a 360-ft. sternwheeler was put into service in September working the West Coast-Alaska route. Now that ice is a problem in Alaska, the vessel is working the Columbia River system in the Northwest U.S. The vessel was the largest vessel ever built by Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, Freeland, Wash. and is owned by American West Steamboat Company, Portland, Ore. Developing overnight service is the most difficult part of the passenger vessel industry to get established.

Coastwise Corporation recently completed a landing craft design for Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska. The vessel is a shallow water roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) passenger and vehicle ferry. This new 65 foot vessel has a beam of 21 feet, travels at eight knots, operates with a crew of two and can carry ten passengers. It was designed to carry full size road graders, loaders, and tanker trucks. The vessel’s aluminum ramp is designed to load these heavy vehicles from un-improved beaches. Designated as a day-boat the ro/ro landing craft will operate June to mid-September and be hauled out of the lake, prior to freeze up. Fully loaded the vessel draws just over three feet of water.

Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) has added two more projects to its portfolio, furthering its experience providing production support to landing craft vessels. The Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm delivered production support detail drawings for Kvichak Marine Industries' design of 10 MPF utility boats for the U.S. Navy. The 40-ft. high-speed landing craft are replacing the Navy's existing LCM-8 craft as part of its Improved Navy Lighterage System in support of the pre-positioned Marine Amphibious assault missions. Because of the large number of identical boats being constructed, EBDG tailored their work package to support an assembly line production approach.

In a unique double christening ceremony, Bayonne Mayor Joseph Doria and Jersey City Mayor Glenn Cunningham smashed their champagne bottles at the same time on the newest NY Waterway ferries, The Bayonne and The Jersey City. The ferries are 149-passenger, 79-foot, bow-loading catamarans, one of 19 ferries custom-built by Allen Marine, Inc., of Sitka, Alaska, for NY Waterway. The Bayonne and The Jersey City have low-wake hulls and electronic ignition diesel engines, the cleanest-burning marine diesels presently available and meeting all existing emissions standards. “Two great leaders of two outstanding New Jersey cities, Bayonne Mayor Joseph Doria and Jersey City Mayor Glenn Cunningham…

NY Waterway has contracted with Allen Marine, Inc., of Sitka, Alaska, for the purchase of three faster new ferry boats. Delivery is expected later this year. The 79-ft. catamarans will be custom-designed to combine the front passenger access feature necessary for quick loading and unloading on high-density commuter routes, with the additional speed provided by the dual hull. The vessels will have a 149-passenger capacity with a top speed of 27 knots. The boats are powered by four Caterpillar 3406E diesel engines, creating up to 700 hp each, and driving four Hamilton 362 water jets. There are two engines and two jets mounted in each hull.

NY Waterway has contracted with Allen Marine, Inc., of Sitka, Alaska, for the purchase of three faster new ferry boats. Delivery is expected later this year. The 79-ft. catamarans will be custom-designed to combine the front passenger access feature necessary for quick loading and unloading on high-density commuter routes, with the additional speed provided by the dual hull. The vessels will have a 149-passenger capacity with a top speed of 27 knots. The boats are powered by four Caterpillar 3406E diesel engines, creating up to 700 hp each, and driving four Hamilton 362 water jets. There are two engines and two jets mounted in each hull.

Seacraft Shipyard Corp., Amelia, La., recently delivered M/V Sea Holly, a 110 ft. live-aboard long range yacht, designed for extended excursions. The entire exterior of the vessel was faired and painted to a yacht-quality finish and the bottom of the vessel was coated with a high-performance anti-fouling paint. On the aft main deck are a flat bottom skiff and a vee bottom runabout, both of which are secured on removable boat cradles. The main deck cabin features a full service galley. Forward of the galley is the six-person settee and table complete with television. Located on the upper deck is a large pilothouse equipped with a modern electronic package…