American West Steamboat News

The 2003 workboat construction market had its ups and downs and at best has given mixed signals about 2004 and beyond. Among the various workboat vessel segments, passenger vessels, excluding ferries and inland waterway vessels such as tugs and push boats, are in a static mode. Vessels will be built in 2004, but at a pace constant with years past. Some markets such as the building of patrol boats and other vessels with national security implications appear are sure bet winners for 2004 with several shipyards with large contracts that have deliveries stretched out for two years or more in some cases. Another market that continues to grow is high-speed aluminum passenger ferry and the slower passenger/vehicle ferries.

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.

Henry Hillman, Jr., president of American West Steamboat in Seattle, announced early in December that Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, Inc., had been selected to build the “Empress of the North,” a 360 by 60 ft. sternwheeler that will be the Whidbey Island, Washington’s yard largest single-boat contract. The vessel, which will accommodate 236 overnight cruise guests and 84 crewmembers, will be utilized for cruises in season in southeast Alaska and the Columbia/Snake River complex. Reportedly, the “Empress” will be the first sternwheeler on the Inside Passage in more than 100 years. Hillman said that construction and outfitting costs are expected to exceed $50 million. The United States Maritime Administration will provide a loan guarantee to facilitate funding of the project, he said.

Vallejo Baylink, the San Francisco Bay community’s municipal commuter operation that was initiated five years ago, is now carrying some 800, passengers a year. With thousands of miles on the operation’s first catamaran ferry, originally known as the “Jet Cat Express,” an InCat vessel built by Gladding Hearn Shipbuilding, Vallejo Baylink management decided to send the well-used boat to Nichols Brothers Boat Builders’ Washington yard for a complete rebuild. In December, after nine months in Nichols Brothers’ Whidbey Island yard, the thoroughly renovated and enlarged vessel headed back home with a new name: M/V Vallejo. Marty Robbins, general manager of Vallejo Baylink…

Envirovac Inc. received an order from Nichols Brothers Boat Builders for the vacuum collection and treatment system for the "Empress of the North." Owner of the boat is American West Steamboat Company. EVAC will provide a specially designed four ejector/four pump vacuum collection system with 155 wall mounted toilets, 104 vacuum interface valves for gray water collection by vacuum and (2) ORCA IIA-500's for treatment of all black and gray water. The 360-ft. cruise ship to be built at Nichols for the American West Steamboat Company that is designed for extended, overnight cruising. The first vessel "Queen of the West" was launched in 1995. ENVIROVAC provides total marine wastewater management packages.

American West Steamboat Company is adding a third vessel, the Columbia Queen, to its fleet of luxury overnight small cruise ships that will operate on the Columbia, Willamette and Snake Rivers. In a recent auction held by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), American West Steamboat Company won the bid for the Columbia Queen, formerly owned by American Classic Voyages’ Delta Queen Steamboat Company. MARAD took possession of the Columbia Queen after American Classic Voyages filed bankruptcy in 2002. Pending the close of the sale, American West Steamboat Company will take possession of the Columbia Queen around mid-July at which time she will undergo some refurbishment before her first cruise on the Columbia River in the spring of 2003.

American West Steamboat Company has begun construction of a second sternwheeler cruise ship, the Empress of the North, scheduled for completion in May 2003. The Empress of the North is being built by Nichols Brothers Boat Builders in Freeland, Wash., where her sister ship, the sternwheeler Queen of the West, was completed in 1995. Designed in Seattle by naval architects, Guido Perla & Associates, the Empress of the North will be 360 ft. long and accommodate 236 passengers and 84 crew. The ship will feature 112 all-outside suites and staterooms, of which 105 will have private verandahs. The Empress of the North will operate 11-night cruises between Seattle and Juneau, along the famed Inside Passage of Canada and Alaska beginning June to mid-September, 2003.

Majestic America Line said that it plans upgrades to its entire fleet of cruise ships next year. Majestic established a Midwest operations office in St. Louis this fall. State room upgrades on the company's seven ships will include upgraded mattresses and linens, massage shower heads, and spa-quality robes and toiletries. Flat screen televisions with DVD players will be added on the American Queen, Mississippi Queen and Contessa ships. The line's suites will feature a new digital entertainment system, refrigerators and in-suite safes, as well as bath slippers and in-room coffee and tea service. Majestic America Line, based in Seattle…

The Empress of the North was re-floated on Sunday. The vessel grounded Friday morning on the Columbia River, near Washougal, Wash. The vessel is currently underway to a dry-dock facility on Swan Island in Portland, Ore., in order to fully survey damage. Necessary repairs will be completed after a full damage assessment is done. A thorough inspection will be conducted by Coast Guard Sector Portland prior to the vessel's return to service. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary and personnel from the salvage company will remain with the vessel to monitor its transit. A safety zone will remain in effect around the vessel during the transit. The removal of approximately 20,000 gallons of diesel fuel was completed late Saturday night.

Ambassadors International, Inc., announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Ambassadors Cruise Group, LLC has completed its acquisition of American West Steamboat Company LLC and related entities ("American West Cruises"), one of North America's premier river and coastal cruise companies. The signing of a definitive agreement was previously announced on December 27, 2005.

Ambassadors International, Inc. announced has signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the membership interests of American West Steamboat Company LLC and related entities from Oregon Rail Holdings, LLC. Founded in 1995, American West Cruises currently operates two vessels, the 231-passenger Empress of the North and the 150-passenger Queen of the West. American West Cruises' voyages are exemplified by their Cruise Into History experience in which guests and crew recreate the grandeur of the past on the company's modern-day sternwheelers with onboard historians and naturalists, visiting historical points of interest and cruising through natural scenic wonders.

Ambassadors International, Inc. announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the membership interests of American West Steamboat Company LLC and related entities ("American West Cruises") from Oregon Rail Holdings, LLC. American West Cruises is one of North America's premier river and coastal cruise companies operating unique, historical and nature-oriented cruise itineraries on the Columbia and Snake rivers, Alaska's Inside Passage, British Columbia and Washington's Puget Sound. Founded in 1995, American West Cruises currently operates two vessels, the 231-passenger Empress of the North and the 150-passenger Queen of the West.

Nichols Brothers Boat Builders of Whidbey Island and Seattle-based American West Steamboat Company, owned by Henry Hillman, Jr., CEO of Oregon Rail Corp., launched the newly constructed overnight sternwheeler cruise ship Empress of the North. The 360-ft. sternwheeler was transferred on a specially designed rail system into Holmes Harbor, where it launched. Designed by Seattle naval architects, Guido Perla & Associates, construction of the Empress of the North began at Nichols Brothers' shipyard in April, 2002. She is the largest ship built by Nichols Brothers, with over 350 employees on the job and approximately 300,000 man-hours involved in the project.

The passenger vessel industry continues to be mired in a construction malaise with high-speed passenger only ferries and more conventional passenger auto ferries the only bright spot. The epicenter of the passenger vessel ferry business is the New York City metro area where dozens of new ferries have been added to replace the PATH and other subway lines destroyed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Suddenly "the way to work" for thousands of commuters was severed. Recent deliveries into the area include five 79-foot catamarans for NY Waterway. They are single deck, 149-foot passenger only ferries. The company also has purchased two 340-passsenger fast ferries from NY Fast Ferry. The ramp up in New York City ferry services has not been without difficulties, however.

Nichols Brothers Boat Builders of Whidbey Island and Seattle-based American West Steamboat Company, owned by Henry Hillman, Jr., CEO of Oregon Rail Corp., have launched the newly constructed overnight sternwheeler cruise ship Empress of the North. Beginning at 5:00am on Monday, June 16, 2003, the 360-foot sternwheeler was transferred on a specially designed rail system into Holmes Harbor, where it launched at high tide at approximately 8:45pm. With the launch open to the public, an estimated 5,000 people showed up for the event. Designed by Seattle naval architects, Guido Perla & Associates, construction of the Empress of the North began at Nichols Brothers’ shipyard in April, 2002.