Camarc Design News

The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted a selection of the most notable American newbuilds delivered of 2023—from a first-of-its-kind green towboat, to the lead vessel in a series of game-changing ships to train U.S. mariners.Empire StateAs the lead vessel in a series of five new training ships being constructed to serve America's state maritime academies, Empire State is easily one of the most important U.S.-built vessels delivered in recent memory.Built by Philly Shipyard for the U.S.

Seattle shipbuilder Snow & Company on Tuesday launched a new pilot boat it is building for the San Francisco Bar Pilots.The 67-foot-long, all-aluminum vessel Golden Gate was designed by U.K. firm Camarc Design and is capable of speeds up to 30 knots.The vessel is is powered by MAN D2862 LE 438 1,200HP US EPA Tier 4 engines that drive Hamilton HTX52 waterjets through Twin Disc MGX 6599 SC gearboxes. The vessel is also equipped with Northern Lights M944T3F 38kW generators.It has…

Seattle shipbuilder Snow & Company announced it has been awarded a contract to build a pair of 50-foot pilot boats for the Crescent River Port Pilots’ Association, based in Louisiana. Designed by U.K.-based Camarc Design, the all-aluminum vessels have a refined hull with enhanced fuel efficiencies and reduced slamming accelerations, which provide excellent all-around seakeeping capabilities and a pilot specific shape to facilitate safe boarding operations.The vessels will be powered by twin Volvo Penta D13-800 EPA Tier 3 marine diesel engines…

Seattle shipbuilder Snow & Company earlier this month delivered Savannah, the first of two new 64-foot pilot boats for the Savanah Pilots Association. Designed by Camarc Design, the single chine, flush deck 5086 aluminum vessel is the third pilot boat the U.K.-based firm has designed for the Savannah pilots.Savannah is powered by MTU 12V2000M86 marine engines, Hamilton HTX 52 waterjets with electronic AVX controls, ZF 3055 marine gears, and Geislinger Carbon Fiber driveshafts / Silenco couplings.

The Los Angeles Pilot Service has taken delivery of two customized 56-foot Camarc Design pilot boats built by Vigor Industrial at its Vancouver, Wash. facility, located on the northern side of the Columbia River. The Angels Pilot and Angels Navigator were handed over to the LA Pilot Service at Vigor’s shipyard on Swan Island in Portland, Ore. in early October.Camarc designs are optimized to function in the most extreme climates in the world. The UK firm's pilot boat designs are deployed throughout Europe…

U.S. shipbuilder Vigor said it has begun constructing a fifth 45’ Response Boat - Medium C (RB-M C) for its long-time customer, the New York Police Department (NYPD) Harbor Unit. The vessel will be fabricated at Vigor Ballard (formerly Kvichak Marine) in the Seattle metro area with delivery expected in November. It will be the seventh RB-M C built for three different police departments. The RB-M C is the commercial variant of the Response Boat - Medium (RB-M) designed by Vigor in partnership with Camarc Design for high speed and high performance…

Vigor expanded its growing portfolio of international sales with the delivery of two, 19m all-weather pilot boats to The Port of Duqm Company (PDC), SAOC, Sultanate of Oman. The Port has been undergoing a major multiphase expansion and the new pilot boats will play a key role in ensuring the safety of vessels calling on the port. “This is an important delivery for us,” said Keith Whittemore, Vigor Executive Vice President of Business Development. “PDC is a world class, state-of-the-art Port with a major commitment to quality and safety. Designed by Camarc Design, Ltd., UK, and built at Vigor’s Ballard facility (formerly Kvichak Marine), the vessels not only function as pilot boats but also as search and rescue and oil spill recovery vessels.

Kvichak, a Vigor company, delivered a fourth, 45-foot Response Boat - Medium C (RB-M C) to its longtime customer, the New York Police Department Harbor Unit. The Kvichak RB-M C is the commercial variant of the Response Boat - Medium (RB-M), purpose built for the U.S. Coast Guard. To date, 174 RB-Ms have been delivered to the Coast Guard. The vessel was designed by Kvichak in partnership with Camarc Design for high speed and high performance, including tactical handling and specialized mission capabilities, the shipbuilder said.

St Brides, the first of three 19-meter pilot boats built by Mainstay Marine for the Port of Milford Haven, has recently been launched. Shipbuilder Mainstay Marine Solutions called the £3.6 million contract a flagship project, with delivery for the second and third vessels due in April and July, respectively. A naming ceremony will be held for all three vessels late July this year. The new pilot boats are an upgraded version of the Picton Pilot Boat built by the company in 2006.

Kvichak Marine Industries, a Vigor Company, is currently constructing the fourth 44.5-foot Response Boat Medium – C (RB-M C) for the New York Police Department (NYPD) Harbor Unit. The first three vessels were delivered in April 2010, August 2012 and April 2013. The RB-M C’s have been providing maritime security and law enforcement along with search and rescue in the New York metropolitan area. “The RB-M C has proven itself in the most challenging missions,” said Art Parker, Vigor sales manager. These all-aluminum vessels are designed by Camarc Design, U.K.

Workboat and marine energy device builder Mustang Marine has won a $5.34m contract to construct three new pilot boats for the Port of Milford Haven. The Pembroke Dock-based company is now looking to recruit new workers locally in a number of skilled positions to meet an increased demand for its services, having already increased the size of its workforce to 54 people over the last nine months. The new contact will see Mustang build three 19m pilot boats at its deep-water facility at Pembroke Dock.

UAE-based shipbuilder Triangle Marine Services has laid the keels of two new 45-meter Aluminum Fast Offshore Support Vessels, awarded in November 2014 by UAE-based client Marine Core & Charter LLC. The new builds mark the company’s first shipbuilding project to signify their entry into the offshore market. The ceremony took place at Triangle Marine’s facility in Dubai Maritime City, and was attended by representatives from Triangle Marine, Marine Core & Charter LLC and Camarc Design as well as many representatives from a variety of marine organizations and service providers.

Kvichak Marine Industries  has been awarded a contract for the construction of two 19m all-weather pilot boats for the Port of Duqm Company SAOC, Sultanate of Oman, the company announced today. Designed by Camarc Design, Ltd., UK, the vessels will also function as search and rescue and oil spill recovery vessels. The all-aluminum vessels will be powered by twin Cummins QSK-19 marine diesel engines rated for 800 hp at 2100 rpm each and twin ZF 2000A transmissions driving NiBrAl 5-bladed fixed propellers,  providing an operating speed of ~20 knots.

Building programs continue, spanning the full range of missions, despite budget concerns. Amidst all the talk of Beltway budget cutbacks and sequestration, the U.S. Coast Guard is quietly investing approximately $30 billion in major acquisition projects to modernize its physical assets. The process of recapitalizing these older and difficult-to-maintain assets has never been an easy task, and the Coast Guard has seen its share of bumps along the way. For example, the initially messy Deepwater debacle initially kicked off what has evolved into today’s more successful recapitalization process, now run by the Coast Guard’s Acquisition Directorate, which stood up in July 2007.

Kvichak Marine Industries, Inc., of Seattle, Wash., recently delivered PV Georgia, a 64' all-aluminum Pilot Boat to the Savannah Pilots Association of Savannah, Ga. Georgia is the second vessel built by Kvichak for the Savannah Pilots. Designed by Camarc Design, U.K., Georgia is powered by twin MTU 12V2000 engines rated for 1,450 BHP each with Hamilton 521 waterjets and ZF 3050 marine gears. Kvichak said this combination allows for excellent maneuverability with a top speed of approximately 35 knots.

Kvichak Marine Industries, of Seattle, Wash., recently delivered a Response Boat Medium – C to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD). The 45’ x 14’ 7” RBM-C is the sistership of the highly successful USCG RB-M and has been adapted to meet the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) detection mission requirements of the L.A. County Sheriff’s department. A roof mounted RS-700 Gamma/Neutron Radiation Detection System from RSI enables the vessel to quickly and accurately measure and locate natural and man-made radioactive elements.

Kvichak Marine Industries, of Seattle, WA, recently delivered a third 44.5’ Response Boat Medium to the New York Police Department Harbor Unit. The first two RB-M C’s were delivered in April 2010 and August 2012. Both have been providing maritime security and law enforcement along with search and rescue in the New York metropolitan area. These all-aluminum vessels are designed by Camarc Design, UK and powered by tier II compliant twin Detroit Diesel 60 series engines rated for 825 BHP each coupled to Twin Disc MG5114SC marine gears.

Kvichak Marine Industries, Inc., of Seattle, WA, was recently awarded a contract to build a 64' all-aluminum Pilot Boat for the Savannah Pilots Association of Savannah, GA. For more than 140 years, the Savannah Pilots Association has safely guided vessels on the 25 ½ mile journey from the sea to the port of Savannah. They require vessels with excellent sea keeping ability and maneuverability even in the worst of sea conditions, and again they are turning to Kvichak. Designed by Camarc Design…

Kvichak Marine Industries, contracted to build a 44.5’ X 13.7’ 'Response Boat Medium – C' for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department. The RBM-C is the sistership of the highly successful USCG RB-M having been adapted to meet the CBRNE Detection mission requirements of the LA County Sheriff’s department. Kvichak, of Seattle, WA, has built four commercial RB-M vessels for various municipalities in the United States. Designed by Camarc Design, UK, the all-aluminum vessel is powered by twin Detroit Diesel 60 series engines rated for 825 BHP each.

Kvichak Marine Industries, of Seattle, WA, recently delivered the second 44.5’ Response Boat Medium – C (RB-M C) to the New York City Police Harbor Unit. The first hull, P.O. Edward Byrne, has been in service since April 2010 providing maritime security and law enforcement along with search and rescue in the New York metropolitan area. A third vessel is currently under construction at Kvichak with delivery scheduled for late October 2012. These all-aluminum vessels are designed by Camarc Design…

Kvichak Marine Industries, of Seattle, WA, is currently constructing two 44’11” X 14’7” Response Boat Medium – C (RB-M C) vessels for operation by the New York City Police Harbor Unit (NYPD). Kvichak delivered the first RB-M C, harbor launch #451, to the NYPD in May 2010. These vessels will be part of the NYPD fleet for missions of proactive anti-terrorism patrol, search, rescue and recovery operations. This vessel is the commercial model of the highly successful USCG Response Boat Medium which Kvichak has been building since 2008.

Kvichak Marine Industries, of Seattle, WA, has recently been awarded a contract for a 44.5’ X 13.7’ Response Boat Medium – C for operation by the Seattle Police Department Harbor Patrol Unit. The RBM-C is the sistership of the highly successful USCG RB-M and has been adapted to meet the mission requirements of the SPD Harbor Patrol Unit. The vessel to be named “Patrol 1” is currently under construction at Kvichak’s Seattle yard and is the 500th hull built by Kvichak Marine over the past 30 years.

On September 29 the owners of Kvichak Marine Industries represented their company at the christening of P/Vs Aquila, Draco and Orion. These three 72-ft pilot boats were designed by Camarc Design, Ltd., UK and built at the Kvichak yard in Seattle for the Dutch Pilotage Organization, Loodswezen. The christening gala was held at Hoek van Holland, the Netherlands . The vessels are powered by two, Tier II compliant Caterpillar ACERT C32 engines, coupled to ZF 3050 marine gears driving Hamilton 651 water jets.