Crowther Multihulls Of Australia News

The 442 passenger, fast catamaran Atlanticat was delivered to it’s hailing port of Portsmouth, New Hampshire on Monday, July 21, 2003. The vessel, built for B.B.O., LLC will be operating as Acadian Whale Adventures out of Bar Harbor, Maine and used for off shore whale watching during the summer months and commuter service in Key West, Florida during the winter. The 7,200 hp aluminum catamaran is powered by (4) Cummins KTA-50 engines; ZF4600D gears with (2) Cummins ONAN 95 kW generators supplying the ships service power.

The 442-passenger, fast catamaran Atlanticat was delivered to it's hailing port of Portsmouth, NH, recently. The vessel, built for B.B.O., LLC will be operating as Acadian Whale Adventures out of Bar Harbor, Maine and used for off shore whale watching during the summer months and commuter service in Key West, Fla., during the winter. The 7,200 hp aluminum catamaran is powered by (4) Cummins KTA-50 engines; ZF4600D gears with (2) Cummins ONAN 95 Kw generators supplying the ships service power. The vessel is equipped with (4) Hamilton Jets HM651 Series and SeaState Ride Control enabling the vessel to sail heavy seas. Full load service maximum speed is 35 knots. The vessel was designed by Crowther Multihulls of Australia and is the first large, high-speed catamaran built at the shipyard.

ConAgra Inc., the second largest U.S. food manufacturer, has agreed to sell American Commercial Lines LLC (ACL) its large U.S. inland barge fleet and operations. Financial terms of the deal, which ConAgra said was part of ongoing series of strategic divestments, were not announced. ACL will acquire 930 owned and chartered barges, nine chartered towboats and one dry dock, the companies said in a joint statement. The deal includes Peavey Barge Lines, Brown Water Towing Inc. and Superior Barge Lines, Inc. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval but is expected to be completed in the next 30 days, the companies said. Greg Heckman, president and CEO, ConAgra Trade Group, said, "Our decision to sell the barge company is a strategic one.

The all-aluminum cats, owned and operated by Luxury Marinas, are stationed at its El Conquistador Resort and Golden Door Spa in Las Croabas, PR. Designed by Crowther Multihulls, of Australia, the two cats replace Luxury Marinas’ older fleet of four vessels. The catamarans are designed and constructed as USCG inspected Subchapter-T small passenger vessels rated for 150 passengers. The 72 x 29-ft. cats provide hotel guests with a stable and comfortable ride while traveling at speeds of 25 to 27 knots. The propulsion package for the cats includes: twin Cummins QSK-19M engines rated for 880 BHP @ 2100 rpm coupled to ZF 665 transmissions driving Nibral 5-blade propellers.

Montco Offshore is the beneficiary of the latest innovative newbuild from the Bollinger Shipyards stable. The companies are touting the new L/B Myrtle, a 137.5 ft. unit, as a giant leap forward in the evolution of liftboats. The unit is outfitted with 245-ft. legs and the self-propelled floating platform has the ability to work in water depths to 180 ft. with a 15-ft. air gap while lifting a total of 850 KIPS of variable load. The feature that separates this liftboat from others, however, is that it is equipped with a bowthruster and controllable pitch (CP) propellers for greater maneuverability and pinpoint positioning of the huge legs with oversized pads on the ocean bottom.

Since the 9/11 attack there has obviously been increased emphasis on getting more eyes, ears and in some cases firepower on America's ports and inland waterways. Homeland security has become a top priority for the U.S. Coast Guard and numerous other Federal, state and local agencies. Patrol boats offer a relatively low cost solution to increasing security on America's waterways and in and around ports. These vessels range from RIB's with outboard motors to aluminum-hulled craft with high horsepower diesel engines enabling them to quickly reach and maintain high speeds often required for interdiction. Fortunately America was building capable patrol boats before 9/11. The mission of these vessels prior to 9/11 was mostly drug interdiction, search and rescue and/or border security.

Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with SeaAmerica Cruise Lines, Inc., based in Hollywood, Fla. Under the MOA, LSS and SeaAmerica will develop a ship design leading to contract negotiations for the construction of two 42,000-ton, 1,000-passenger cruise ships. The program will include options for two additional ships. Construction of the ships would utilize both of Litton Ship Systems' production facilities, Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula and Litton Avondale Industries in New Orleans, and would maximize the resources and experience of both shipyards to achieve operating synergies. Accommodations will include 87 percent outside cabins (most with private balconies)…