Jetanchor News

Ben Reed is a mechanical engineer from the U.K. now leading New Zealand-based waterjet manufacturer HamiltonJet as managing director.Raised in Shropshire, Reed graduated from Loughborough University of Technology in 1995 and later became a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering. He’s worked for a U.K. gas utility company developing natural-gas-powered engines; Ford Motor Company as a Systems Analyst, and 17 years for Caterpillar UK in diesel engine and transmission development for off-highway machinery and military products…

Bellingham, Wash. shipbuilder All American Marine (AAM) said it has completed construction, launched and delivered a new 150-passenger hydrofoil-assisted aluminum catamaran for Major Marine Tours. The 87’ (LOA) x 32’ vessel, Spirit of Matushka, is certified USCG Subchapter T and will operate out of Seward, Alaska and will carry passengers on tours visiting Kenai Fjords National Park.The semi-displacement catamaran hull for this vessel was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand.

This year, despite innumerable challenges and setbacks, a great number of new U.S.-flagged vessels made their way into service. In addition to Maid of the Mist's new electric tour boats James V. Glynn and Nikola Tesla featured Wednesday, the newbuilds highlighted below are some of the most noteworthy to come out of U.S. shipyards in 2020.DredgerU.S. dredging contractors have been adding tonnage in a big way. This Spring, Callan Marine added a significant piece to the U.S. fleet with its new Jones Act cutterhead suction dredge (CSD) General MacArthur.

Shipbuilder Metal Shark reports it has delivered a new research tender to OceanX, a New York-based nonprofit ocean exploration initiative and media organization.The custom 38-foot Defiant-class welded aluminum monohull pilothouse vessel will be carried aboard the recently-launched one-of-a-kind scientific research, media production and exploration vessel, the R/V OceanXplorer. The combined marine research and media vessel OceanXplorer is both a floating, integrated marine research…

HamiltonJet will collaborate with rigid inflatable boat manufacturer RIBCRAFT to supply 48 Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs) to the U.S. Navy.RIBCRAFT USA was recently awarded a five-year contract to deliver the RIBs custom-fitted for use in explosive ordinance disposal (EOD). The 11-meter vessels will be equipped with twin HJ292 waterjets, blue Arrow control systems and JETanchor technology from HamiltonJet. The contract also requires extensive spare parts and training to be delivered by HamiltonJet.A critical component of the Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures Company…

Waterjet propulsion specialist HamiltonJet said it is currently working with Norway-based Offshore Windservice AS to convert five vessels from controllable pitch propeller (CPP) to waterjet propulsion and advanced control technology.At project completion, all five vessels will feature twin HM721 waterjets coupled with HamiltonJet's intuitive AVX controls.While HamiltonJet has already supported more than 80 offshore wind farm vessels globally, the company's CEO, Ben Reed, says…

The promise of a vibrant U.S. offshore wind business has been long in the making. While questions remain on timing and pace, there is renewed confidence in the offshore wind sector, particularly in the northeast United States (global pandemic notwithstanding). Investment in the sector had escalated to start 2020, embodied best by Reinauer Group and its WindServe Marine unit, which when combined with its Senesco Marine boatbuilding and logistics hub give its an ‘ A-to-Z, soup-to-nuts’ enviable position to build…

Shipbuilder All American Marine, Inc. (AAM) said it has launched an aluminum catamaran built to patrol Texas state and federal waters for the law enforcement division of Texas Parks and Wildlife. The 80’ x 27’ (OAL) Captain Murchison features twin CAT C18 ACERT D Engines, with Hamilton Jet HM 521 waterjets and is built to USCG Subchapter T standards. It is also the first vessel in North America to feature Hamilton Jet’s innovative Advanced Vessel Control (AVX) system. The new AVX features include both a station keeping and a JETanchor positioning system.

HamiltonJet plans to launch a new generation of waterjets and advanced control systems at the SEAWORK show in July 2018.The new generation waterjet named the HTX30 has undergone years of research, hydrodynamic design and testing delivering much stronger performance up to 570kW for use in patrol and commercial workboats up to 18m in overall length.According to the manufacturer, the HTX30 is capable of achieving higher vessel top speed, improved maneuvering response, higher static thrust and faster vessel acceleration. In addition, the waterjet’s integrated design allows for much improved mechanical durability, easier installation, improved corrosion protection and enhanced steering and reverse capability.The soon-to-be-unveiled advanced vessel control system is called AVX.

Global waterjet manufacturer HamiltonJet has launched its latest vessel positioning system, JETanchor. Developed from the blueARROW controls platform JETanchor is the newest addition to the HamiltonJet controls’ product range, developed and tested over the past 18 months, in response to strong market demand for small vessel positioning systems. Aimed predominantly at Pilot boats, Fireboats, SAR, Patrol, Survey, DSV and small Offshore Crewboats, the JETanchor system provides a cost effective “dynamic-positioning-type” system for smaller vessels. HamiltonJet Global Marketing Manager Albear Montocchio said, “The product has undergone rigorous and extensive testing on two commercial vessels, an offshore crew-transfer vessel and a coastal survey vessel.