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Swiftships Shipbuilders News

17 Jun 2015

Crewboat Merlin Tide Sold to European Buyers

Photo: Marcon International

Marcon International, Inc. of Coupeville, Washington has announced that Tidewater Marine International Inc. has sold its44.2m x 8.1m x 3.6m depth / 1.7m draft, 168mtdw, high-speed, aluminum crew / supply vessel Merlin Tide\ to private European operators for continued operation in oilfield service. Built by Swiftships Shipbuilders LLC of Morgan City, Louisiana for Tidewater as Hull 524 in 1999, the vessel is powered by five 956kW Cummins KTA 38M2 diesels developing a total of 6…

19 Mar 2014

Swiftships Unveils USV with the University of Louisiana-Lafayette

Last month, Swiftships Shipbuilders, LLC, in Morgan City, La., showcased the Anaconda-2 – an unmanned, 35-ft. craft in development – during a demonstration on the Atchafalaya River next to its HQ. The company partnered with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette more than a year ago to produce technology for a vessel that can navigate without a pilot aboard. Swiftships and ULL are designing a boat that uses Global Positioning System/sensory data, and has the potential to support naval, enforcement and zone-protection operations, mainly on inland waters.

08 Jan 2014

Innovation Spotlight: U.S.-Built Security Vessels

Building patrol boats is big business, especially for foreign defense needs. U.S. yards compete on a global stage in the all-important maritime security workboat arena. Patrol boats have continued to enhance bottom lines at many U.S. vessel builders this year through sales that are usually government directed or assisted. Budget cuts are a concern, but the sector’s federal funding remains high. Patrol boats are sold to other nations under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales or FMS program, authorized by the Arms Export Control Act to provide defense items.

26 Sep 2013

Vice Admiral (Ret.) Joe Kernan Joins Swiftships Advisory Board

Joe Kernan

Joe Kernan, Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.) has recently been appointed to the Board of Advisors of Swiftships Shipbuilders, LLC, a leading supplier of military and commercial watercraft to clients across the globe. Vice Admiral Kernan (Ret.) served in various leadership positions in the Department of Defense, which included Commanding Officer, SEAL Team Two, Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command, Commander US Fourth Fleet, and Senior Military Assistant to former Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.

20 Sep 2013

Delta Wave Announces Swiftships Newbuild Contract

Delta Wave Communications, LLC, has announced that it has been selected by Swiftships Shipbuilders, LLC to provide marine navigational electronics and a dynamic positioning (DP-2) system for two Swiftships 175’ fast supply vessel (FSV) new builds. The vessels, which will be operating in the Gulf of Mexico in support of the oil and gas industry, will allow for expanded capabilities in deep water operations. It is a part of Swiftships expanding newbuild program, in which they offer custom quality small- to medium-sized vessel constructed of aluminum or steel…

23 May 2013

Budget Battles Bumping Backlogs?

Bollinger-built Margaret Norvell on builder’s trials off Grand Isle Louisiana.

Patrol And Combat Builders Fret About Budget Cuts But See Bright Spots. So far; so good. U.S. companies building patrol and combat craft aren’t happy about federal, state and city budget cuts but say they do see positive, demand-side factors. Much of their overseas business depends on the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program. The FMS, which transfers defense equipment and services to other nations, is retrenching now, however. Here at home, states and municipalities have fewer funds, grants and matching grants to pay for patrol vessels, builders say.

03 Apr 2013

U.S. Shipyards Competing – and Succeeding – Overseas

Foreign Demand For U.S. Military And Commercial Vessels Is Brisk; For Now. In the heavy shadow of possible sequestration-induced federal budget cuts, some U.S. companies are busy supplying vessels to overseas customers under the Navy’s Foreign Military Sales program and through private contracts to foreign government and firms. Demand for offshore oil vessels is strong. A big chunk of overseas business now is under the U.S. FMS, transferring defense equipment, services and training to other nations. Countries approved for the FMS pay for vessels themselves and/or with U.S. government help.

18 Feb 2010

NG Supplies Nav-Comms for Iraqi Boats

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been awarded a contract to supply the navigation and communication systems for nine new 114.8 ft patrol boats being built for the Iraqi navy. The $19m firm, fixed-price contract was awarded to Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine business unit by Swiftships Shipbuilders, LLC of Morgan City, La. Work on the contract will be performed by Northrop Grumman’s Ocean Springs, Miss., facility. Under the contract, each of the vessels will be fitted with an integrated bridge system (IBS) based on Sperry Marine’s new-generation VisionMaster FT navigation technology. The IBS will include navigation radars and electronic chart display and information systems running on TotalWatch multi-function workstations.

27 Sep 2009

New Navy Contract

Swiftships Shipbuilders, LLC, Morgan City, La., is being awarded a $180,998,189 fixed-price letter contract for the detail design and construction of nine patrol boats and associated equipment and services for the Iraq Navy. This contract is in support of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Case IQ –P-SAZ and U.S. Case E4-P-LBT. The contract is for nine Swiftships model 35PB1208E-1455 patrol boats along with six 30mm gun weapons systems, machine gun mounts and cradles, spare parts, and contractor engineering technical services. Work will be performed in Morgan City, La., (60 percent), Detroit, Mich., (30 percent), Ocean Springs, Miss., (8 percent) and Charlottesville, Va., (2 percent) and is expected to be completed by August 2012.

07 Nov 2008

New Navy Contracts

Swiftships Shipbuilders, LLC, Morgan City, La., is being awarded a $13,414,450 firm-fixed price contract for the design and construction of two 28 meter coastal patrol craft for the government of Egypt. The coastal patrol craft is used for coastal surveillance, search and rescue, response to emergency situations, and security assistance. Work will be performed in Morgan City, La., and is expected to completed by May 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-09-C-2210).

02 Oct 2001

The Specialists: A Quartet of S. Louisiana Yards Builds Most U.S. Crew/Supply Boats

The area directly south of Lafayette, La., is authentic bayou country, known for Cajun culture, excellent food, unique music and, for boat lovers, the crew/supply boat capital of the world. Four boat yards in this area build these multi-engine, all- aluminum, speedy vessels, almost exclusively. Each yard turns out up to six crew/supply boats a year. In fact, three of the shipyards are located within just a few miles from each other in the tiny hamlet of Loreauville, La., a town that seems to be made up mostly of aluminum welders. That, of course, is an exaggeration, but not by much. Not every vessel delivered from these shipyards goes to work supporting the search for oil and gas…

13 Aug 2002

Conrad Enters into Letter of Intent with Swiftships

Conrad Industries, Inc. The Swiftships companies would also be eligible to receive an additional amount based on the performance of the assets during a three-year period after the closing. The Swiftships companies would use the proceeds of the asset sale to pay creditors. The letter of intent is non-binding with respect to the proposed acquisition, which is subject to the execution and closing of a definitive agreement. The letter of intent contains a binding exclusivity agreeme nt whereby the Swiftships parties have agreed that before October 31, 2002 they will negotiate exclusively with Conrad and not solicit any competing acquisition proposal or enter into any agreement with respect to a competing acquisition proposal.

10 Oct 2002

Conrad Terminates Negotiations with Swiftships

Conrad Industries, Inc. announced the award of a new construction program for the Corps of Engineers totaling $22.2 million which brings the total current backlog to approximately $33.2 million, excluding an option for one towboat valued at $5.6 million. The contract award calls for the construction of three 124-ft., 3000 hp, ABS Class towboats valued at $16.6 million with an option for one additional towboat valued at $5.6 million. When delivered, these vessels will perform scheduled and emergency maintenance on the upper Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. Kenneth G. (“Jerry”) Myers, Jr., Conrad’s President and CEO commented, "We’re excited about the opportunity to work again for the Corps of Engineers.

10 Oct 2002

Conrad Rides the (Expansion) Tide

The business of predicting the course of financial markets has led many companies - good and bad, large and small - to ruin. Perhaps, then, it is better to rely on tenets of nature, such as "Only the Strong Survive" when laying out business plans. Conrad Industries of Morgan City, La., has obviously ascribed to the latter, building a formidable fortress of a marine company with a wide geographic scope, including the recent news of its pending acquisition of Swiftships, an apparent $12.5 million deal which is still under negotiation. Visitors unfamiliar with Conrad Industries would be immediately struck by the modernity of its facilities in Morgan City, La. In continuous operation since 1948, Conrad Shipyard, based here, specializes in offshore and inland vessel and barge repair.