Lockport Facility News

Bollinger Shipyards has delivered the newest Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter (FRC), the USCGC John Scheuerman, to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Fla. nearly one week ahead of schedule despite a three week shutdown due to the significant damage sustained to Bollinger’s facilities during Hurricane Ida. The storm made landfall in late August near Port Fourchon, La. as a Category 4 storm. Bollinger’s facilities in Port Fourchon, Lockport, Houma and Larose suffered significant damage as a result of Hurricane Ida…

In February, the U.S. Coast Guard chose three finalists to design its new Offshore Patrol Cutters, with awards to Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, La., Eastern Shipbuilding Group in Panama City, Fla. and General Dynamics’ Bath Iron Works in Maine. Each company was awarded a Phase I design contract valued at between $21 million and $22 million. At the end of the 18-month Preliminary and Contract Design Phase I, the Coast Guard will choose one company’s team for a Phase II Detailed Design and Construction contract for the lead OPC.

Caveats and some doubts remain. Marine companies along the Gulf of Mexico will be busy in 2013 producing offshore vessels to meet expected growth in the region’s deepwater drilling sector over the next several years. Vessel repairs will be active too. Worker training will be stepped up to address a skilled labor shortage. And nearly three years after BP’s spill off coastal Louisiana, safety will remain a priority. But with the nation teetering on a fiscal cliff – which may spur tax increases and government spending cuts – demand for official and military vessels could be affected…

Bollinger announces the appointment of Charles "Skip" Bowen as Vice President Government Relations. Mr. Bowen joined Bollinger in April 2011 as Program Manager for the FRC “Sentinel” Class Patrol Boat building program at Bollinger’s Lockport facility, following a very successful 32 year career with the United States Coast Guard, culminating with the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, from 2006 to 2010. As the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, Skip served as a senior advisor to the Commandant of the Coast Guard.

Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. announced the successful launch of the first in class USCG “Sentinel” Fast Response Cutter (FRC), Bernard C. Webber from its Lockport facility. The announcement was made by Bollinger executive vice president of new construction, Chris Bollinger, “We are pleased to announce the successful launch of the lead “Sentinel” Class Fast Response Cutter, Bernard C. Webber. This is the first of a new generation of multi-mission patrol boats for the United States Coast Guard, which will vastly improve their ability to perform their duties.

Bollinger Shipyards appointed Charles "Skip" Bowen as Program Manager for the FRC “Sentinel” Class Patrol Boat building program at Bollinger’s Lockport facility. Bowen joins Bollinger following a 32 year career with the United States Coast Guard, culminating with the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, from 2006 to 2010. As the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, Skip served as a senior advisor to the Commandant of the Coast Guard. His various duties included service on the senior Flag level Leadership Council…

Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., Lockport, La., announced the award of four additional Sentinel Class Fast Response Cutters (FRCs). In a letter received on 14 September 2010 from the U.S. Coast Guard, Bollinger was notified of the four vessel award for the 154-ft cutter design, bringing the current contract to eight. The current FRC contract contains options for up to 34 cutters. In September 2008, the USCG awarded Bollinger the contract for the initial FRC, named the Bernard C. Webber. The vessel is scheduled to be launched in November 2010, with delivery to the USCG in the second quarter of 2011.

With steel prices jumping by the week it has become increasingly difficult for shipyards to do effective costing in a contact to build a vessel that will take several months or even a year to build. At Bollinger Shipyard’s Lockport facility they have just delivered Slap Shot, number eight of Rigdon?s diesel electric series. The next two are well along and will deliver shortly. Although yards are busy and demand for OSV type vessels is high, the next series of boats that Bollinger is undertaking will be built on spec.

As Bollinger Lockport New Construction (BLN) continues to grow, Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. announces changes to its managerial staff. Dennis Fanguy has been appointed to the position of vice president of quality management system where his responsibilities will encompass the programs in quality assurance / quality control, process improvement, accuracy control and test and trial groups for BLN, as well as the company’s ISO program. Fanguy has been with Bollinger for twenty-one years. He headed the design team for 115 patrol boats built by Bollinger for the U.S. Coast Guard. He also headed the team that designed the only fleet of U.S. Navy Fast Patrol boats ever built, which were also constructed at Bollinger. Fanguy is a graduate of the University of New Orleans in Electrical Engineering.

Profile drawing of the Bollinger 245-ft Class Liftboats for Edison Chouest Offshore that will be built at Bollinger’s Lockport facility. Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. and Edison Chouest Offshore entered into an agreement that will propel Chouest into the growing liftboat market. The two 245-ft class liftboats, Bollinger hull 515 and 516, are based on a Bollinger design that has proven to be an industry leading design that is American Bureau of Shipping, (ABS) classed and USCG certified subchapter L, meeting SOLAS/MARPOL requirements. The vessels will be flagged US and will primarily operate in the Gulf of Mexico region. The three cranes will include a port bow mounted primary crane with a 110 foot lattice boom rated for 175 tons…

In the strictest sense, a liftboat is a self-propelled crane barge that can elevate itself above the water line. It is the cranes that make a liftboat such a valuable tool for building and/or renovating offshore oil and gas structures. A recent example of the working ability of these liftboats is the L/B Myrtle, a 137.5-ft. by 92-ft. vessel with a trio of 245-ft. legs, enabling the vessel to work in water depths of 180 ft. with a 15-ft. air gap. The vessel was built by Bollinger Shipyards in their Lockport facility and sent to Bollinger's Amelia, La. shipyard for the outfitting of the three legs. Montco Offshore, Inc., Galliano, La., owns the vessel. Montco owns six liftboats capable of operating in water depths from 75 to 180 ft.