Blount Boats Inc News

Offshore wind developers Ørsted and Eversource announced Thursday that they have chosen two regional vessel operators that will partner with Rhode Island shipyards to build crew transfer vessels (CTV) to service their wind farm projects in the U.S. Northeast. The joint venture partners revealed plans to charter five new Jones-Act-compliant CTVs, including three from New York-based WindServe Marine and two from Massachusetts-based American Offshore Services (AOS).The purpose-built aluminum catamarans are designed to handle the unique offshore conditions at the wind farms…

A new icebreaking tugboat built by Blount Boats in Rhode Island has been delivered to the New York Power Authority (NYPA) to work in the Niagara River to help alleviate shoreline flooding and reduce the likelihood of ice limiting the power production at large hydro plants along the Niagara River. The Breaker II joins a fleet of three boats that work every winter to install the Lake Erie—Niagara River Ice Boom—a series of 22 spans of steel pontoons that straddle the mouth of the…

Governors 1, a 400-passenger ferry built by Blount Boats delivered in 2019, provides service between Lower Manhattan and Governors Island, a park-like respite .5 nm away from the bustle of New York City.The 132' x 40' Governors 1 has dual 800 hp engines, so maintaining optimal air pressure and temperature is critical for peak performance and efficiency. Adequate airflow is also essential for crew comfort and safety.Specified by naval architecture and marine engineering services firm Glosten…

Blount Boats, Inc. becomes the eighth shipyard company to join Green Marine.“We’re already committed to delivering vessels that exceed our clients’ expectations and now wish to go beyond compliance in our work in terms of the environment as well,” says Marcia Blount, the company’s president. “The Green Marine framework is tailor made for the marine industry and scalable to our size of operations. It will provide guidance towards greater sustainability for our shipbuilding activities.”Green Marine further expands its shipyard and U.S. East Coast membership by welcoming Blount Boats, Inc.

Rhode Island shipyard Blount Boats, Inc. said it has signed a sublicense agreement with Marine Applied Physics Corp. (MAPC) of Baltimore, Md., for the building of crew transfer vessels (CTV) designed by U.K. builder South Boats.South Boats has designed and built approximately 30 percent of the wind farm crew transfer vessels operating on European windfarms, and Blount Boats has held the U.S. license for the firm’s designs since 2011.In 2016, Blount delivered a South Boats 21-meter transfer vessel, Atlantic Pioneer, to Rhode Island Fast Ferry. The vessel is the first U.S.

Aiming to support shipbuilding modernizations that will increase productivity and allow U.S. shipyards to compete more effectively in global markets, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has awarded $9.8 million to 18 U.S. yards through its Small Shipyard Grant Program. “Small shipyards play a significant role in our country’s maritime sector, which contributes to our economy, security, and infrastructure,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

Over time, the Blount shipyard has built more than 365 vessels. Today, Blount Boats’ clients include Fire Island Ferries, Casco Bay Island Transit District, Puerto Rico and Municipal Islands Maritime Authority, Spirit Cruises, Circle Line Statue of Liberty (Hornblower), South Ferry on Shelter Island, Long Island, and the Kwajalein Army Base on the Marshall Islands. Blount has been building high quality, innovative shallow draft designs for 66 years. Blount’s designs have created…

Blount Boats, Inc. has been contracted to build a 100- x 35-foot steel passenger ferry boat for Shoreline Sightseeing Co., Chicago, Ill. The proposed 300-plus passenger, Sub-Chapter K vessel was designed by Seacraft Design, LLC, Sturgeon Bay, Wisc. And will operate as an architectural tour boat in partially protected waters. The vessel is the second being built by Blount for Shoreline, and delivery is slated for spring 2016. The vessel will be powered by twin Volvo D13 MH, 400hp diesels with twin 65 kW John Deere generators…

Over time, the Blount shipyard has built 363 vessels, including such iconic designs as the 130-foot, 600-passenger Miss Liberty. Built in 1952, the vessel is believed to have carried more total passengers than any other vessel in the world. Hull number 93, built in 1955, the “Blount 65’ made its debut and was an immediate success with ferry, commuter and excursion operators. Just under 65’ long, it was an important “break point” in Coast Guard regulations. During the late 1950s, Blount designed the Botruc for the offshore oil and gas industry.

Blount Boats, Inc. has been appointed by South Boats Special Projects, Ltd., based at Cowes on the Isle of Wight, England, to be the exclusive shipyard to manufacture U.S. flagged aluminum catamarans of South Boats designs for the U.S. wind farm industry. Blount Boats operates a shipyard in Warren, Rhode Island. South Boats is recognized as a pioneer in designing and manufacturing wind farm service vessels. Their shipyard has built 45 vessels in five classes, from 15M – 30 meters, representing a 50% market share in European wind farms that are serviced by 13 operators, including Turbine Transfers Ltd. (Holyhead Towing Company), Iceni Marine Services Ltd., Northern Offshore Services AB, MPI Workboats, Ltd. (Vroon Group BV), Maritime Craft Services and MTS Group.

Blount Boats, Inc. received Notice of Award to design and construct four 75-ft passenger vessels for the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll in the South Pacific. The vessels will be built to meet the USCG Subchapter 'T' for operation between the Marshall Islands of Kwajalein, Rio-Namur and Ennubirr Island on a Protected Waters Route for the Kwajalein Range Service, LLC, a contractor to the U.S. Army. The 150-passenger mono hull boat will be constructed of welded Corten steel with an aluminum superstructure.

Blount Boats, Inc. has been awarded a contract by the Maine Department of Transportation to build a 110-ft passenger ferry for the Casco Bay Island Transit District. The design specifications are similar to the Aucocisco III, which were developed by Seaworthy Systems. The proposed 399 passenger, Sub-Chapter K vessel will operate year round ferry service to islands in Casco Bay, Portland, Maine. The vessel will be equipped with electronically controlled diesel engines that meet the latest EPA standards. Hull #335 will mark the ninth vessel built for the Casco Bay Island Transit District. Over the last 57 years, the Blount shipyard has built a total of eight vessels for Casco Bay: Aucocisco II (1953)…

Puerto Rico Maritime Transportation Authority (PRMTA) deployed the 300 passenger / 300 ton cargo vessel, M/V Cayo Largo to Barahona, Dominican Republic to assist in the humanitarian effort for Haiti. The vessel, which was designed and built by Blount Boats, Inc. of Warren, R.I., has been in service between the port of Fajardo on the east coast of Puerto Rico and the islands of Culebra and Vieques since her delivery in 2008. The vessel has an overall length of 162 ft, a beam of 46 ft, and draws less than eight ft of water loaded.

Blount Boats, Inc. has signed a contract with Wendella Sightseeing Company, Inc. to construct an 89 by 30-ft steel excursion vessel. This vessel will be a sister ship to the M/V Wendella (Hull 320) built by the Blount shipyard in 2007. The vessel was designed by Timothy Graul Marine Design and will operate in the Chicago area. The 300 passenger vessel will be powered by twin screw C12 Caterpillar engines, 385hp at 1,800 rpm with ZF gears. Delivery for Hull #330 is scheduled for May 2010 via the Erie Canal in time for the 75th anniversary celebration of Wendella Sightseeing Company. Wendella Sightseeing, Chicago’s original boat tour company has been operating since 1935.

The Department of Transportation has announced 70 grants totaling $98m in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds that will be used to improve small shipyards throughout the United States. The funds, awarded through the Maritime Administration’s Assistance to Small Shipyards program, will help create and preserve jobs, provide valuable employment training and make much needed improvements to shipyards across the country. The Small Shipyards Grant program provides up to 75 percent in ARRA funds for a project and requires the remainder be matched by the shipyard. A detailed list of the grantees is as follows. •    Aker Philadelphia Shipyard, Inc.,  Philadelphia, PA: $2,312,614, for the first year of training program.

The 165 x 45-ft. 300 ST Class cargo/passenger ferry, M/V Cayo Largo built by Blount Boats, Inc. for the Puerto Rico and Municipal Islands Maritime Authority was accepted for delivery to Fajardo, on July 23. The Cayo Largo will also deliver the 45x17-ft. M/V La Plena, also built by Blount Boats. The M/V La Plena is being shipped as cargo on the M/V Cayo Largo, which will be arriving in on Sunday, August 3, 2008. M/V Cayo Largo is powered by four Detroit Diesel 12V4000 M60 engines totaling 7…

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.

Construction is progressing for the new Subchapter “K” passenger ferry vessels, M/V Isleño at Blount Boats, Inc. (BBI), Warren RI and M/V Caribeña at VT Halter Marine, Inc. (VTHMI), Pascagoula, MS. Bristol Harbor Marine Design (BHMD) is serving as a liaison for the Puerto Rico Ports Authority (PRPA), providing construction oversight for the vessels servicing the Fajardo-Vieques-Culebra Ferry Line. On July 15th, 2003, BBI signed a contract with the PRPA to construct a 155-ft. cargo/passenger ferry similar to a previous design by the yard. The construction of this vessel will be similar to the M/V Cayo Norte, built by Blount Marine in 1995. Four (4) MTU DD12V2000 engines coupled to 2.9:1 Twin Disc 5202 gears will provide 3220 BHP.

Blount Boats, Inc. has signed a contract with Wendella Sightseeing Company, Inc. to construct an 89 x 30 ft. steel excursion vessel. The vessel was designed by Timothy Graul Marine Design and will operate in the Chicago area. The 300 passenger vessel will be powered by twin screw Caterpillar engines. Delivery for Hull #320 is scheduled for April 2007 via the Erie Canal.

Blount Boats, Inc. shipyard at Warren, RI has contracted with the Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) of the United States Department of Homeland Security for a steel vehicle and passenger ferry. The 120 ft. OSV type vessel will be propelled by twin 1,300 hp Cummins engines at a speed above 16 knots. It will provide RoRo capacity to a vehicle load of 100 tons, and when partially loaded carry 150 passengers. It will be the second such steel vessel built for the center by Blount Boats. The first one was the Plum Isle, built in 1968. “Though Plum Island Animal Disease Center’s mission has always been to develop preventatives and diagnostic tools to protect America’s livestock from foreign animal diseases…