Steel Canopy News

Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) builder ASIS Boats has built and delivered the first of a fleet of 12-meter all weather passenger transport professional RIBs. The intended use of these RIB Boats will be to transport safely up to 23 passengers from main land to islands, daily and continuously, under any weather conditions. With 450-liter under deck stainless steel fuel tanks and powered by twin 250-horsepower Suzuki four stroke outboard engines, this semi-rigid transport RIB can reach speeds of up to 43 knots and speeds of 40 knots with all 23 passengers on board…

Blount-Barker Shipbuilding signed a contract on April 15th with Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) to convert the M/V Essex to passenger only service. The 100 ft. open deck passenger/auto ferry with single ended propulsion will be converted to increase the maximum capacity from 149 to 600. Modifications include a conversion to double ended propulsion, enclosing the main deck and providing a steel canopy to cover the upper deck. The vessel will be converted for inspection and certification as a small passenger vessel in accordance with the requirements of 49CFR Subchapter K. The M/V Essex was originally built by Blount Marine Corporation in 1981 for the Lake Champlain Transportation Company.