Lytal to Add Second Bollinger OSV

Following the delivery of one of Bollinger Shipyard’s 145.5- x 36-ft. utility class OSVs in 2000, Lytal Oceans, Ltd. will add a second of the popular vessels to their fleet this April. “These boats will carry as much cargo as the older 165 and 180-footers,” said company president Jimmy Lytal from his Lockport, La., offices.

Each of the vessels has 3,000 sq. ft. of space on the aft deck, which can handle up to 350 LT of cargo. Below decks, each is equipped with four Bollinger mud tanks, which can carry a total of 50,200 gallons of liquid mud. The boats also have two tanks that can carry a total of 19,700 gallons of methanol and are able to hold 32,250 gallons of fuel, 1,175 gallons of oil and 14,500 gallons of potable water.

The all-steel, three-deck boats will be air conditioned and heated with quarters for two officers, two crew and 12 guests. The galleys can serve up 16 people at a time. The Lytal supply boats are being built to U.S. Coast Guard standards under sub-chapter “L” under 100 GT and will carry an American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) load line and will be ABS certified supply/utility.

The newest boat, the Lytal Andre, like the Lytal Ashley, will be named for one of Lytal’s grandchildren. The primary variation in the most recent vessel is the selection of a Cummins power package rather than the two-cycle engines in the earlier boat. The main engines in the Lytal Andre are V-12 cylinder four-stroke Cummins KTA38M0s with 2,300 cu. in. (38 liter) displacement and rated for 750 hp (559 kW) at 1,600 rpm and turning into Reintjes WAF 561 gears with 5.05:1 ratios. A six-cylinder 360 hp Cummins N14 powers a Schottel tunnel bowthruster for improved maneuvering. Electrical services will be provided by two Cummins 6CTA 8.3 liter-powered 99 kW gensets. “I switched to the Cummins engines because they meet the new EPA regulations and they are a proven engine,” explained Lytal.

The market for these utility class boats is expected to remain strong, Lytal added, “The continental shelf in the Gulf of Mexico is active right now. These Bollinger boats are the new Cadillac on the continental shelf plus they are capable of meeting the needs of our offshore customers.”

With over 25 years in business, Lytal has a keen eye for these emerging opportunities. The new boats will bring his fleet up to 12 vessels all of which are in the utility class.