Leevac Stays Ahead of the Game

While it would be foolhardy to classify Leevac as a cutting-edge ship and boatbuilder, the Jennings, La.-based company quietly goes about its business of building high quality vessels in an efficient manner. Unassuming president Fred Stokes sits at the helm of the company that has weathered markets good and bad, and watched as competitors and colleagues have been oftentimes swept overboard by financial maelstroms.

The secret to Leevac's success lies not in its physical facilities, though the company is not hesitant to invest should a proven technology help to make its operations more efficient. Its success lies in, trite as it sounds, relationships with its customers, offering a known quantity with little or no surprises.

Such was the case in delivering HOS Brimstone to Hornbeck Offshore, an innovative Platform Supply Vessel which provides world-class competitive performance.

HOS Brimstone departed Leevac Industries in Jennings, La., to begin a long-term contract in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico on June 13, 2002. Designed by and built for Hornbeck Offshore Services, LLC, the HOS Brimstone is the company's fourth DP-2 PSV.

HOS Brimstone's dimensions are 265 x 60 x 21 ft., overall. The latest of the HOS "New Breed" has been uniquely engineered to offer numerous advantages over existing tonnage. The hull form assists in making Brimstone a very DP capable and fuel-efficient vessel. The vessel is certified to both USCG Subchapter L (OSV) and I (Industrial Service) and is fully SOLAS for international operation. The American Bureau of Shipping has classed the vessel as A1, AMS, DPS-2, Offshore Support, Oceans.

Two main engines produce 6,780 bhp that drive two 108-in. Scana Volda controllable pitch propellers. Four controllable pitch tunnel thrusters (2 x forward and 2 x aft) are provided by Brunvoll and produce a total of 3,600 bhp. Two Van der Velden "Fishtail"-type rudders which operate independently provide superior maneuverability and vessel control.

With improvements over previous OSV's, the "New Breed" design offers optimum deck space and load capabilities. The vessel's deadweight is 3,750 long tons that can be offloaded with state-of-the-art pumping systems featuring positive displacement pumps. The clear deck area for cargo loading is 8,736 sq. ft. with a cargo capacity of 2,500 long tons and a deck rating of 1,024/sq. ft.

Even though the power and maneuverability features for the vessel are impressive, this vessel has been designed specifically to service the ultra-deepwater market. The HOS Brimstone is engineered for maximum loading capabilities. The liquid mud tanks are set up to carry multiple products without cross contamination. Available liquid mud capacity is a hefty 10,045 bbls. The HOS Brimstone can carry 148,300 gallons of fuel and 400,000 gallons of water. Six dry bulk tanks can carry 10,200 cu. ft. of product. Navigation equipment includes the IVCS 2000 DP system provided by Frank L Beier Radio Inc. The electronics suite selected by Hornbeck Offshore and installed by Beier offer the crew state-of-the-art tools needed to operate safely and efficiently. Other advanced technologies in this suite include radars providing real-time chart plotting software and touch-screen monitoring systems.

The galley features all stainless steel cabinetry and appliances. The vessel is equipped with berths for 24 persons. Hornbeck Offshore Services has signed a definitive agreement with Leevac Industries for the construction of the first four vessels in its recently announced eight-vessel newbuild program. The construction contract calls for the delivery of all four 240-foot DP-2 class deepwater supply vessel during 2003.