Bill Skinner News

VT Halter Marine, Inc. (VTHM), a company of Vision Technologies Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), announced a change of senior leadership. After more than 46 years in the shipbuilding business, including nearly two decades at VT Halter Marine, President and CEO Bill Skinner has announced his retirement. Skinner previously served as President, CEO and Director of ADDSCO Industries (1985-1989), the parent company of Alabama Maritime Corporation, where he also served as President (1982-1984) and as President of Alabama Shipyard, Inc. (1989-1997) following its acquisition by Atlantic Marine.

VT Halter Marine, Inc., a company of Vision Technologies Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), announced it has delivered a combination container and roll-on/roll-off car truck carrier (ConRo), MV Marjorie C, to Pasha Hawaii. The MV Marjorie C is the second U.S. Flag, Jones Act-qualified vessel built for Honolulu-based Pasha Hawaii and will join her sister ship, the MV Jean Anne, providing additional service to Hawaii via the Hawaii/Mainland trade lane. The 692 feet long MV Marjorie C features vehicle shipping capacity of 1…

Bouchard Transportation Co., announced the launch of Barge B. No. 270, the first of two Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) units constructed by VT Halter Marine, Inc., a company of Vision Technologies Systems, Inc. The barge was launched at the Pascagoula Shipyard Operations in Pascagoula, Mississippi, on Friday, May 1, 2015, following the launch of tug Kim M. Bouchard, part of the ATB unit, at the Moss Point Marine facility in Escatawpa, Mississippi, on February 26, 2015. When paired, Kim M. Bouchard and Barge B. No. 270 will be delivered to Bouchard as part of its ongoing fleet expansion program.

If you drive just south of I-10 in Pascagoula, Miss., within 10 minutes you find yourself on the doorstep of VT Halter Marine, arguably one of the more diverse and active shipyards in the U.S. The company, which is a subsidiary of Vision Technologies Systems, Inc. (VTS), operates three facilities in Jackson County, Miss., and today supports about 1,600 full time employees as well as about 1,600 vendors and subcontractors. •    A pair of 250,000 barrel ATBs and a pair of 6,000 hp ATB tugs for Bouchard Transportation, a long-tenured and important client for VT Halter.

VT Halter Marine launched ATB tug Kim M. Bouchard for Bouchard Transportation at Moss Point Marine facility on February 26, 2015. Measuring 150 feet long, the 10,000hp twin screw ATB tug is classed by ABS as A1 Towing Vessel, Dual Mode ATB, USCG Subchapter M, is equipped with Intercon Coupler Systems, and will pair up with Barge B. No. 270. The barge measures 625 feet by 91 feet by 47 feet and has a 250,000-barrel capacity. Used to transport liquid petroleum, the barge is ABS and USCG certified for Jones Act service.

ConRo vessel M/V Marjorie has attained main engine light off while under final construction at VT Halter Marine, Pascagoula, Miss., signaling that the ship’s complex network of systems is complete and functional prior to delivery to Honolulu-based Pasha Hawaii. Sea trials are now anticipated before the end of the month, with vessel delivery to follow in March. George W. The addition of the Marjorie C to Pasha’s Mainland/Hawaii trade lane represents a long-term investment to the future of serving Hawaii…

The keel for the first of two liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered, combination container – Roll-On/Roll-Off (ConRo) ships for Crowley Maritime Corp.’s liner services group was laid during a ceremony at ship-builder VT Halter Marine, Inc.’s facility in Pascagoula, Miss. The keel laying ceremony marked the next step in the construction of Crowley’s first Commitment Class ship, which will exclusively serve the U.S.-Puerto Rico trade lane, replacing the company’s towed triple-deck barge fleet in the South Atlantic trade which served the trade since the early 1970s.

VT Halter Marine, Inc., a subsidiary of Vision Technologies Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), has commenced construction on the first of two liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered, combination Container Roll-On/Roll-Off (ConRo) vessels for Crowley following the signing of the contract, which took place in November 2013. “We have waited with great anticipation for the Commitment Class build program to start,” said John Hourihan, senior vice president and general manager, Puerto Rico/Caribbean liner services.

VT Halter Marine, Inc., a subsidiary of Vision Technologies Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), launched MV Marjorie C, a container and roll-on/roll-off car truck carrier (ConRo) at its Pascagoula facilities on August 8. MV Marjorie C is the second vessel built for Honolulu-based Pasha Hawaii. MV Marjorie C has the ability to carry 1,500 TEUs, above and under deck, as well as vehicles and over-high and over-wide cargoes on 10 workable decks. The 692-foot long vessel, with a vehicle shipping capacity of 2,750 units, is the largest vessel ever built by VT Halter Marine.

VT Halter Marine, Inc., a subsidiary of Vision Technologies Systems, Inc., announced four separate shipbuilding milestones for the Offshore Supply Vessel (OSV) Super 320 Program underway for Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. Firstly, VT Halter Marine delivered HOS Captain on July 10. Five days later, VT Halter Marine hosted the christening ceremony of HOS Crestview held at the Pascagoula facility and launched HOS Caledonia at the Halter Moss Point facility on July 15. Finally, delivery of HOS Clearview took place on July 28.

VT Halter Marine, Inc., a subsidiary of Vision Technologies Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), today announced new contracts to build two 130-foot Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) tugs for Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. (Bouchard). Measuring 130 feet by 38 feet by 22 feet, these 6,000hp Twin Screw ATB tugs will be classed by ABS as A1 Ocean Towing, Dual Mode ATB, USCG Subchapter C, both will be equipped with an Intercon Coupler System. Construction of the vessels will begin in 3Q2014 at VT Halter Marine’s Moss Point Marine facility in Escatawpa, Miss., with delivery expected in January 2016 and May 2016. These vessels will enter into Bouchard’s fleet service in New York, N.Y. “I am happy to share the news of Bouchard Transportation’s fleet expansion,” said Morton S.

VT Systems subsidiary VT Halter Marine says it has constructed and delivered the ocean-going 112-ft Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) Tug, 'Denise A. Bouchard', for Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc (Bouchard). Measuring 112 feet by 35 feet by 17 feet, the 4,000hp tug is classed by ABS as A1 Towing Vessel, Dual Mode, and is equipped with an Intercon Coupler System. Construction of the vessel began in March 2013 and the tug was launched in February 2014, at VT Halter Marine’s Moss Point Marine facility in Escatawpa, Mississippi. The Denise A. Bouchard is the sister vessel to the Evening Star which was delivered in October 2012, and is part of a major Bouchard fleet expansion currently underway at VT Halter Marine.

VT Halter Marine, Inc., a subsidiary of Vision Technologies Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), today launched the oceangoing 112-foot Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) Tug, Denise A. Bouchard. Measuring 112 feet by 35 feet by 17 feet, the 4,000hp tug is classed by ABS as A1 Towing Vessel, Dual Mode, and is equipped with an Intercon Coupler System. Construction of the vessel began in March 2013, and the keel was laid in May 2013 at VT Halter Marine’s Moss Point Marine facility in Escatawpa, Miss.

VT Halter Marine laid the keel for Barge B No. 270, which is, in part, one of two Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) units being built for Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. (Bouchard). The barge measures 625 x 91 x 47 ft. and has a 250,000-barrel capacity and will be used to transport liquid petroleum. The barge is ABS and USCG certified for Jones Act service. Construction of the two units began April 2013 at VT Halter Marine’s Pascagoula facility, with delivery scheduled for mid 2015. VT Halter Marine has also scheduled a February 6, 2014 launch for the ocean going 112-ft. 4000 hp ATB Tug “Denise A. Bouchard”, sister tug to the previously built “Evening Star”. Measuring 112 x 35 x 17 ft., the tug is classed by ABS as A1 Towing Vessel, Dual Mode, and is equipped with an Intercon Coupler System.

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) winner of American Maritime Partnership’s (AMP) 2012 'Champion of Maritime' award gets American Waterways Operators (AWO) approbation. The American Waterways Operators, a 350-member trade association representing the nation’s tugboat, towboat and barge industry, congratulates Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) upon his receipt of the American Maritime Partnership’s (AMP) 2012 Champion of Maritime award in honor of his years of leadership and diligence in supporting the nation’s maritime industry and its American workforce.

VT Halter Marine, Inc. (VT Halter Marine), a subsidiary of VT Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), has announced  its partnership agreement with DCNS to submit a proposal to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the design and construction of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC). VT Halter Marine will be the prime contractor and DCNS will be its exclusive subcontractor for the OPC platform design. USCG stated in its Request for Proposal for the OPC released on September 25, 2012, that it anticipates to acquire as many as 25 OPCs to replace an aging fleet of 28 Medium Endurance Cutters consisting of 14 Reliance class cutters (210ft/64m) built between 1964 and 1969…

VT Halter Marine, Inc. (VT Halter Marine), a subsidiary of VT Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), today announced that Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. (NYSE: HOS) has exercised the options for two additional Offshore Supply Vessels (OSV), valued at a total of US$89m with deliveries expected in the fourth quarter of 2014 and first quarter of 2015. VT Halter Marine announced on 18 November last year that it had secured the contract to construct eight 319ft long Offshore Supply Vessels (OSV) for about US$353m with options for up to 24 additional identical vessels. These vessels are constructed in its yards at Moss Point Marine and Halter Moss Point with deliveries of the first and eighth vessels planned for in October 2013 and September 2014 respectively.

VT Halter Marine, Inc. (VT Halter Marine), a subsidiary of VT Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), today announced the delivery of Endurance, the second 8,000 hp Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) tug to Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc. This is part of a contract that VT Halter Marine signed with OSG in April 2010 to complete two tugs over 16 months at the former’s Moss Point Marine shipyard. The first tug, Courageous, was delivered in June 23, 2011. Both Courageous and Endurance are capable…

VT Halter Marine, Inc. (VT Halter Marine), a subsidiary of VT Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), announced the appointment of Cliffe F. Laborde to its Board of Directors. Laborde is owner and co-manager of Laborde Marine Services, LLC and Laborde Brothers Crewboats, LLC. These companies own and operate platform supply vessels and crewboats that service the offshore energy sector. Laborde previously held the position of Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary to Tidewater, Inc. until June 2007. Prior to his appointment at Tidewater, Laborde was one of four founding partners of the firm Gelpi, Sullivan, Carroll & Laborde, where his practice primarily involved maritime defense litigation.

Boston Harbor has been an important shipping center for more than 300 years, from its influx of European immigrants to the wide variety of cargo it handles today. Since the early 1970s, the area has become a major center for unloading the liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers that supply natural gas to much of the Northeast. Getting those tankers safely to their terminals is the job of ship-assist tugboats such as those operated by Boston Towing and Transportation (BT&T). When BT&T commissioned two new tugs for assisting LNG tankers belonging to global giant Suez Energy North America…

VT Halter Marine, Inc. (VT Halter Marine), a subsidiary of VT Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), announced a new contract to build a 112-ft ATB Offshore Tug for Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. (Bouchard). This tug will be similar to others built for Bouchard in previous years by Halter Marine. Measuring 112 ft by 35 ft by 17 feet, the 4,000hp tug is classed by ABS as A1 Towing Vessel, Dual Mode, and it will be equipped with an Intercon Coupler System. Construction of the vessel begins in June 2011 at VT Halter Marine’s Moss Point Marine facility in Escatawpa, Miss., with delivery expected in September 2012. The vessel will enter into Bouchard’s fleet service in New York, N.Y.

There was a tense moment at the Boston Tug Muster, held this year on the last day of May. At 10 A.M. sharp, the official opening moment of this 19th annual event, there were no tugs at the rallying point, Pier 4, Charlestown. At 10:05, still no tugs. By 10:10, only Innovator, possibly the shortest tug in town, had cruised by. It passed along the pier as if looking for old friends, and finding none, performed its trademark about-face and seemed to be departing. Maybe the gents aboard had got the date wrong? Last year's Muster, after all, was in August. On the pier itself, among Muster officials, a nasty question was starting to form: What if you gave a Muster, and nobody came?