Dean Jones News

Louisiana-based boat builder Metal Shark is building two welded-aluminum fireboats for Anne Arundel County Fire Department in Maryland.The new 50 Defiant NXT monohull pilothouse fireboats were designed by Metal Shark’s in-house engineering team and are now under construction at the company’s Franklin, La. shipyard. The newbuilds were ordered to replace the department's 20-year-old main fireboat, Lady Anne, delivered from MetalCraft Marine in 2023. The new vessels will offer faster speeds enabling shorter response times…

Shipbuilder Metal Shark has introduced the 38 Defiant NXT, described as a next-generation welded aluminum monohull pilothouse model based on the company’s 38 Defiant platform. The first new vessel, “Fire Boat 2,” has been delivered to Orange Beach Fire Rescue in Alabama.Since 2011, Metal Shark has delivered over 100 legacy model 38 Defiant vessels, in a wide range of configurations to fire departments, law enforcement agencies, the US Coast Guard and Navy, and multiple foreign…

Shipbuilder Metal Shark has delivered two of three new welded-aluminum “50 Defiant” monohull pilothouse fireboats to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR).Designed by Metal Shark’s in-house engineering team and built to Lloyds Registry Standard, the welded-aluminum monohull pilothouse fireboats “FB-21” and “FB-73” were acquired to boost MDFR’s maritime firefighting capability and will replace existing vessels in its fleet.Compared to MDFR’s outgoing vessels, the new 55’ x 17.5’ Metal Shark fireboats offer faster speeds enabling shorter response times…

Shipbuilder Metal Shark reports it has seen increased business from law enforcement agencies, with 20 new law enforcement customers recently added and more than 35 welded aluminum law enforcement vessels either recently delivered or currently in production.Among its new builds, Metal Shark is producing five custom 23-foot Relentless center console patrol boats for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, while continuing to deliver 26-foot and 28-foot Relentless center console…

These days, cost-conscious municipalities across the fruited plain, from sea to shining sea, are ordering new waterborne assets to cover their many local responsibilities. When they do, they want ‘more bang for their buck,’ combining multiple missions – and the equipment that makes it all possible – onto one hull. That’s a tall order on the typically compact patrol boat style hulls that tend to be big on performance, but short on space for equipment that can demand a significant physical footprint. One such shipbuilder stepping up to plate to deliver on a raft of promises is Gulf Coast-based Metal Shark. Significantly expanding its presence in the fireboat market with a diverse range of fireboats currently in production for multiple customers…

Shipbuilder Metal Shark is significantly expanding its presence in the fireboat market with a diverse range of fireboats currently in production for multiple customers. Most notably, the company has announced a custom “70 Defiant” fireboat to be built for Canaveral Fire Rescue in Cape Canaveral, Florida.The new Canaveral fireboat is a 70’ x 22’ welded aluminum monohull pilothouse vessel designed by Metal Shark’s in-house engineering team utilizing a military-proven hull form.

Shipbuilder Metal Shark has been selected to build the next generation of fire boats for the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department.Miami-Dade has selected the Metal Shark “50 Defiant X” fireboat, a welded aluminum monohull vessel featuring a proven hull form and a specialized arrangement optimized for firefighting. The new fire boats are being built at Metal Shark’s Jeanerette, Louisiana production facility and are intended to replace older fire boats currently operated by the Department.The 50’ x 15’ vessels will be powered by twin inboard diesel engines mated to water jet propulsion units…

Metal Shark continues to build on its successful business platform, announcing that it  has partnered with the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) to support the preservation of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, home to the second-largest coral barrier reef in the western hemisphere spanning 176 square miles in the Exumas region of the Bahamas.The partnership entails Metal Shark supporting the park’s full-time staff and volunteers by providing boats, technical assistance, and funding to support research…

Metal Shark now offers Volvo Penta diesel sterndrives in its 29 Defiant patrol boats for customers requiring optimum performance, durability and maneuverability. The 29 Defiant can now be ordered with twin Volvo Penta D4-225 sterndrives. The first boat has just been placed into service by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. The Volvo Penta D4-225 is a four-cylinder 3.7-liter engine designed specifically for commercial marine applications. The electronically controlled common rail fuel system provides the performance required for applications requiring fast acceleration and high top speed. The Volvo Penta DPH Duoprop robust high-speed drives are designed to handle massive torque forces while providing high efficiency at all speeds, safe handling and easy maneuvering.

21 Relentless Delivered to Pendleton Rescue Squad. Metal Shark Boats has completed delivery of a 21 Relentless fire, rescue, and patrol vessel for Pendleton Rescue Squad's operations in Kentucky. A custom-built derivative of the U.S. Coast Guard's SPC-SW standard platform response vessel, the boat will serve as the Squad's primary rescue and firefighting vessel. A sister craft has also been built as a demonstration platform for Metal Shark's sales team, and is currently available for testing nationwide.

38 Defiant Delivered to Atlanic Methanol for Security and Patrol. Metal Shark Boats has completed delivery of a security, patrol, and anti-piracy vessel for Atlantic Methanol Production Company's operations in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. The boat is a derivative of Metal Shark's 38 Defiant, a platform already in use as a U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, law enforcement, and commercial vessel. "Metal Shark's capabilities extend far beyond the traditional patrol vessel, and the extensive customization of this boat underscores our capability to build our platforms to meet any security or government need…