Friede Goldman Halter News

In a business where time is money, Signal Ship Repair’s niche ‘high blocking’ repair methods have significantly reduced repair times and increased shipyard efficiencies. If Signal Ship Repair’s (SSR) primary business can generically be described simply as ship repair and conversion, then it can also be said that its practice of ‘high blocking’ to facilitate faster, and more efficient in-house Z drive repairs is its signature service. Utilizing a simple but highly effective shipyard technique, SSR has taken a routine practice originally used to facilitate naval ship drydockings, and turned it into a signature service that helps offshore clients with drop down thrusters, z-drives, pods and keel coolers get repairs done rapidly.

Patrick Roberts, Director of Operations for ShipConstructor USA, has been re-elected Vice Chairman of the Business Process Technologies Panel for the United States National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP). The upcoming year will be Roberts’ second year in the role of Vice Chairman. The NSRP Business Process Technologies Panel advises the NSRP Executive Control Board on research projects involving technology to improve procedures and practices within the shipbuilding industry.

VT Halter Marine Inc., a company of VT Systems Inc (VT Systems), announced the appointment of William (Bill) E. Skinner as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Paul J. Albert as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Skinner, who has been with the company since inception, was appointed CEO on 21 April, 2009. Prior to this appointment Skinner was VT Halter Marine’s COO (2005- 2009) and Senior Vice President of Vessel Operations (2002-2005). Skinner had held senior positions in the shipbuilding industry including President of Friede Goldman Offshore Division of Friede Goldman Halter (1997-2002)…

Friede Goldman Halter, Inc., announced that it plans to retain, subject to Bankruptcy Court approval, the services of Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin. Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin is an international investment banking firm providing a wide range of services including mergers and acquisitions, financial restructuring, private placements of debt and equity capital, business and securities valuations, financial opinions, litigation support, and merchant banking services. In the last decade Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin's financial restructuring professionals have consummated over $30 billion in transactions. FGH will draw upon the firm's diverse industry experience, extensive talent base, and resources to coordinate and execute a successful financial restructuring.

Friede Goldman Halter, Inc., announces that its offshore subsidiary has reached an agreement with Petrodrill IV Ltd. and Petrodrill V Ltd. to advance construction of two Amethyst-class deepwater semisubmersible drilling rigs. Friede Goldman will work at the customer?s direction, and operate on a cost-reimbursable basis with contractually established rates for equipment, personnel, and labor. The agreement is expected to generate greater security and additional employment opportunities for the local workforce. Preliminary estimates place work for this phase of completion at four months for the Company?s Pascagoula, Miss., offshore projects at the east facility on Greenwood Island. The West Bank facility will undergo a restoration and upgrade during the temporary closure.

Norway’s Ocean Rig and Friede Goldman Halter signed an agreement, ending a legal dispute over the building of two drilling rigs that was halted earlier this month. “Work on the rigs, which was suspended briefly by Friede Goldman, causing Ocean Rig to commence arbitration and other legal proceedings against Friede Goldman, resumed in full this morning,” it said in a statement to the Oslo Stock Exchange. “Both companies believe that this latest agreement ... reflects the strong interest of both companies in allocating resources as effectively as possible to complete the remaining work on the rigs,” it said. Friede Goldman, based in Gulfport…

Halter Marine, Inc. the vessel segment of Friede Goldman Halter, Inc. announced that it has signed a contract with an undisclosed customer to build a 332' x 74' x 25', double-skin, clean oil tank barge with an estimated 80,000 BBL capacity. This vessel meets the requirements of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90). This barge is similar in design to one currently under construction at the Halter Gulfport, Miss. facility. Construction will begin at Halter's Gulfport, Miss. facility and take approximately 12 months. Although no new jobs will be created, the project is expected to sustain the facility's current workforce. In recent years, Halter has built 88 similar barges, and currently holds contracts and options for an additional 8 vessels.

Friede Goldman Halter Inc., announced that it has engaged Glass & Associates, Inc., a national crisis-management firm, to serve as its Chief Restructuring Advisor. Jack R. Stone, Jr., principal of Glass, will serve in that capacity and will report directly to the Restructuring Committee of the Board of Directors. Stone will oversee all restructuring activities, working closely with company management and the investment-banking firm of Houlhan Lokey Howard Zukin. This action was taken to provide a separation of the restructuring effort from the day-to-day business operations, which are under the direction of John F. Alford, CEO.

Friede Goldman Halter, Inc. announced that its Halter marine segment received an outstanding rating for the completion of the USNS Mary Sears sea trials. Rear Adm. William Schmidt of Insurv and U.S. Navy captain Philip Johnson of Supships Pascagoula participated in the trials along with personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard, Navy Insurv Board, Naval Sea Systems command, Military Sea Lift Command, Pascagoula Supervisor of Shipbuilding and the Naval Oceanographic Office. The USNS Mary Sears is the sixth Pathfinder T-AGS 60 class built for the Navy by Halter Marine. The vessel is a multi-mission oceanographic survey ship capable of surveying in either coastal or deep-ocean waters, and always forward deployed- having no stateside homeport.

Halter Marine, Inc., the vessel segment of Friede Goldman Halter, Inc., announced the delivery of its newly designed 98-ft. harbor tug, the Lynn Marie. The 6,000-hp Azimuthing Stern Drive (ASD) is based on a design developed by Halter and Foss Marine. Primary tug operations of the Lynn Marie will include ship docking and towing.

We rolled into town on the last train north, arriving Portland, Maine at 2:00 a.m. Half an hour later we were at the dock, hauling our kit - and when Marine News travels light, we're like Hannibal crossing the Alps - over silent tugs resting abreast: Captain Bill, Justine McAllister, Stamford. On the phone a few days before, Capt. Brian Fournier had said something about leaving a light in Stamford's forward port cabin, and there, finally, it shone. But something brighter had caught our eye, and could we believe it? Last time we saw something like it, it was in Aberdeen, Scotland. Now, from Stamford's starboard rail, it loomed and glistened four hundred feet away - rising nearly as high - a pair of deep-sea drilling platforms, afloat waters barely up to their ankles.

The Industrial Canal in New Orleans is aptly named. Connecting a tributary of Mississippi River with Lake Pontchartrain, it is much like a boulevard of broken dreams. Remnants of old shipyards, coffee-roasting facilities operating at half capacity and areas where the oil boom flourished and died dot the banks of the canal. Trinity Yachts, that has suddenly become the 800 lb. Gorilla of the megayacht business. Trinity Yachts was once a part Friede Goldman Halter Company, that corporate experiment that proved you couldn't put an oilrig builder and a boat builder together and get a company that meshes together. Trinity Yachts and was one of the first pieces of the company to be sold off.

With the launching and first of the year completion of the 208-ft. vessel Oscar Dyson, a new era has also been launched at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Typically the recipients of hand-me-down vessels from other services, the $39.3 million Oscar Dyson is the first new vessel the NOAA has received in over 30 years. Dedicated to fisheries research, the vessel is the first of at least two and maybe four built for NOAA by VT Halter Marine, at their Moss Point, Miss. shipyard. The Oscar Dyson was one of a number of ships that was caught in the Friede Goldman Halter bankruptcy two years ago and work was suspended during the shutdown and transfer of this project to the successor company, VT Halter Marine.

Friede Goldman Halter, Inc. announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court has extended the exclusively period for filing of a reorganization plan until February 11, 2002. The primary secured lending group and the Official Unsecured Creditors’ Committee unanimously supported this extension. The restructuring committee of the board of directors has been evaluating expression of interest received from potential strategic and financial parties. These interested parties will conduct final due diligence in the next 30 days, and the restructuring committee expects to make its recommendation prior to February 1, 2002. Both the restructuring committee and the official unsecured creditors’ committee are evaluating all possible alternatives for the company.

FGH Engineered Products Group, the equipment segment of Friede Goldman Halter, Inc., announced that its AmClyde unit has signed new contracts totaling over $10 million with several customers in the international offshore oil and gas sector. AmClyde crane to a new vessel. AmClyde also has a contract from Horizon Offshore Contractors to upgrade the lifting capacity on their existing AmClyde Model 52 marine crane by more than 50 percent. AmClyde is the preeminent designer/builder of the world's largest marine cranes. support services for their new 3,800-ton AmClyde marine crane. services contract. contract from AIOC (Azerbaijan International Operating Company) to provide a template leveling system. a further boost to the backlog of our Engineered Products Group. this group.

Friede Goldman Halter, Inc. that it has submitted its plan for reorganization to the United States Bankruptcy Court. Friede Goldman Halter has worked closely with its unsecured creditors to develop this plan. The plan calls for the reorganization of Friede Goldman Offshore and Halter Marine and anticipates that the previously announced sale of AmClyde and Friede & Goldman, Ltd. (a naval-architecture and marine-engineering firm specializing in offshore rig design) will be finalized. As Friede Goldman Halter emerges from Chapter 11 the resulting independent business units, and their management, are looking forward to increased interest from their loyal customer base.

Halter Marine, Inc (HMI), a division of Friede Goldman Halter, Inc. (FGHLQ) announced that it has received a Letter of Intent from Lockheed Martin Overseas Corporation to design, and build two Voith Schneider Tractor Tugs. This is a portion of a contract that Lockheed Martin signed with the Egyptian Ministry of Transport earlier this month. Lockheed has released funding for design and planning at this time, with details on the remainder of the project to be finalized later. The project is expected to take twenty-six months to complete. Anil Raj, Chief Operating Officer for Friede Goldman Halter said, “The partnership between Halter Marine and Lockheed is added confirmation that demand for quality vessels produced by Halter continues to grow internationally.

MODEC Inc., announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, MODEC (USA) Inc. in partnership with the current management team of Friede & Goldman, Ltd. (FGL) has signed a contract with Friede Goldman Halter, Inc. to acquire the assets of Friede & Goldman Ltd. The acquisition is subject to approval by the United States Bankruptcy Court. Commenting on the agreement,. Paul Geiger Jr., President of Friede & Goldman, Ltd. said, “This acquisition led by the management team with the support of MODEC Group gives a tremendous boost to the business activities of FGL. We intend to aggressively market our services and designs to drilling contractors and to shipyards. Kenji Yamada, President & C.E.O. of MODEC Inc.

Friede Goldman Halter, Inc. (FGH) announced today the debtor’s decision to file a joint plan to reorganize Friede Goldman Offshore (FGO) and Halter Marine, Inc. (HMI) under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy code. The Debtors and the Official Unsecured Creditors Committee are supporting this reorganization. The Restructuring Committee of the Board of Directors, after extensive review of options, will pursue the internal reorganization of the Offshore and Marine segments which is believed to be in the best interests of all parties. Details of the reorganization plan are being finalized and the reorganization plan will be filed with the United States Bankruptcy Court in the near future. Jack Stone, Principal, Glass & Associates, Inc.

Friede Goldman Halter, Inc. (FGH) announced today it has sold the assets of Friede Goldman Newfoundland, the company’s Canadian subsidiary located in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador Canada, to Peter Kiewit Sons Co. Ltd.The transaction is part of the continuing effort to restructure the company and facilitate its emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Bob Shepherd, Executive vice president, administration of FGH, commented, “ The sale of the assets of FGN is in the best interests of the company as it emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The transaction allows the company to reduce outstanding obligations.”

Friede Goldman Halter, Inc. (FGH) announced late last week the resignation John Alford as President and Chief Executive Officer of Friede Goldman Halter. Mr. Alford has served in that capacity since August 2000. The Board of Directors has elected Mr. Jack R. Stone, Jr., currently serving as the Chief Restructuring Advisor to FGH, to the additional post of President and CEO effective April 5, 2002. Mr. Stone, a principal of Glass & Associates, Inc., a nationally prominent management-consulting firm, has been advising the Board of Directors since October 2001 on restructuring matters. As previous announced, FGH has filed a Plan of Reorganization which…

Friede Goldman Halter, Inc. (FGH) filed a Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission. weeks. The company reported a loss for the year ending December 31st 2001 of $401.6 million, or $8.24 per fully diluted common share. The complete financial statements and management's analysis of the results can be reviewed in the Form 10-K. amortization and impairment, depreciation, loss provisions on disposition of assets, inventory write-downs, and subordinated note related write-offs. Additionally, $37.6 million relates to other items including professional fees, income tax provision adjustments and certain contract loss liabilities that were due to the Chapter 11 filing and subsequent events.

Friede Goldman Halter, Inc. on April 25 closed the previously announced sale of the company's AmClyde Division located in St. Paul, Minnesota, for approximately $36 million (USD) to Hydralift ASA, a Norwegian company. "This is an important step," said Jack Stone, President and Chief Executive Officer of Friede Goldman Halter. "The completion of this transaction provides a major portion of the liquidity necessary to accomplish the financial restructuring. The Company continues to move toward Court approval of its Plan of Reorganization. The officers and employees of the AmClyde division did an exemplary job of working with their customers during the bankruptcy and are joining another market leader."