Isuzu News

Auckland-based tourism operator Explore Group expanded its fleet of passenger and tourism vessels late last year with the delivery of Tuhi Rapa, an Incat Crowther 29 design built by Australian shipyard Aluminium Marine. The vessel is designed to transport up to 300 passengers and has been plying the waters of Auckland Harbour and the Bay of Islands since its maiden voyage in late 2022.Designed to be used as both a passenger ferry as well as a wildlife sightseeing cruise vessel…

Mack Boring & Parts Co., a supplier of engines and power products to industrial and marine markets, announced industry veteran Edward “Ned” McGovern III. Ned passed away on April 14, at the age of 77, following a seven-year battle with prostate cancer.In 1990, Ned became the third generation of McGovern leaders to become President of Mack Boring, and later Co-President with his brother Steve from 2003-2008. Ned, along with the McGovern family, transformed the company with the addition of products such as Yanmar, Isuzu and Scania.

Geraldton-based Dave Perham, an operator from Australia’s Western Rock Lobster fishery, has taken delivery of a new lobster boat from Dongara Marine designed to have much lower fuel consumption than comparable vessels.Completed in late April 2020, some 12 months after contracts were signed, Force of Nature is a 22.4-meter Southerly Designs monohull which, like other recent Dongara Marine fishing and pilot boat newbuilds, combines an aluminum hull with a composite superstructure.The new boat is an upgrade from Perham’s current vessel…

On April 14, newly constructed coal carrier Isuzu Maru was delivered at Oshima Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. in Saikai, Japan. The new vessel will be operated by NYK Bulkship (Asia) Pte. Ltd., an NYK group company located in Singapore, for the transport of coal for JERA Trading Singapore Pte. Ltd., a coal trading corporation owned by JERA Co., Inc. (67 percent) and EDF Trading Limited (33 percent). JERA Co., Inc. The delivery and naming ceremony held at the shipyard was attended by Tomohiko Ono…

Incat Crowther launched the Harbor Master, a new generation of tour vessel to operate on Tasmania’s picturesque Macquarie Harbor. Developed in collaboration with World Heritage Cruises, the 220-passenger, 35-metre catamaran combines the operator’s layout and propulsion concepts with Incat Crowther’s naval architecture expertise. Harbour Master leverages the experience of 6 previous Incat Crowther-designed vessels which WHC have operated on Macquarie Harbour and creates an excellent experience for visitors to the world Heritage listed area. Passengers enter the main deck cabin through a large central passageway, serviced by ladies and gents toilets, forward of which is a large, well-designed food preparation area and bar.

Incat Crowther is pleased to announce a collaboration with World Heritage Cruises in the development of a tour vessel to operate out of Strahan, on Tasmania’s picturesque Macquarie Harbour. The 220-passenger, 35-metre catamaran has been co-developed with WHC, combining the operator’s layout and propulsion concepts with Incat Crowther’s naval architecture expertise. The new vessel will leverage from the experience of 6 previous Incat Crowther-designed vessels which WHC have operated on Macquarie Harbour, creating an excellent experience for visitors to the world Heritage listed area. Passengers enter the main deck cabin through a large central passageway, serviced by ladies and gents toilets, forward of which is a large, well-designed food preparation area and bar.

The origin of the Mack Boring business name dates back to 1922 when Ed McGovern Sr. founded the company. His nickname was “Mack” and “boring” was one of his thriving machine shop specialties. The company is now under the fourth generation of uninterrupted McGovern family management. To help commemorate its milestone, Mack Boring has launched a website (www.mbpc90.com) dedicated to reflecting on the company’s heritage. Mack Boring has become one of North America’s leading distributors of marine and industrial diesel engines, marine transmissions and related powertrain products.

Kodiak Diesel in Kodiak, Alaska has just finished the repower of the F/V Jeanoah an 84 ft crabbing and long line vessel owned by Fairweather Fisheries, Jerry Bongen & James Stevens. The new engine is a UM6WG1WM-AB1K Isuzu tier 2 common rail, M1 rating to deliver 505 HP @1800 RPM engine. The engine was paired with a Twin Disc 5170 6:1 transmission. The Jenoah fishes from Sitka out to the Aleutian Islands. With a fishing area this large, engine reliability is very important. Kodiak…

The picturesque town of Bayou La Batre, Ala. has long been known for its production of shrimp trawlers. Normally, about 150 of these 90-105 ft. vessels come out of 8-10 yards set up specifically to produce these boats. Increasingly, however, large deepwater offshore service vessels are taking their place along side of the trawlers as the Bayou La Batre boat builders join with their Louisiana cousins in producing vessels for the oil patch. Interestingly, it is many of the same builders who construct dozens of trawlers a year that are in the forefront of OSV production. One of the prime examples is Master Boat Builders, Coden, Ala., about three miles south of Bayou La Batre.

All American Marine, Inc., announced the launch of the Condor Express, Southern California's first quad-jet powered catamaran charter boat. The catamaran's new owner, Capt. Fred Benko, set out recently from Bellingham's Cruise Terminal for Santa Barbara, where the boat will be used for whale watching tours and other functions between Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands. The Condor Express is All American Marine's 10th Teknicraft high-speed aluminum power catamaran. In addition to serving both tourists and scientists interested in whale watching, the boat will also be used for dinner cruises, weddings and other celebrations, as well as marine education for children.

Some excursion vessels happily seem to live forever. They change owners, change paint colors, endure countless renovations, bare scars from misguided attempts to "improve" her propulsion system… but the boat lives on. Such is the case of a 1969 vintage two-deck paddle wheeler built in 1969 by the Dubuque Boat and Boiler Company. The vessel has had many names. But the one most associated with the vessel is Bonnie Belle, owned for many years by Lloyd and Bonnie Poore and sailed on thousands of excursions on the Ohio River. It also spent some time on the Missouri and Ohio rivers under other names and various owners. The vessel is a classic design hydraulic paddle wheeler with an enclosed main deck and a canopied second deck.

While the market news from the passenger vessel industry has been anything but bright, a few shipyards are building new facilities to better serve their customer base. One of the best examples is Island Boats, Jeanerette, La., Island Boats formerly was located on a very dry patch of land overlooking Highway 90 near New Iberia, La. . After construction, their vessels had to be trucked to the Port of Iberia, several miles away. "The cost to us and inconvenience to others in the Port was becoming a major problem as our boats got bigger," said Miles Thomas, president of the firm. The firm solved this problem in May by moving to a six acre plot of land that backs up to Bayou Teche, approximately eight miles from the Baldwin Canal that has direct access to the Intercoastal waterway.