Vee News

Somerset, Mass. shipyard Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, announced it has delivered the first of the Boston Pilots’ two Chesapeake-class pilot boats undergoing a comprehensive refit.“The vessels are well used and well maintained. Only minor structural repairs were necessary so definitely worthy of refitting,” said Peter Duclos, the shipyard’s co-president.Along with installing new shafts and Brunton propellers, the 53’ all-aluminum pilot boat’s twin 600 hp Lugger L6140AL2 engines were replaced with a pair of Volvo Penta D-16 diesel engines…

Louisiana-based boat builder Metal Shark has unveiled Prowler, its new autonomous, amphibious, and semi-submersible military craft engineered to meet the current and near future warfighting requirements of the U.S. military and its allies. The company is also debuting Frenzy, a high-performance, low-cost, amphibious micro-USV (uncrewed surface vehicle) with a payload carrying capacity of up to 14 pounds.“Prowler represents the sum total of everything we’ve learned while building 400-plus autonomous and remote operated vessels for our military customers over the past decade…

Silver Ships recently completed the first deliveries under the Naval Sea Systems Command of seven 11-meter Open Center Console (OCC) vessels and two 8-meter Open Center Console (OCC) vessels, under the Naval Special Warfare Surface Support Craft Contract. The U.S. Navy has also conducted Pre-Delivery Inspection and Testing (PDIT) of three vessel variants included in the contract.The Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Surface Support Craft (SSC) contract entails construction of five different vessel variants of the Ambar series rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB).

Somerset, Mass. shipbuilder Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation said it has won a contract to build a new high-speed, harbor pilot boat for the Virginia Pilot Association.Scheduled for delivery in mid-2023, the new vessel will be the pilots’ tenth launch built by Gladding-Hearn.The all-aluminum launch displaces about 2,000 pounds less than a similar sized offshore pilot boat. As a result, the boat accelerates faster and reaches a higher top speed, explained Peter Duclos, the shipyard’s co-president and director of sales.

Aluminum workboat builder Silver Ships, Inc. said it was awarded an $8.2 million delivery order as a result of being awarded a firm-fixed-price indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) single award contract by the Naval Sea Systems Command for the construction and delivery of up to 110 Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Surface Support Craft (SSC) and U.S. Coast Guard Special Purpose Craft, Law Enforcement (SPC-LE) vessels, in addition to other accessories, parts and training.

The first newbuild rigid inflatable boat (RIB) built by Dongara Marine has entered into service, heralding a raft of government and RIB contracts for the Western Australian boatbuilder.The newbuild, Cape Rose, was completed at the end of last year and has been operating for Marine Rescue Shark Bay since delivery to Denham in early in 2021. It has replaced a response vessel that had serviced the Western Australia (WA) coastline for more than 20 years, both with the group and previously…

Shipbuilder Metal Shark has introduced the welded-aluminum “52 Fearless Super Interceptor,” an offshore-capable, ultra-high-performance military patrol vessel delivering 70-knot top speeds. Production has commenced at Metal Shark’s Jeanerette, La. production facility, with 15 vessels currently on order for overseas military and law enforcement interests.Metal Shark developed the 52 Fearless Super Interceptor in response to growing demand among military operators for larger and…

Trelleborg has acquired Signum Technology Ltd. The acquisition of Signum and its subsidiary companies Gall Thomson, KLAW LNG, KLAW Products, and Vee Bee Filtration., provides safety-critical solutions for flow control applications, including Marine Breakaway Couplings (MBCs) and safety solutions for LNG transfer systems.The move is part of Trelleborg’s strategy to strengthen its position as a system provider in oil and gas market segments, such as ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore LNG transfer.Signum Technology is headquartered in Wiltshire…

"Green Cruising” with AIDA Cruises: Biggest AIDA Cruise Ship operates environmentally337 meters long, 42 meters wide, 8.8 meters draft, 183,900 GT, four main engines transferring in total 62 MW on two PODs: These are the most important particulars of AIDAnova, the latest Meyer Werft-built cruise ship for AIDA Cruises.During the laying of the keel Carnival Corp. announced that it was going to build a total of seven new cruise ships which can “in port and at sea” operate with natural gas/methane.The seven new builds will be built at yards of the Meyer Group in Papenburg…

Drug interdiction. Crew transport in hostile waters. Law enforcement. Rescue operations. Passenger vessels. Today’s MultiMission Vessels (MMVs) are a diverse collection of workboats characterized by adaptable platforms, customized with standard accessories.A larger budget for electronics and multiple, smart, navigational screens and MDTs challenge the interior configuration of already crowded MMVs, increasingly built with matching FEMA port security grant funds for joint venture operations.More monohull patrol vessels monitor illegal fishing…

The Elastec Inlander river utility boat (RUB) is a unique concept. But, Elastec already manufactures many other response and utility craft for this market. What prompted the internal effort to create such a craft was that while on oil spill deployments with customers, Elastec personnel began to notice quite a few response organizations using “reconfigured” recreational watercraft (fishing boats) to perform tasks. Those boats, according to Elastec, were not well suited to the tasks they were doing, both in terms of safety and operational utility.

Sabine Pilots in Port Arthur, Texas has received a new all-aluminum pilot boat, Port Arthur. With a deep-V hull designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates, the Chesapeake class pilot boat was built by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation of Somerset, Mass. The vessel measures 53.6 feet overall, with a 17.8-foot beam and a 4.8-foot draft. The launch is powered by twin Caterpillar C-18s diesels, each rated at 715 Bhp at 2,100 rpm. Loaded top speed is 28 knots. The engines turn five-blade NiBrAl propellers via Twin Disc MGX-5135A Quick Shift gear boxes.

North River Boats’ formula for success: anchored in a diverse portfolio and customer base. Tucked away in Roseburg, Ore., North River Boats began simply enough in 1974 by building jet powered boats to run shallow, technical white water rivers. Over time, the company also developed a solid reputation for jet boat designs. Later, as sport fishing regulations, seasons, and species evolved, North River expanded to build deep vee outboard powered recreational boats to fish larger rivers, estuaries and the ocean. The firm is also known for another reason: its diversified production of hulls, delivered to an equally wide range of clients, both domestic and foreign.

Scania, a tradition-rich Swedish industrial company will celebrate in 2016 its 125-year in existence. Very early on in 1902, the first engines for marine applications were produced. Scania, since 2014 a 100% daughter company of VW, is a manufacturer of trucks, buses, marine and industrial engines and a true propulsion pioneer. Today the company employs approximately 42,000 employees with an annual turnover of $11 billion. The marine diesel engines of Scanua are installed in a variety of vessels…

UK-based Cummins Darlington is celebrating its 50th anniversary during 2015. Since opening, around 1.5 million engines have been built in the factory for customers worldwide, providing power for vessels as well as land vehicles. Work began in 1963 on the £8.5 million plant with engine production commencing in 1965, having more than 400 employees’ onsite. The production line assembled Cummins range of Small Vee V6 and V8 engines, named VAL and VALE. With cubic capacities of 5.7 and 8.3 liters, they had a capability of up to 111 kW, suitable for a range of boats at the time.

It’s no shock that decking, seating and other related equipment for ‘fast boats’ is a critical ingredient for maritime security personnel. A  shock mitigation strategy is essential for all craft that undertake open sea transits or operate in rough water. The definition of shock mitigation is, ‘to make a violent collision or impact less intense.’ The search for shock mitigation has created a range of solutions. Before that, however, criminal organizations capable of buying fast boats were most likely running something, or someone, illegal in from offshore.

Caterpillar Marine announced that Cat power and propulsion solutions have been selected to provide an optimized tug package for a 55T ASD tug new build for Remolcadores Marracoi SL (REMARSL). Two Cat 3512C EPA Tier 2 propulsion engines have been selected to power the tug as well as 2x  MTA 523FP Azimuth thrusters. Each Cat 3512C marine propulsion engine will provide 2x1765 kw @1800 rpm of rated power. Auxiliary power will be delivered through 2 x Cat C9 engines. The vessel will be constructed at Freinaval shipyards in Spain. Cat dealer Finanzauto led Caterpillar efforts on the project. Completing the comprehensive Caterpillar efforts on the sale was Cat Financial, who was able to deliver a stellar financial package for the customer.

Fire Departments in South Carolina and Minnesota have recently accepted delivery of Response FR-28 and FR-31J boats built of welded aluminum by Viking Welding & Fabrication in Kensington, N.H. The boats were designed by Response Marine in Newburyport, Mass. The FR-28 specifications were developed by Mount Pleasant Fire Department in South Carolina to improve firefighting and rescue capability in the coastal areas surrounding Mount Pleasant, which include Charleston Harbor, Gray Bay and Hamlin Sound. The boat was largely funded by a federal grant. Norm Allen of Mt.

Caterpillar Marine announced the first shipment of Cat 3500 series marine gas engines from its Lafayette, Indiana manufacturing facility. Five Cat G3516 marine engines were selected to power the Becker Marine Systems subsidiary, Hybrid Port Energy, LNG-Hybrid Barge, the world’s first LNG-powered barge in the Port of Hamburg. The LNG-Hybrid barge will provide clean and efficient shore power to cold ironing cruise ships and serve as a backup power provider for the local Hamburg electric power and heat grid. The G3516 is a spark-ignited, gas engine specially designed to operate in commercial vessel applications. The solution is compliant with the strict Marine Classification Societies requirements, SOLAS and is certified by Bureau Veritas.

Belgium Diesel Engine Manufacturer Provides Main Engine for Alaska Fishing Vessel. When the owners of the fishing pollock trawler, Great Pacific decided they needed to purchase a new main engine to replace their MAN B&W Alpha 10V23L-VO they took a hard look at all the engine manufacturers currently on the market that could support their needs. “Our goal was to find an engine that offers superior fuel and lube oil consumption; that had its EPA Tier III Certification and had domestic parts and service.” When the investigation was over and the dust cleared…

Waterjet manufacturer HamiltonJet recently got great news when four HT900 waterjets were selected for Incat Crowther’s latest project – a first-of-type 70 meter Catamaran Fast Crew Boat for operations in the Caspian Sea oil industry in Azerbaijan. When completed, this vessel will be the world’s largest high speed crew boat operating in the global oil industry. It will also be the largest vessel HamiltonJet has been involved in to date, and will further showcase waterjet’s performance and maneuvering benefits over other forms of propulsion in this demanding marine sector.

Building programs continue, spanning the full range of missions, despite budget concerns. Amidst all the talk of Beltway budget cutbacks and sequestration, the U.S. Coast Guard is quietly investing approximately $30 billion in major acquisition projects to modernize its physical assets. The process of recapitalizing these older and difficult-to-maintain assets has never been an easy task, and the Coast Guard has seen its share of bumps along the way. For example, the initially messy Deepwater debacle initially kicked off what has evolved into today’s more successful recapitalization process, now run by the Coast Guard’s Acquisition Directorate, which stood up in July 2007.

Silver Ships, Inc. was awarded an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide the U.S. Navy with the follow on variant of the 11-meter Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Surface Support Craft (SSC) for a total of 36 boats over a five-year period. The 11-meter NSW SSC is an aluminum deep-vee hulled boat with a protective collar for open water utility operations. Crafts are used from inland bays and waterways to deep water over the horizon transits, in all operating conditions and weather. Open ocean diver and swimmer support, safety craft, medical transport, alongside vessel operations, combat craft and parachutist water airdrop training support, over-the-horizon training evolutions.