On the Ways

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY AT WORKBOAT YARDS Gladding-Hearn delivers 73' pilot boat to Texas

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corp., Somerset, Mass., has delivered a fourth pilot boat to the Galveston-Texas City Pilots in Galveston, Texas.

The new 73.2'×23.3' launch, Texas City, has a draft of 5.9' and is equipped with a Seakeeper 30HD stabilizing gyro, which, according to shipyard officials, will reduce the vessel’s roll by up to 80%.

“The additional stabilizing gyro reduces roll at all speeds and will improve safety and reduce fatigue, especially while standing by for ships offshore and boarding pilots in a sloppy anchorage,” Peter Duclos, the shipyard’s co-president, said in a statement.

Designed by Ray Hunt Design, New Bedford, Mass., with a deep-V hull, the aluminum launch is powered by three Volvo Penta D13, EPA Tier 3 marine diesel engines, each delivering 800 hp at 2,300 rpm, and integral to the engines’ triple IPS-Pod 1050 system. The main engines connect to forward facing, counter-rotating nibral props through Volvo Penta IPS-30 propulsion pods. Top speed is over 33 knots, and the pilot boat hits 30 knots at 80% power. The vessel will burn 30% less fuel than the pilots’ existing 70’ pilot boats at the same speed, according to Duclos.

Humphree interceptors were installed at the transom to automatically optimize the vessels running trim, and actively reduce pitch and roll at speeds above 15 knots.

The wheelhouse, mounted to the flush deck aft of amidships, features a center-line helm station, with a twinlever control head and a 3-axis maneuvering joystick. The wheelhouse has heated forward and side windows, six Norsap 1500 shock-mitigating seats and a settee with table.

Ship’s service power is the responsibility of two Phasor K4 gensets, sparking 21 kW of electricity each.

The forecastle includes a stateroom with two berths, head, hanging locker, small galley and dinette. HVAC in the wheelhouse and forecastle is supplied by six self-contained, reverse-cycle air-conditioning units, totaling 80,000 Btus. Interior sound levels at full power are under 75 dBA.

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corp.

73' pilot boat will work in Texas.

BOATBUILDING BITTS

Tugs will have a bollard pull over 55 metric tons.

Master Boat Builders Inc., Coden, Ala., has been awarded a contract to build two 86'x36' tugboats for Moran Towing Corp., New Canaan, Conn. The new tugs will be the first that Master Boat will build for Moran. The tugs, which will produce a bollard pull of over 55 metric tons, will feature two Tier 4 Caterpillar 3512E main engines, each producing 2,549 hp, along with two Kongsberg US 205S thrusters, and a Markey Machinery Co. DEPC-48 bow winch. Crowley Engineering Services designed the tugs, which will meet Coast Guard Subchapter M regulations and will be classed through the American Bureau of Shipping.

A new 32-meter (105') crew transfer vessel design from BMT features a larger deck area and increased load capacity, along with BMT’s Z-bow designed for superior seakeeping ability. The fully hybrid power design’s improved load capability will enable it to play a bigger role during offshore wind construction phases and support larger vessels working on the projects, BMT said.

The Lake Superior Research Institute (LSRI) at the University of WisconsinSuperior has awarded a contract to Australia-based Incat Crowther to design a new low-emission battery

BMT

New 32-meter crew transfer vessel design.

hybrid research vessel. Described as a “floating classroom”, the 65' USCGcertified catamaran will support the university’s on-water education and research and will feature proven parallel hybrid battery propulsion technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help meet the university’s environmental objectives. The vessel will have a capacity of 49 passengers and eight crew.

Outside the wheelhouse are wide side decks and a ush main deck. On the foredeck, aft of the wave break, are port and starboard boarding platforms. A Carlisle & Finch search light, with integrated NightFINDER thermal camera, is located at the forward end of the wheelhouse roof. A Harken Industrial TR31 safety rail system has been installed on the wheelhouse handrails. A control station, with a 3-axis maneuvering joystick, is at the transom, along with a winch-operated J-Basket rescue system and recessed stairs and platform for pilot rescue operations.

The electronics suite includes Furuno FAR218B radar with XN20CF 6.5' scanner and MU190HD 19" monitor; TZT19F MFD, TZT16F MFD, SC-33 Sat compass, DFF3D sonar, GP330B GPS sensor navigation system; GP330B GPS; DFF3D depth sounder; SC33 satellite compass; Volvo Penta autopilot; Standard Horizon GX6000 VHF radios with antennas interfaced with GPS; and GX6000 with integral hailer.

Tankage includes 1,500 gals. of fuel and 50 gals. fresh water. Texas City carries a crew of two. The pilot boat was delivered in November. — Ken Hocke

American Cruise Lines

Third of 12 coastal catamarans under construction at Chesapeake Shipbuilding.

Chesapeake begins work on coastal cat for ACL

Construction has begun on the American Liberty, the third new 241'×56', 105-passenger coastal catamaran in the American Cruise Lines’ Project Blue series.

First announced in January, the Project Blue series is a set of 12 small coastal cruise ships designed to cover almost any domestic cruise itinerary, ACL said. American Liberty features a similar hull design as the company’s previously announced coastal cats. All ships are being built at ACL’s Chesapeake Shipbuilding, Salisbury, Md.

The new eet will operate exclusively in the U.S., with a focus on small towns and close-to-home adventures.

“Project Blue started as a design challenge to create a boat small enough for New England harbors and stable enough for the Alaska Inside Passage, with a draft shallow enough for the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway,” Charles B. Robertson, president and CEO of ACL, said when the building program was announced last January. “These boats can run almost anywhere, and because there will be 12 of them, they

65' research vessel will ply California waters.

All American Marine Inc. (AAM), Bellingham, Wash., was recently awarded a contract from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for a 74'x27'6" catamaran patrol vessel. The aluminum catamaran will patrol California state coastal waters and international waters for the CDFW. The twin engine, fi xed-propeller patrol vessel will be built to Coast Guard standards. The hydrofoil-assisted vessel designed by Teknicraft Design, Auckland, New Zealand, will combine design features critical to modern maritime law enforcement and is based on the AAMbuilt Captain Murchison, operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The vessel features Teknicraft’s Rapid RIB launching and retrieval system. The system, integrated into the vessel’s stern, will reduce the time and manpower required to deploy the vessel’s rigid hull infl atable boat, shipyard offi cials said. It will allow for deployment and retrieval in under a minute.

Americraft Marine Group and its Palatka, Fla.-based shipyard St. Johns Ship Building Inc. are increasing capacity for the construction of crew transfer vessels (CTVs) and other off shore wind related vessels. Americraft and St. Johns have received fi nal approval of a Maritime Administration (Marad) grant modifi cation. The investment, along with the matching grant, will provide additional equipment and fabrication infrastructure specifi cally targeted at helping expand the yard for the concurrent construction of multiple CTVs. Marad awarded a $1.34 million grant to St. Johns last year to support the con-

Incat Crowther

65' catamaran has been called a fl oating classroom.

will be deployed all over the United States.”

Details concerning the boats equipment such as engines, gears, generators and the electronics suite were not released.

The rst two ships in the series, the American Eagle and American Glory, are scheduled to begin sailing in 2023. American Liberty is set to begin cruising in May 2024.

American Liberty and the other ships in the series will feature amenities including 56 staterooms and suites, each with a private balcony, spacious lounges, and multiple dining venues. The ship’s catamaran hull form also allows for a wide activity platform at the stern, equipped with kayaks and a large tender for in-depth adventures directly from the ship.

ACL said the new boats will feature an innovative hybrid catamaran design that will give the cats “unprecedented nearshore operating versatility.”

BOATBUILDING BITTS

struction of a 2,000-ton drydock.

Orion Marine Group christened its newest dredge, Lavaca, at Port Lavaca, Texas, in November. The recently commissioned Lavaca underwent a complete rebuild over 15 months. The Shearer Group Inc. provided detailed engineering to meet Orion’s requirements for lengthening and widening of the hull at Southwest Shipyard L.P. The rebuilt Lavaca has been outfi tted with the latest technology including onboard continuous survey monitoring systems, dredge pump, draw works, and cutter automation systems with fully electric draw works and spud winch systems, allowing the dredge to operate more effi ciently in both maintenance and virgin material projects. The design of the dredge, including its modular quarters, walkways, access and egress points, ventilation, handrail and fendering systems, have all been engineered specifi cally with an emphasis on safety.

Bisso Towboat Co. Inc., Luling, La., announced recently that Main Iron Works LLC, Houma, La., will build another tug for the company. The 5,000-hp ASD tractor tug will feature a pair of Caterpillar 3516E Tier 4F main propulsion engines each generating 2,500 hp at 1,600 rpm. The engines will drive two Kongsberg US205S azimuthing thrusters with 2.4 meter-dia. stainless steel propellers in stainless steel nozzles. Estimated bollard pull for the new tug is 66 tons. Auxiliary equipment will include a JonRie Intertech Series 240 escort winch, Caterpillar C4.4 118-kw generator sets and a full complement of safety, monitoring and electronic equipment. Tankage will include 30,162 gals. of diesel fuel; 1,442 gals. of lube oil; 1,442 gals. of hydraulic oil; 2,000 gals. of DEF; and 9,538 gals. of potable water.

Boats on Display

Boats that were featured on the show fl oor at the 42nd International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans in December 2022.

Interested in exhibiting a boat at the 2023 International WorkBoat Show? Contact: csalmon@divcom.com / www.workboatshow.com

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1 Lake Assault Boats LLC, Superior, Wis., had its 22' and 24' rigid infl atable boats (RIBs) at the show. The boats can operate in as little as 12" to 14" of water. The boats’ heavy-duty collar is available in three confi gurations — air fi lled, high density foam, and hybrid air bladder. 3 Tideman Boats, North Andover, Mass., promoted three high-density polyethylene (HDPE) models at the show — the 28'6" RBB 90 2WJ crew tender, the 28'6" RBB 900 WJ cabin, and the 23.3' RBB 700 20B. HDPE has a 20% lower carbon footprint than aluminum.

2 Netherlands-based Whaly specializes in small polyethylene workboats that come in lengths of 6'11", 8'10", 10'2", 12'2", 13', and 14'4". Whaly boats are used by dredging companies, fi re departments, customs, public works departments and others.

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4 Ocean Craft Marine, Annapolis, Md., builds four models of its professional purpose-built boats. The company displayed a 30'4"x10'5" law enforcement boat for the Texas Highway Patrol at the show. Mercury outboards push the boat to a top speed of 63 mph. 5 Willard Marine, Anaheim, Calif., and Virginia Beach, Va., displayed its Sea Force 700 built for the Navy. The 23'9", 18-person fi berglass RIB comes with a multichamber polyurethane puncture resistant collar. Propulsion comes from a 258-hp Steyr diesel. 6 Among the models that

Safe Boats Interna-

tional, Bremerton, Wash., brought to the show was its 39'2"x10' Safe 38 full cabin boat. It has a range of 360 nautical miles at 34 knots. The 1,275 hp Safe 38 can reach a top speed of 55 knots.

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7 The all-electric Vita Yachts Seal measures 7 meters (22.96') and is designed for both commercial and recreational use. With one hour of charge time, the boat can reach a cruising speed of 20 knots and a top speed of 30 knots. 8 Legacy Innovations LLC, Rozat, Wyo., and Naplesyacht, Fort Myers, Fla., have been contracted to build marine platforms centered around durable high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is ultra-violet, chemical, fatigue, and abrasion resistant. 9 North River Boats, Roseburg, Ore., displayed a 26'x8'6" aluminum survey boat for the Los Angeles Division of the Army Corps of Engineers at the show. The boat is one of North River’s Sounder models which feature a 36" side height and 20° deadrise.