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CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY AT WORKBOAT YARDS BC Ferries takes delivery of fourth Salish-class LNG ferry

With its March arrival from Poland, the Salish Heron became the fourth and final vessel in BC Ferries’ new Salish class. The first three, the Salish Orca, Salish Eagle and Salish Raven, all went into service in 2017. All four were built by Remontowa Shipbuilding, Gdansk, Poland, under design/build contracts and Lloyd’s classification.

The 107-meter (351') steel ferries can carry up to 138 cars and trucks and 600 passengers. Three of the Salish-class ships run between the south end of Vancouver Island and the southern British Columbia mainland through the Gulf Islands. A fourth Salish class operates farther north and connects Comox on the island with Powell River on the mainland. All routes include crossing the Strait of Georgia, which means at least 15 miles of open water. Because of difficult sea conditions, each end of the doubled-ended boats is protected with a curved visor that rotates up on arrival for unloading, and down when running to prevent spray from hitting the car deck.

The ferries are all powered by trios of Wartsila 8L20 dual-fuel engines (6,000 hp total). The Salish class was the first in the BC Ferries fleet of 35 vessels to be powered by LNG. Jamie Marshall, vice president of shipbuilding and innovation, said that LNG made sense environmentally and economically. “There’s a huge reduction in NOx and SOx emissions from LNG, compared to even the cleanest diesel, which we use,” said Marshall. “And a 100 percent reduction in particulates.”

On the financial side, Marshall said the bottom-line cost of LNG is about half that of diesel. The success of the LNG-powered Salish-class boats inspired BC Ferries to convert two larger, Spirit-class ferries to dual-fuel LNG during their recent midlife overhauls. “When we converted the Spirits to LNG, we went from a million dollars fuel cost per month per ship to half of that,” he said.

BC Ferries partnered with FortisBC, a subsidiary of Newfoundland-based power company Fortis Inc., to establish an LNG fueling program. Fortis operates two natural gas liquefaction facilities in British Columbia. One is in Delta, just north of the U.S. border and adjacent to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal, and the other is on Vancouver Island. Both facilities have trucks to take the super-cool liquid gas to the vessels, either at Tsawwassen on the mainland or Comox on the island.

A single wheelhouse in the center of the boat looks down at two passenger decks with seats, benches and tables outside. Below that the open car deck is fitted with MacGregor hydraulic hatches that open to allow access to a lower garage deck with 9'6" clearance. With the hatches closed, other cars and trucks drive over them when getting on or off the ferries. “This is a European innovation that they’ve been using for a long time,” said Marshall. Of the

The Salish-class vessel names and artwork are intended to recognize and honor Coast Salish people as the original mariners on the Salish Sea.

138-vehicle capacity, the lower car deck can handle about 40%.

Two elevators serve the two passenger decks with accessible washrooms, kids play area, workstations, pet area, cafeteria, gift shop and an induction loop hearing system. Wood-look paneling is used throughout. There are lots of large windows.

Another notable feature of the new ferry and her sisters is the exterior artwork. All boats are adorned with murals created to re ect the name of the boat. The murals have been painted by four indigenous artists who work in traditional Coast Salish style. The vessel names and the artwork are intended to recognize and honor Coast Salish people as the original mariners on the Salish Sea. For the Salish Heron, Maynard Johnny Jr., from Chemainus, British Columbia, was selected to create the design. — Bruce Buls

Damen delivers fi rst new Multi Cat 2309 to UK

More crew transfer vessels (CTV) will be coming to offshore wind farms along U.S. coastlines in the coming years. For now, though, most of that action remains in Europe. UK crew transfer operator HST recently took delivery of the rst of a new class of Damen Multi Cats — the 2309. The addition of the 76'6"×31.3' Multi Cat HST Hazel to HST’s eet of crew transfer vessels (CTVs) is the rst stage of the company’s strategy to become a total solutions provider to the offshore renewables sector.

The Multi Cat 2309 is a new, midrange model. HST’s new CTV now allows them to offer its clients workboat services, such as marine logistics, general contracting, anchor handling, dredger service, supply towing, and surveying, alongside its crew transfer business.

The 162-gt boat’s cargo deck area measures 321 sq. ft. Ship’s service power comes from two Volvo Penta gensets, sparking 90 kW of electrical

Damen Shipyards

The Multi Cat 2309 is Damen’s new, midrange CTV model.

The Multi Cat 2309 is Damen’s new, midrange CTV model. power each.

In order to provide its clients with a premium service, HST has added some custom features to its new vessel, including a pair of Volvo Penta D16 engines producing a total of 956 hp at 1,800 rpm. The engines connect to two 1,500-mm (59") Promarin xed pitch

BOATBUILDING BITTS

Conrad Shipyard LLC, Morgan City, La., has been awarded a contract by the Navy for the design and construction of up to eight 151'x49'x14' yard, repair, berthing and messing (YRBM) barges. The YRBM barges provide a temporary home away from home and workplace for service men and women whose vessels are in port for repairs and/or maintenance. Conrad’s design incorporates functional spaces which allow the sailors to work, sleep, and eat comfortably. The fi xed-price contract has a potential value of over $140 million. YRBMs are ABS A1 accommodation barges that provides pier side living accommodations for up to 199 mixed gender personnel, messing for 300 personnel, and space for medical offi ces, classrooms, workspaces, laundry rooms, storerooms and lounge areas. Conrad expects to deliver the fi rst YRBM barge to the Navy in late 2023. If the Navy exercises options for the additional barges, peak production is expected to occur from 2023 through 2025.

In early March, Snow & Company, Seattle, delivered the Savannah, the fi rst of two new 64'x19'6" aluminum pilot boats to the Savannah Pilots Association. Designed by the UK’s Camarc Design, the single-chine, fl ush-deck 5086 aluminum vessel, with a full load draft of 3.63', is the third pilot boat that Camarc has designed

Conrad Shipyard LLC

New barges can berth up to 199 Navy personnel.

for the Savannah pilots. Savannah is powered by MTU 12V2000M86 marine engines, Hamiltonjet HTX 52 waterjets with electronic AVX controls, ZF 3055 marine gears, and Geislinger carbon fiber driveshafts/Silenco couplings. The propulsion package is designed to give the new boat maneuverability and a top speed of 35 knots. Ship’s service power comes from two Phasor 30-kW generators. The new boat has a full load displacement of 102,000 lbs. Other features of the pilot boats include tankage for 1,200 gals. of fuel and 150 gals. fresh water; seating for seven pilots and two crew — six Beurteaux pilot seats, one Stidd pilot seat, and two Stidd crew seats; aircraft tire fendering; 500-lb. SWL capacity rescue davit; day galley and pilot accommodations; and a complete electronics package from Mackay Marine.

Schottel has signed an agreement with Norfolk, Va.-based Lyon Shipyard that positions both companies for the expansion of the U.S. offshore wind industry. The agreement was based on the company’s shared long-term strategy to support both the existing market and the up-and-coming offshore wind farm industry. U.S. wind farm operations will need a large fleet of Jones Act-qualified service operation vessels (SOVs), which will be fitted with thrusters and DP systems. The vessels will also require periodic drydocking, maintenance and thruster overhauls. Under the deal, Lyon Shipyard invested in a 500-sq.-m. Z-drive maintenance building, and Schottel provides Lyon with technicians and technical support.

Volvo Penta’s advanced hybrid solution for Hurtigruten Svalbard’s new 48’x13.8’, 12-passenger sightseeing vessel Kvitbjørn (Polar Bear), recently had its first test at sea. The tests were performed by Volvo Penta to make sure the solution was ready for official customer sea trials in the icy waters of Svalbard, Norway. The vessel has the potential to transform the sustainable tourism industry by allowing guests to experience the wonders of Svalbard without disturbing the area’s nature and habitat, thanks to its near-silent operation, Volvo Penta said. Kvitbjørn will be formally unveiled in May at a special launch ceremony in Svalbard, before going into a three-year pilot test with Hurtigruten Svalbard.

Kirby Corp., and subsidiary Kirby Offshore Wind, has signed an agreement to provide barge transportation services for offshore wind towers and turbines for Maersk Supply Service. Maersk has been selected by Empire Offshore Wind, a joint venture between Equinor and BP, as the installation contractor for the project off the coast of New York. Kirby’s contract with Maersk represents a 20-year framework agreement with the Empire Wind

Snow & Company

64' pilot boat for Savannah Pilots.

propellers through Twin Disc MGX5170 DC marine gears with 5.03:1 reduction ratios. The propulsion package gives the new CTV a speed of 9.9 knots and a bollard pull of 16.2 tonnes. The vessel has a draft of 6.5'.

The Kalkman electrical driven bowthruster has also been upgraded for enhanced maneuverability and the crew cabins have been fitted with satellite television and high-speed interconnectivity with fleet system and VSAT.

Additional equipment upgrades include a five-ton pull winch and a heavy duty crane with a lifting capacity of 25 tons at 5.8 m (19') outreach. On the aft deck a tugger winch with 12 tonnes of pull has been installed along with an A-frame with plough for cable laying. Additional redundancy throughout the vessel is another feature, designed to ensure both reliability and versatility.

The HST Hazel was built at Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld in the Netherlands. It will initially be based out of HST’s home port of Swansea, Wales.

“The acquisition of the HST Hazel is just the beginning of our strategy of extending our services to become a total solutions provider,” HST managing director Tom Nevin said in a prepared statement. “We are doing this in response to the preference of our offshore renewables customers for a single point of contact for all their offshore support.”

Accommodations include heated and air-conditioned spaces with combined galley and mess. There are cabins for seven crew, divided in three single and two double cabins. Sanitary facilities are provided. A store is foreseen close to the galley/mess. A deck store is provided in front of the deckhouse.

“We are delighted to have HST as the launch customer of our new Multi Cat 2309 design,” said Damen’s UK and Ireland sales manager Frederik van der Linde. “Because HST is already successfully operating four Damen FCS 2710s, we are able to offer them convenient and cost-efficient service support as their fleet expands and diversifies, all via a single point of contact. This will

give them peace-of-mind and more time to focus on their customers. We are con dent that HST Hazel will outperform expectations.”

The new Multi Cat HST Hazel is Bureau Veritas I Maltese Cross Hull, MACH tug (16-ton), unrestricted navigation, AUT-UMS classed.

Tankage includes 17,940 gals. fuel oil and 12,480 gals. fresh water. — Ken Hocke

MetalCraft Marine inks deals to build 80 boats

MetalCraft Marine had a big week in March, signing a contract with the Navy for 45 8-meter (26.25') Interceptor model patrol boats and 20 12-meter (39.2') Interceptors. The new boats will be force protection small (FPS) and force protection large (FPL) boats respectively that will be stationed at U.S. military bases around the world. The contract is worth more than $43 million.

In addition, the Navy picked up an option for 14 more boats MetalCraft is building on an existing contract. The shipyard also signed contracts for two boats for a naval installation facility and two reboats. Details of those contracts were not released.

Bob Clark, MetalCraft’s contracts manager, said it was the shipyard’s “biggest week ever.”

U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer, DN.Y., said the new contract will allow MetalCraft Marine’s Watertown, N.Y., shipyard to add new jobs.

“MetalCraft Marine and its workforce have proven time and time again that they can provide superior products to the federal government, so it’s no surprise that the Navy picked them for this important work,” Schumer said in a prepared statement. “This contract will not only help protect our troops across the globe, but it will also boost the North Country’s economy. As MetalCraft plans to add jobs locally to support this new demand, I will continue to work with them to help secure future agreements like these.” — K. Hocke

Everett Ship Repair

The drydock Emerald Lifter, with a lifting capacity of 2,000 tons, will be relocated to the Everett Ship Repair facility at the Port of Everett, Wash.

projects being the fi rst. Kirby Off shore Wind will provide Jones Act-compliant feeder barges and tugboats that will transport wind towers and turbines from the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal to a specialized Maersk wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV). Kirby will invest in two new ABS-classed feeder barge and diesel-electric hybrid tugboat units which will be constructed in U.S. shipyards for a total cost of between $80 million to $100 million. Each feeder barge will have the capacity to transport next-generation turbines of 15 megawatts and higher as turbine technology advances. The capital investment for the new vessels will be incurred through progress payments over the 2023 to 2025 time frame. Kirby’s off shore marine facility in Staten Island, N.Y., as well as its marine headquarters in Houston, will be the base of operations for the company’s off shore wind activities.

Everett Ship Repair LLC’s (ESR) expansion plans continued recently with the shipyard’s purchase of a second drydock and a crane barge. ESR recently purchased the drydock Zidell 220, renaming it the Emerald Lifter. The drydock, with a lifting capacity of 2,000 tons and working deck area of 220’x62’, will be relocated to the ESR facility at the Port of Everett, Wash. ESR will also bring in a 150-ton Link Belt LS518 lattice boom crawler crane with 150’ boom and will position the crane on a 180'x49' barge that will service both drydocks. Currently ESR owns and operates the Faithful Servant, a 430’x110’, 8,000-ton capacity drydock. With the acquisition of the Emerald Lifter, ESR will be able to off er services to a wider range of vessels. The combination of the two drydocks lends itself well to serving ATBs as it can now serve both tug and barge in the two drydocks simultaneously, company offi cials said. The Emerald Lifter will provide services to both the commercial and government market segments with a focus on tugboats, fi shing vessels and other workboats.

Caterpillar Marine has joined forces with California-based Pacifi c6 Enterprises to pilot a parallel battery hybrid propulsion system for a fi rst-of-its kind aquaculture farming vessel. Powered by a Cat C18 engine and battery hybrid solution, the next-generation hybrid architecture boat will leverage proven electrical components and power electronics from Caterpillar’s construction and mining product lines. The vessel will be built at Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, Freeland, Wash. Pacifi c Mariculture, a subsidiary of venture capital group Pacifi c6 Enterprises, is currently pioneering development of the fi rst-ever off shore mussel farm in the U.S., which will be located off the coast of Southern California.

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