WorkBoat September 2023

Hot Pursuit

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FEATURES

14 Focus: Air It Out

A snapshot of the current state of U.S. offshore wind.

16 Vessel Report: Defensive Line

Patrol boats protect U.S. interests at home and overseas.

24 Cover Story: Test Drive

The new Coast Guard fi fth generation over-the-horizon cutter boat.

BOATS & GEAR

20 On the Ways

• Washburn & Doughty delivers 1,300-hp tug to the St. Lawrence Seaway • Vessel Repair delivers 2,700-hp towboat to TVA

• Louisiana fuel supplier converting marine fleet to renewable diesel

• Corps awards $257 million contract to Eastern to design and build mediumclass hopper dredge • Moran Towing awards contract to Master Boat Builders to build two 92'x40' escort tugs

30 Relaxed Fit

Vessel comfort is becoming more and more important to boat crews

AT A GLANCE

8 On the Water: Be ready to deal with trauma.

8 Captain’s Table: It̓s time to license recreational boaters.

9 Energy Level: Renewables: Not so fast.

10 WB Stock Index: Workboat stocks gain 6% in July.

10 Inland Insider: Challenges lie ahead for the Coast Guard

11 Nor’easter: Vessel speed limits to protect whales.

12 Insurance Watch: Losses due to terrorism.

12 Legal Talk: Death on the high seas.

NEWS LOG

13 Coast Guard releases final report on deadly liftboat capsizing.

13 $20 million proposed for small shipyards in 2024.

13 NOAA deploying 12 specialized drones to monitor hurricanes.

13 First Gulf of Mexico offshore wind lease sale set for August.

We need a strong Coast Guard

Our country is in much better shape when both of its main political parties are strong. Likewise, the U.S. maritime industry is better off when the U.S. Coast Guard is strong.

Already stretched thin by a long list of responsibilities, the Coast Guard faces more challenges and expanding missions over the next decade due to climate change, new technologies such as autonomous marine systems, and global strategic competition particularly from China, according to a new study from the National Academy of Sciences.

To address current and future challenges, the Coast Guard needs to boost its ability to analyze data, acquire the technology to do this, and develop and maintain a workforce that is trained to meet these challenges, the study said.

But there are many more challenges facing the Coast Guard such as recruitment and retention, and the controversy over the agency’s cover-up of allegations of sexual assault at its academy.

As some former Coasties have pointed out to us, the Coast Guard has been a struggling program for a long time and it has recently only gotten worse.

In the late 1990s, Coast Guard Adm. James Card promoted an excellent program called “Prevention Through People.” Under this program, the Coast Guard stressed the importance of honoring the mariner, and seeking and respecting the opinion of those who work on the water and on land.

Unfortunately, over the years, this concept has been lost on many of our Coast Guard inspectors.

David Krapf, Editor in Chief dkrapf@divcom.com

Many feel that the gains the Coast Guard made in their marine safety program, with Card’s Prevention Through People program and the Marine Safety Performance Plan, have been undone by the Coast Guard’s eld reorganization to the current sector model. As one retired Coastie put it, that only served to further dilute any expertise the Coast Guard had with marine inspection and marine safety program administration.

Hopefully it is not too late for the Coast Guard to right the ship. I am condent that the Coast Guard will become strong again. A stronger Coast Guard will also help make the U.S. maritime industry stronger too.

EDITOR IN CHIEF David Krapf / dkrapf@divcom.com

SENIOR EDITOR Ken Hocke / khocke@divcom.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Kirk Moore / kmoore@divcom.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Capt. Alan Bernstein • Bruce Buls • Robin G. Coles • Michael Crowley • Jerry Fraser • Pamela Glass • Betsy Frawley Haggerty

• Max Hardberger • Joel Milton • Jim Redden

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EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jeremiah Karpowicz / jkarpowicz@divcom.com

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE S

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ADVERTISING COORDINATOR

Wendy Jalbert 207-842-5616 / wjalbert@divcom.com

Producers of The International WorkBoat Show and Pacific Marine Expo www.workboatshow.com • www.pacificmarineexpo.com

EXPOSITION SALES DIRECTOR Christine Salmon 207-842-5530 / c salmon@divcom.com

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make your living on the water, you just can’t afford to miss

Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway shipping vital to economic activity

Acomprehensive independent study of the economic impacts of the entire Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway navigation system for the 2022 shipping season was released in July, detailing the billions in economic activity and hundreds of thousands of jobs supported by the industry.

Titled “Economic Impacts of Maritime Shipping in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Region,” the study reviews the industry’s economic impacts from multiple perspectives and showed that even in a year in which the world was gripped with pandemic challenges, global unrest, and supply chain concerns, marine shipping drove the North American economy forward. The binational study presents results from both a U.S. and Canadian perspective.

An analysis of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System is most relevant to U.S. stakeholders because it focuses on cargo traf c to and from Great Lakes ports. The study showed that from this perspective, 2022 maritime commerce supported:

• US$36 billion in economic activity.

• More than 240,000 jobs, which generated almost US$18 billion in wages.

• The movement of 135.7 million metric tons of raw materials and nished goods.

•  US$6.3 billion in state and federal taxes.

The study was requested by a public/private sector committee of U.S. and Canadian maritime organizations, with the intent of providing the navigation community, transportation planners, government policy makers, and the public with a credible, independent assessment of the economic contributions made by commercial maritime shipping in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region throughout North America.

The industry’s vital contributions to jobs and wages, supply chain strength, business competitiveness across key commodities, and tax revenues provide strong rationale for major governmental initiatives aimed at enhancing infrastructure and improving supply chains.

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BY JOEL MILTON

Joel Milton

On the Water

Be ready to deal with trauma

Serious physical trauma is always a possibility in most industrial workplaces, and the decks of ships and workboats are no exception. Conventional tugs and towboats, anchor-handling tug/supply vessels and commercial fishing vessels are full of machinery and deck equipment that can snare the unwary or unlucky. Lines can part anywhere at any time. Are you ready, at least equipment-wise, to deal with it?

I place a very high value on well-designed, well-made, and above all, reliable tools for emergency use. In the event of a major trauma incident having a rock-solid pair of trauma shears should be a high priority. Some are better than others but those typically included in many prestocked first aid kits are often just low-end junk.

Trauma shears need to be able to quickly cut through heavy workwear, including thick boot leather or rubber. When you’re removing clothing from an injury so you can assess it and do what is needed is not the time to find out that your

Captain’s Table

Time to license recreational boaters

Ithas been a busy summer. Business on the rivers has been very strong. That is the good news.

cheap shears just twist and get bound up trying to go through the heavy duck canvas of someone’s Carhartt workwear.

My favorite shears are from XShear (www. xshear.com). The shears are stoutly built, made of thick 420 stainless steel, and include a heavy adjustable center bolt. The trauma shears have smooth contours, and they grab and cut through anything quickly thanks to a micro-serrated lower blade. At $36 to $40 they are reasonably priced, and holsters are available. XShear even offers free resharpening services. An extra pair or two are handy to have around as general-purpose shop tools.

XShear heavy-duty trauma shears are single purpose, great at what they do, and are popular with a variety of medical professionals.

Another type of trauma shear that is popular for field use by EMTs and paramedics is the Raptor Rescue from Leatherman Tool Group. At $100 they are a bit pricey, but these U.S.-made, folding multitool shears are just superb in every way.

They make a worthy addition for those who wish to be prepared.

come to a complete stop in an emergency. With wind and currents, it may take longer.

BY CAPT. ALAN BERNSTEIN

The unwelcome news is that recreational boaters have been out boating in force. Unfortunately, they have been creating potentially unsafe conditions for commercial operators on the inland waterways.

I support the rights of the recreational boating community, but I have witnessed firsthand an increase in reckless actions taken by pleasure boaters.

Over the last few weeks, I have witnessed several near-catastrophic accidents, all of them caused by what I would classify as uneducated or inexperienced pleasure boaters.

It is particularly alarming when these inexperienced boaters operate in and around commercial vessels. They are unaware of the operating characteristics of commercial vessels. Recreational boaters typically do not know that it may take a half mile to one mile for an inland tow to

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon on the Ohio River several years ago, I was captaining the Belle of Cincinnati when one of the most dangerous things possible took place. Two ski boats cut across the bow and a skier fell directly in front of me. To further complicate matters, a southbound tow was approaching.

As you can imagine, I had to quickly make some very important decisions. I radioed the towboat’s captain and at the same time made the decision to back hard on the Belle’s engines to avoid running over the skier. Luckily, the maneuver worked, and a major tragedy was avoided.

But what this dangerous event highlights are the series of emergency actions that had to be taken because the ski boat operators acted irresponsibly. Their actions put their lives and the lives of my passengers and crew in danger.

What is the answer? Recreational boaters on navigable waters must meet minimum education standards and need to be licensed. There is no other way to manage this situation effectively and safely as our nation’s waterways become more and more crowded

works on towing vessels. He can be reached at joelmilton@ yahoo.com.

Alan Bernstein, owner of BB Riverboats in Cincinnati, is a licensed master and a former president of the Passenger Vessel Association. He can be reached at 859-292-2449 or abernstein@ bbriverboats.com.

WorkBoat GOM Indicators

Energy Level

Renewables: Not so fast

BY JIM REDDEN, CORRESPONDENT

Thechief of one of the world’s largest oil companies threw a curve ball at the controversial energy transition by backtracking on its renewable energy commitments with a renewed focus on its core commodity.

“I think what would be dangerous and irresponsible to actually cut out oil and gas production so that the cost of living — as we saw just last year — starts to shoot up again,” recently installed Shell CEO Wael Sawan said in widely panned remarks to the BBC on July 6. “The reality is the energy system of today continues to desperately need oil and gas.”

The remarks signal a sharp reversal from the ambitious objectives of former CEO Ben van Beurden, who set a net-zero emission target for both its operations and products by 2050 that included reducing oil production by roughly 1% to 2% a year through at least the end of this decade. Sawan assumed the top job at Shell in January following van Beurden’s retirement.

Shell may double down on its pivot to oil and gas as the super-major is considering selling off its renewable power operations, according to a July 13 Bloomberg report, citing “people with knowledge of the matter.” Shell’s renewable energy assets include a 50% stake in the stalled SouthCoast Wind offshore wind farm off Massachusetts.

A leading oil and gas producer in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, Shell’s global equivalent production reached 1.877 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (BOE/D) in the rst quarter, up from 1.859 million BOE/D in the fourth quarter of 2022. Shell also holds 12 of the 34 new well permits the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued for Gulf of Mexico waters of 1,000' or greater between Jan.1 and July 15.

Shell joins fellow UK super-major BP in dialing back renewable energy

investments in favor of the appreciably higher returns from their respective oil and gas operations. BP had aimed to reduce emissions by 35% to 40% by the end of the decade, but in March

scaled back its target to a 20% to 30% reduction. Both have stated the transition to renewable energy must be a more gradual process with oil and gas carrying the load for now.

WorkBoat Composite Index

WorkBoat stocks rise 6% in July led by operators

In July, the WorkBoat Composite Index gained almost 200 points, or over 6%. For the month, winners topped losers by a 5-1 ratio.

Among the leading percentage gainers in July was Transocean Inc., which rose over 25%.

“Over the past several months, we added $1.2 billion of backlog for a to -

tal backlog of $9.2 billion as of July 19. This is the fifth consecutive quarter during which we have added more backlog than we consumed, resulting in an increase in backlog of approximately $3 billion from April 2022,” CEO Jeremy Thigpen told analysts during the company’s second-quarter earnings call in August.

Source: FinancialContent Inc. www.financialcontent.com

“Importantly, our ultradeepwater fleet average day rate increased significantly over the same time period. For our fleet status reports, in the second quarter of 2023, our average day rate was approximately $363,000 per day versus $312,000 per day in the second quarter of 2022. And based on existing backlog by the second quarter of 2024, we expect it to approximate $433,000 per day.”

The market is strong, said Thigpen. As evidence, he said, “a number of operators are evaluating and increasingly pursuing long-term rig contracts that are not yet tied to specific projects or may not yet have the approval of all project partners. We have not seen this type of market behavior in some time, and it is perhaps one of the more exciting and encouraging market developments to-date.”

For the complete up-to-date WorkBoat Stock Index, go to: www.workboat.com/resources/workboat-composite-index

Inland Insider

Challenges lie ahead for the Coast Guard

BY PAMELA GLASS

Pamela Glass is the Washington, D.C., correspondent for WorkBoat. She reports on the congressional committees and federal agencies that affect the maritime industry, including the Coast Guard, Marad and Army Corps of Engineers.

Alreadystretched thin by a long list of responsibilities, the Coast Guard faces more challenges and expanding missions over the next decade due to climate change, new technologies, and global strategic competition particularly, according to a new government study.

Conducted at the request of Congress and authored by the National Academy of Sciences, the report identified 10 “specific and foreseeable developments” that will challenge the Coast Guard and identified 34 actions that the agency could take in response.

Challenges cited include development of autonomous marine systems, cybersecurity risks, commercial space flight operations, offshore wind energy, aquaculture, activities in the Arctic, decarbonization of the shipping industry, maritime disasters, and migration.

“Some of these developments present challenges already facing the Coast Guard but which will only grow in significance in coming years,” Cary Coglianese, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania and lead author of the study told a recent congressional hearing. “Others represent

— David Krap f

new challenges that are only starting to become discernible.”

He said many of these challenges will likely overlap in how they play out. “Consider how a cybersecurity breach could lead an autonomous vessel to damage an offshore energy platform. It seems undeniable as the report notes that each of the 10 developments could produce incidents or phenomena that occur simultaneously or in quick succession.”

The Coast Guard has adequate authority to tackle all but two of the emerging challenges: the expanding use of autonomous uncrewed vessels operating in the maritime transportation system, and commercial space operations. The agency has the authority to deal with cybersecurity in the maritime domain, although some tweaking of existing laws might be necessary, the report noted.

On commercial space operations, the study noted that launches and re-entries in the maritime domain have more than doubled over the past five years.

To address current and future challenges, the Coast Guard needs to boost its ability to analyze data, acquire technology to do this, and develop and maintain a trained workforce. Congress can help by assuring that the agency has sufficient resources and statutory authorities, the study said.

BY KIRK MOORE, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Contributing

Editor Kirk Moore

was a reporter for the Asbury Park Press for over 30 years before joining WorkBoat in 2015. He has also been an editor for WorkBoat’s sister publication, National Fisherman, for over 25 years.

Nor’easter

House moves to delay expanding vessel speed limits to protect whales

TheHouse Appropriations Committee moved on July 14 to block the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from implementing new vessel speed limits to protect North Atlantic right whales. The proposal has mobilized opposition across the U.S. maritime industry.

The committee’s markup session for NOAA includes language that would delay expanding speed limit zones to protect North Atlantic right whales off the U.S. East Coast until more monitoring technology is available.

With a population estimated at only around 340 animals, right whales are one of the world’s most endangered species. Ship strikes and entanglement in shing gear are considered leading causes of mortality.

The proposed NOAA rule changes would extend 10-knot speed limits that now apply to vessels longer than 65', down to boats 35' to 65' in areas when NOAA determines right whales are present based on the agency’s tracking of whale movements.

Those whale advisory areas could also extend farther offshore. That’s provoked sustained opposition from the recreational boating and shing industries, charter shing captains, port operators and pilotage associations.

Over 90,000 messages ooded into NOAA during a public comment period that ended Oct. 31, said Janice Coit, NOAA’s assistant administrator for sheries, during a June hearing before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries. Spokesmen for those

objectors testi ed.

Enforcing 10-knot limits on small vessels during poor weather and sea conditions would force boat operators “to risk their vessels and their own lives … at the speed of a bicycle,” said Fred Hugelmeyer, president and CEO of the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

Meanwhile a new petition from environmental groups under consideration at NOAA is seeking similar speed restrictions approaching Gulf of Mexico ports to protect the Rice’s whale, another highly endangered species that NOAA estimates may have only 50 surviving now in the Gulf.

The Florida Ports Council said that proposal would effectively halt “all nighttime vessel traf c, and signi cantly reduce daytime vessel speeds, impacting Port Tampa Bay, SeaPort Manatee, Port Panama City and Port of Pensacola.”

“It’s as if NOAA wants Florida to hang up a ‘closed for business’ sign,” said Mike Rubin, president and CEO, Florida Ports Council. “Florida’s Gulf of Mexico seaports play an enormous role in fueling Florida and are essential suppliers of everything from food to medical supplies, and construction materials to build homes, roads and make ongoing hurricane repairs in southwest Florida.”

Rep. Jerry Carl, R-Ala., was among House Appropriations Committee members who promised to block the speed limits. In its comments to NOAA, the Alabama Port Authority said “a ban on nighttime operations would essentially double the amount of time a vessel must budget for transit” in and out of Mobile, with signi cant effects on the region’s trade and supply chains.

At the June hearing, Hugelmeyer of the NMMA said, “we expect this to metastasize” with activist groups seeking similar speed restriction measures on West Coast waters.

BY CHRIS RICHMOND

Chris Richmond is a licensed mariner and marine insurance agent with Allen Insurance and Financial. He can be reached at 800-439-4311 or crichmond@allenif. com

Insurance Watch

Losses due to terrorism

Clients often ask, what is terrorism coverage and why do I need it? Following the catastrophic losses incurred after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, insurance companies responded by excluding losses due to terrorism.

To counter this, Congress enacted the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act to provide reinsurance for insurance companies. Insurance companies are required to offer you TRIA if your normal insurance excludes acts of terror, but it is up to you to decide if you want to pay for the coverage or not.

The term terrorist is often used to describe violent acts. But for TRIA to react to a claim the government must first certify an act of terrorism has occurred. For this to happen several requirements must be met:

• It must be a violent act or an act that is dangerous to human life, property, or infrastructure.

• It must result in damage within the U.S., its possessions, Puerto Rico or certain air carriers or vessels.

• It must be committed by individuals in an

Legal Talk

Death on the high seas

BY DANIEL J. HOERNER

Daniel J. Hoerner

is a maritime attorney with

Bland, Legrand & Brackett LLC. He can be reached at 504-595-3000 or dhoerner@mblb. com.

Therecent implosion of the OceanGate’s submersible Titan has drawn international attention to the safety of deep ocean exploration. The circumstances that led to the failed voyage in which five lives were lost will also have complex legal ramifications. The remedies for the survivors of those who perished on the Titan may be as murky as the deep waters that claimed their lives.

Because the accident occurred in international waters, the laws of any countries that have jurisdiction over OceanGate may provide some relief. However, under U.S. law, the survivors’ legal rights and recovery could be rather limited. In 1920, Congress passed the Death on the High Seas Act, commonly referred to as DOHSA. The law filled a gap to provide a specific remedy in the event of deaths occurring on the “high seas,” defined as beyond three nautical miles from the U.S. shoreline. DOHSA does not apply to the internal waters of the U.S., such as the Great Lakes, or other water bodies where states have jurisdiction.

DOHSA is very limited in what it provides to

attempt to coerce the U.S. civilian population, to influence U.S. policy or to affect U.S. government conduct by coercion.

• It must result in aggregate property casualty insurance losses that meet or exceed $5 million.

• While terrorism coverage is not normally an expensive endorsement there are exclusions. If your unendorsed policy normally excludes nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological claims then your TRIA endorsement will not cover them either.

Many clients don’t feel that their small boatyard or vessel are potential targets. I refer to the Boston Marathon bombing. Many local businesses suffered damages, either due to actual property damage or to loss of income due to the event. The problem with this argument is that the U.S. government never declared the Boston Marathon bombing an act of terror. The damages never exceeded $5 million. But I still think it is a good example.

No one can honestly tell you if you will need this coverage or not, but your policy most likely will offer it to you. Often, if you do not respond, it will be automatically endorsed. So, take the time to read the policy when it comes in the mail.

those affected by a death on the high seas. The statute expressly gives a cause of action to the deceased’s spouse, parent, child or dependent relative, but only allows for the recovery of “pecuniary” losses. Pecuniary losses are economic damages, such as loss of financial support and services that the survivor or survivors would have received from the deceased had he or she not perished at sea.

DOHSA does not allow for the survivors’ personal losses, such as anguish, grief, and pain and suffering associated with the loss of their loved one. Likewise, it does not allow for the recovery of any personal injury type damages suffered by the decedent prior to death. An important exception to this latter restriction is if the deceased had survived for some amount of time from the casualty and filed suit before his or her death. In that event, the person’s estate and/or survivors would be entitled to recover the losses that the deceased experienced prior to their death.

Because of the location of the Titan accident, the different nationalities of those aboard, and the reach of OceanGate’s operations, the surviving family members may have recourse under the laws of other countries or international law.

Mouledoux,

Coast Guard releases final report on deadly liftboat capsizing News Bitts

House, Senate propose $20 million for small shipyards in 2024

Earlier this year, the Coast Guard posted an investigation report on the 2021 capsizing of the liftboat Seacor Power. The liftboat capsized approximately seven miles south of Port Fourchon, La., in the Gulf of Mexico. The accident resulted in the loss of 13 lives.

The investigation was a formal Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) convened by the commandant of the Coast Guard.

On April 13, 2021, the liftboat made its way into the Gulf of Mexico from Port Fourchon, La., headed for an offshore rig owned by Talos Energy. In route, the boat motored into a storm and Seacor Power capsized. Six out of the 19 onboard the vessel owned by Seacor Marine were rescued, the rest are dead or remain missing to this day. Among the dead was the boat’s captain, David Ledet.

A small but intense low-pressure system, known as a wake low, passed through the area on the afternoon of the incident, creating hurricane-force winds of 80 mph to 90 mph and seas of 7' to 9'. Though bad weather had been forecasted, the intensity of the storm took everyone by surprise.

Following its investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined the probable cause of the capsizing of the Seacor Power was a loss of stability that occurred when the vessel was struck by severe thunderstorm winds, which exceeded the vessel’s operational wind speed limits. Contributing to the loss of life on the vessel were the speed at which the vessel capsized and the angle at which it came to rest, which made egress difficult. The high winds and seas in the aftermath of the capsizing hampered rescue efforts.

The MBI issued 27 safety recommendations, four administrative recommendations, three ndings of concern, and 16 best practices. A commandant’s nal action memorandum (FAM) detailing the Coast Guard response and actions can be found at https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/ DCO%20Documents/5p/CG-5PC/INV/docs/boards/SEACOR%20POWER_Report%20of%20Investigation_Redacted.pdf?ver=gapQYD5mpbdP ktOgKBDIDA%3d%3d). The MBI’s archived hearing proceedings are at https://livestream.com/uscginvestigations/events/9764017.  — Ken Hocke

TheHouse of Representatives and Senate committees on appropriations authorized $20 million for small shipyard grants in their versions of the fiscal 2024 transportation appropriations bill. The actions bode well for future funding opportunities, as both committees and the administration have agreed on the funding level for the grants next year. There are still risks that Congress does not complete the budget process, but since the program received $20 million last year, a repeat of last year’s budget levels would have the same result — $20 million for small shipyard grants.

NOAA deploying drone fleet to monitor hurricanes

Toenhance the monitoring of large and destructive hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has partnered with Saildrone Inc. to deploy 12 specialized nautical drones — 23' Saildrone Explorers. The unmanned vessels will navigate the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, providing valuable insights into the movements and intensification of storms.

First Gulf offshore wind lease sale set for August

TheDepartment of the Interior announced in July that it will hold the first-ever offshore wind energy lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico on Aug. 29. The areas to be auctioned have the potential to generate approximately 3.7 GW and power almost 1.3 million homes, with clean, renewable energy, the Interior Department said.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Offi cer 2nd Class Brendan Freeman

The Coast Guard issued its final report on the capsizing of the Gulf of Mexico liftboat Seacor Power more than two years after the accident occurred.

FOCUS Offshore Wind

Air It Out

Industry experts take stock at US Off shore Wind 2023.

By Robin G. Coles, Correspondent

Beating into headwinds but sailing on with support from U.S. federal and state policymakers, the offshore wind industry presented a snapshot of its current state at the US Offshore Wind 2023 conference held in July in Boston. As the conference opened, wind advocates sounded upbeat tones. Jim Kendall, the director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Gulf of Mexico regional of ce, said he wanted people to note how Shell was supporting the conference, which he said sends a huge message about energy industry support for wind.

According to Alicia Calero, regulatory compliance program manager, Avangrid Renewables, there are a lot of similarities between oil and gas, and offshore wind. The wind industry is building on things that worked and didn’t work – especially with the safety practices available for offshore wind.

Workforce development and building the U.S. supply chain are among top concerns for the industry. After the conference’s opening day sessions about nding people who have experience working offshore, Kendall said, “we already have people working offshore.”

Similarly, the Gulf of Mexico industrial base is already supplying wind industry needs. Keppel AmFELS, Brownsville, Texas is building the rst Jones Act-compliant turbine installation vessel, the 472' Charybdis, for Dominion Energy’s

Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project. Early on, Gulf Island Fabrication, Houma, La., built the jacket foundations for the ve-turbine Block Island Wind Farm project installed in 2016.

KEY OFFSHORE WIND ISSUES

Five key areas were discussed at the two-day conference. Workforce. Offshore wind workforce assessments have found that the industry needs to employ an average of 15,000 to 18,000 full-time workers every year between 2024 and 2030.

Robin G. Coles

The Gulf of Mexico discussion at the US Offshore Wind conference in Boston in July included Stacey VanBelleghem of Latham & Watkins, Christopher Fordham of McDermott, Walt Musial of NREL, Alicia Calero of Avangrid, and Jim Kendall of the BOEM Gulf of Mexico regional office.

To meet U.S. goals, states need a wellcoordinated regional workforce development strategy. This includes creating job opportunities within communities affected by offshore wind energy development, reaching out to colleges, technical schools to teach the trades, and work with labor unions to bring in younger members.

In Massachusetts, energy planners plan to release their 2030 workforce needs assessment soon. They estimate that they will need about 35,000 to 40,000 more people to work in clean energy. Other states up and down the East Coast have similar ambitious goals. There are a lot of U.S. offshore workers. However, they prefer to work out of Louisiana or Texas. The oil and gas market has 50,000 employees looking for new work. Of note, women make up 21% of the global wind energy workforce. Eight percent hold senior management roles.

Collaboration. Christopher Fordham, a senior manager with McDermott International Inc., said his group is taking all the knowledge they’ve learned and continuing to learn and apply that to the U.S. Northeast. It is a continuous learning curve, and no longer a single mindset of “we’re working on it,” he said. Massachusetts focuses on industry partners. These include stakeholders to reduce risk, increase market confidence, and advance economic and workforce opportunities. Collaboration also includes supporting fisherman, jobs associated with the public, supplychain components, and each other. For example, one state should manufacture turbine blades, not every state. Buy-in is necessary for the long-term. Not all stakeholders have the capacity to be engaged and everyone involved needs to be transparent with others.

Stephanie Watson, floating offshore wind program manager with the Governor’s Energy Office in Maine, said they hope to use the University of Maine’s research array to explore intersections of floating offshore wind with other ocean users in the environment. Plus, the Maine Offshore Wind Consortium will collaborate closely with other states and regional and national science and

research partners.

According to Eric Milito, president, National Ocean Industries Association, the best way to move forward is to continue with collaboration and outreach at the local level. Specifically, to make sure that those living along the coastline understand what the facts are and how to move forward. “There must also be collaboration between Democrats, Republicans, states, and local municipalities,” he said. On the federal level BOEM is supporting the development of the Gulf of Maine Floating Offshore Research Array. If approved, the state of Maine would lease a 15.2-square-mile site in the Gulf of Maine for the nation’s first floating offshore wind research site in federal waters.

Supply Chain. Building a domestic supply chain will be critical for the sustainable growth of the offshore wind industry. The biggest barriers are cost overruns, finding vendors who include safety, and local suppliers that understand the marketplace. In the U.S., however, there is widespread uncertainty about the level of investment necessary to build critical resources. Suppliers and businesses don’t understand the length of time or amount of money these wind projects will need. Plus, there are significant gaps in manufacturing, ports, vessels, work, and workforce needed to meet targets.

Patrick Henry, senior director of the sustainable business group at DAI, said a lot of operators coming into the offshore wind space traditionally work in other industries. “Globally, they’re very good at supplier development programs. It’s what they’ve had to do to operate in a greenfield environment.”

Permitting. Michael Brown, country manager U.S., Ocean Winds, said developers are struggling with permits at both the state and federal level. “We need to see the state’s composition,” said Brown. “Or we need to see the federal government and interagency issues that we’re all suffering at, so that we can get our elements for our projects.”

Pricing. Molly Morris, president, Equinor Wind US, said pricing is the perfect storm of what’s happening right now. She feels lucky to have contracts that are negotiable with the industry, and knows they have a place where they can sell their energy. However, the downside is a locked project price that is no longer viable. These price challenges are due to high inflation, supply chain challenges, and squeezing manufacturers to make factory buildings bigger, to name a few. Plus, she said, “developers are bidding on technology that doesn’t exist yet.” The competition to increase megawatts is hurting the numbers. Decreasing the number of megawatts may help with pricing and get more signed contracts.

One of two test turbines located more than 25 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach for Dominion Energy's Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) farm.

Port of Virginia

Defensive Line

Patrol boats are a major weapon against bad actors.

It’s hard to go a day without hearing about a multiple shooting somewhere in the U.S. Though most of these nightmares take place on land, they could just as easily happen aboard a crowded commuter ferry or other passenger vessel.

What about protecting a state’s natural resources against those who try to destroy them?

And what about protecting U.S. interests at home and overseas? The Navy and Coast Guard work their patrol boats hard and for long periods of time.

“There is certainly more competition in the homeland security space than there used to be. Over the past year [from June 2022 through mid-July 2023] we have delivered over 40 vessels whose primary function is maritime patrol and/or law enforcement,” said Troy Knivila-Ritchie, marketing and sales specialist for Safe Boats International, Bremerton, Wash. “Customers

range from state and local jurisdictions, federal [Customs and Border Protection, the Coast Guard and the Department of Defense] and several international customers via foreign military sales [FMS] throughout South and Central America, Africa, and the Caribbean. Additionally, many more customers are in the pipeline to receive patrol/marine law enforcement vessels in the coming year.”

SAFE BOATS

In late 2021, Safe Boats was awarded an $89.7 million contract modi cation to a previously awarded contract for design, construction, out tting, reactivation, and training for six Mk VI patrol boats with an option for two additional vessels.

The contract will provide Mk VIs to Ukraine by way of a U.S. State Department-approved agreement utilizing building partner capacity (BPC) and foreign military nancing (FMF) funds. Work is being performed in Washington

state and Safe Boats expects to increase its workforce by creating up to 75 new positions, primarily at its Tacoma, Wash., facility. Final delivery on the contract is slated for March 2025 (or March 2026 if the option is exercised).

By Ken Hocke, Senior Editor : Safe Boats

Propelled by HamiltonJet waterjets and twin, 2,600-hp, MTU 16V 2000 series diesel engines (5,200-hp total), the 85' Mk VI has a range of more than 600 nm, a cruising speed of over 25 knots (with a sprint speed of 35-plus knots), and a draft of 4.5', “making it ideal for littoral operations,” said Knivila-Ritchie.

Safe Boats was on the leading edge of supplying vessels to the homeland security initiative post-9/11, Knivila-Ritchie said. Deliveries included:

• Hundreds of 25' full-cabin response boats-small;

• Multiple 33' full-cabin special purpose craft-law enforcement vessels;

• Numerous cutter-launched, 26' inboard over-the-horizon vessels (very often deployed in drug and migrant interdiction as well as search and rescue operations;

First of six Mk VI patrol boats headed to Ukraine.

International

and • More than 50 41' T-top coastal interceptors for the Customs and Border Protection.

Knivila-Ritchie said that over the next five years, patrols will require operators to be on station for longer periods of time. “We have already seen the need for and have installed more comfortable seating and gyroscopic motion controls to help ease that burden,” he said. “If the market leans towards autonomous patrols, we will rise to the opportunity.”

In fact, Safe Boats has collaborated with Mythos AI to build hydrographic survey vessels with autonomous capability. Their autonomy/perception suite and hydrographic tools were integrated into the Porter 78S (261 outboard-driven, full cabin vessel), whose size and layout suited their requirements. The boats (two have been delivered so far) were built at Safe Boats’ Bremerton production facility

based on a design from one of its global partners, Stormer Marine, out of the Netherlands.

“More orders are planned for the Porter 78S over the next year as customers adopt the platform,” Knivila-Ritchie said. “The current deployment of the technology Safe Boats is involved in is geared towards hydrography and survey work, but the autonomous technology certainly has applications in other fields, including marine patrol.

“The use of autonomous technology on the water is still developing and we hope to play a significant role in growing the capability and adoption of autonomous-capable vessels for patrol operations and beyond.”

NORTH RIVER BOATS

Roseburg, Ore.-based North River Boats, which mainly works off referrals, has been building heavy-gauge aluminum patrol boats and law enforce-

Patrol Boats

ment vessels for decades.

The shipyard has dedicated project managers (PCs) for every commercial boat that is built. The PC sees the boat through the entire build process from concept to delivery and reactivation.

Mike Blocher, the company’s director of sales, said the shipyard has a diverse customer base.

“Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and California Department of Fish and Wildlife have continued to use our product regularly for all of their patrol boat needs,” he said. “Additionally, we are building patrol boats for tribal groups, sheriffs’ departments, and many other agencies.”

North River’s design department uses 3D Rhino design software that allows for precise router-cut parts to ensure a proper fit. The design team is in-house and has extensive experience in the marine industry. The shipyard retains a dedicated professional engineering firm

U.S. Navy

for the necessary engineering calculations and approvals during the design and build process.

“During the past few years, you have seen an increase in manufacturing across all market segments, including patrol boats,” Blocher said. “This is one reason that North River Boats invests in diversi cation so that we are vested in many market segments and are not reliant on speci c markets.

“As one market segment increases, others will decrease. Being able to respond to these increases or decreases effectively allows North River the exibility to bid on projects that t well into our production and growth plan.”

Blocher said company of cials are very mindful of what autonomous vessels can do for their customers and are very in tune with their wishes. “North River Boats continues to research and monitor the autonomous vessel market. How much effect this has on the patrol

boat industry remains to be seen. We have been seeing more advancements in other eld areas, such as hydrographic survey,” he said.

As for the future, Blocher said the trend seems to favor larger and more complex patrol boats with multimission capabilities. “We see this continuing over the next few years,” he said. “Government and commercial sales remain strong currently. World and national

economics must be watched carefully, but right now I don’t see a downturn any time soon in this market.”

MARKET WATCH

Here are some other patrol boat newbuilds that are either under contract or under construction.

• MetalCraft Marine, Watertown, N.Y., was recently awarded a second contract by the Coast Guard for the new Long Range Interceptor III Program. Long range means 200 nm. The 35'×11'1'×4'8" LRI IIIs will have twin Cummins 6.7L diesels, producing 473 hp each, that power two Kongsberg A29 waterjets through ZF 280 marine gears. The power package will give the LRI IIIs a 40-knot top speed and will be mission capable to sea state 5 (13') conditions. The boats will have a closed or open cabin arrangement.

• All American Marine Inc.,

After a three-year hiatus, Underwater Intervention is back and has joined the International WorkBoat Show!

Intervention attracts a global audience of engineers, technical specialists, industry leaders and experts, to share ideas, debate the issues of the moment and to create common agendas for the future of the industry. Underwater Intervention features some of the world’s leading figures within the upstream oil and gas industry coupled with technical sessions covering the most current challenges and up-to-date strategies and technologies.

North River Boats gets most of its new customers via referrals.

North River Boats

Bellingham, Wash., is working on a contract from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for a 74'×27.5' catamaran patrol vessel. The aluminum vessel will patrol state and international waters for the CDFW. The twin engine, fixedpropeller vessel will be built to Coast Guard standards. The hydrofoil-assisted vessel from Teknicraft Design,

Auckland, New Zealand, will combine design features critical to modern maritime law enforcement and is based on the All American-built Captain Murchison delivered to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

• The CDFW also took delivery of three more 19'4"×8' Ribcraft 5.85 RIBs this past year. With these additional boats, all of the department’s long-range fisheries patrol boats now operate with a new Ribcraft 5.85 onboard. The RIBs, which draw 14" (without engine), are deployed for boarding and enforcement up to 200 miles offshore. The delivery of these 19' RIBs completes the fleet with four others already in service.

• Eastern Shipbuilding Group is currently building the Coast Guard cutter Rush (WMSM-918) — Hull 4 of the Heritage-class offshore patrol cutter (OPC) program. Eastern’s design of the 360'×54' cutter calls for a draft

of 17', speed in excess of 22 knots, a range of 10,200 nm (at 14 knots), endurance for 60-day patrol cycles, MH-60R or MH-65 helicopter capability, and three over-the-horizon (OTH) cutter boats. The OPC will conduct missions including law enforcement, drug-and-migrant interdiction search and rescue, and other homeland security and defense operations.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife took delivery of three more 19' Ribcraft RIBs this past year.

The 360'x54' OPC features a speed of over 22 knots, a range of 10,200 nm (at 14 knots), and endurance for 60-day patrol cycles.

Ribcraft

Eastern Shipbuilding Group

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY AT WORKBOAT YARDS

Washburn & Doughty delivers unique 1,300-hp tug to DOT

The term “tugboat” doesn’t come close to describing the 60'×28'×10'6" Seaway Trident. It looks like a tugboat, maritime publications label it a tugboat, and its designer refers to it as a tugboat. But the primary focus is not maneuvering vessels in or out of a crowded harbor, though it will do that. Its main duties include scraping ice off the walls of locks and maintaining aids to navigation.

The Seaway Trident, powered by a pair of 660-hp Caterpillar C-18s turning Schottel SRP 210 Z-drives, was designed by Glosten, with offices in Seattle and Providence, R.I., and built by Washburn & Doughty, East Boothbay, Maine, for the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp., an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

As the company name implies, the Seaway Trident works along the St. Lawrence Seaway. “Primarily it’s stationed between the Snell Lock and the Eisenhower Lock,” said Peter Soles, who works in marine operations and business development at Glosten’s Seattle of ce. That’s a narrow part of the St. Lawrence Seaway on the U.S. side. “They call it the pond. I think it ices up pretty hard.”

The Seaway Trident’s major role is keeping the St. Lawrence Seaway navigable by maintaining the locks and the aids to navigation, which requires a lot of winter ice work. For that, the Seaway Trident often will join with the larger Seaway

Guardian (118'×17.5'). The Seaway Guardian breaks up ice jams while the Seaway Trident pushes the ice to the side of the channel, thus keeping the passage clear. It also herds ice into a lock chamber, allowing the ice to ow down river.

The Seaway Trident is the right size for another major winter job, maneuvering inside a lock chamber to scrape ice off lock walls. Prior to the Seaway Trident, a tug with an ice scraper mounted on the bow would push along the lock wall, clearing the ice as best it could. That meant having to hold an angle to the wall while moving through the lock.

But the Seaway Trident, with its Z-drive power, offered an improved method to clear ice. “We felt we could do the ice scraping in a much more controlled way,” said Soles. Thus, a scraper blade was installed “on the side of the boat adjacent to the drive unit, so it can hold the boat against the lock wall and kind of slide down and grind the ice off.”

Having to deal with winter’s ice is why the Seaway Trident was designed as a variant of Glosten’s HT-60 model, the smallest of Glosten’s Harbor-series tugs. The “variant” part of the deal was building the hull to ABS Ice Class CO standards. That required “one-foot frame spacing in the bow and thicker plating all around,” said Soles. “We went beyond ABS CO standards and put one-foot frame spacing in the stern,” which is framed longitudinally, and added thicker plating all around.

Glosten

New 60' tug can multitask.

Most of the hull plating is 1/2", including the entire bow region, with some 3/8" bottom plating in aft hull sections and 3/4" guard plating. “It’s strengthened at both ends, so all options are on the table,” noted Soles.

Ice protection includes the two Schottel Z-Drives. “They are not the standard model,” Soles pointed out. “They are custom built and ice strengthened to meet Finnish-Swedish IC (Ice Class) standards,” which requires a much harder casing.

All is not ice and winter work. In the spring, the Seaway Trident resets oating navigation aids that were removed prior to winter, which also extends its operating range to Lake Ontario, for about a 150-mile operating radius. In this mission, Soles describes the Seaway Trident as being “nimble,” since the navigation aids “need to be positioned precisely where they need to go and hold station while it’s doing that.”

The Seaway Trident also works with the Seaway Guardian to move buoy barges, derrick barges, and periodically pull the lock gates for maintenance work. On deck, a Heila HLMR fully foldable deck crane and a Markey Machinery

DESMG-18 headline winch can be utilized when needed.

Soles describes the Seaway Trident as primarily a day boat that only needs a crew of two but can accommodate four comfortably in two staterooms down below. There’s a galley and settee and mahogany nish work throughout the boat.

Re ecting on the Seaway Trident’s experience, Soles said, “It’s a pretty interesting work pro le, different from what most tugs do.”

— Michael Crowley

BOATBUILDING BITTS

Vessel Repair delivers 100' towboat to TVA

Vessel Repair Inc., Port Arthur, Texas, delivered the steelhulled 100'×34'×10'9" towboat

Freedom in June to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The boat was designed by Sterling Marine, Fairhope Ala., and has a draft of 9'5". The new towboat has a deadweight tonnage of 479 gt.

TVA is the public entity responsible for power generation in the Tennessee

oceangoing hopper dredges owned and operated by the Corps. It’s estimated that the new dredge will enter service in 2027. The Corps has not released the specs for the new dredge.

The Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a $257 million contract to Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc., Panama City, Fla., for the design and construction of a medium-class hopper dredge to replace the dredge McFarland based in the Corps’ Philadelphia District. The 57-year-old 318.9'x73.9'x32.9' McFarland is one of four

Moran Towing Corp., New Canaan, Conn., has awarded a contract to Master Boat Builders Inc., Coden, Ala., to build a pair of 92'x40' escort tugs. The tugs are scheduled to be delivered by mid-2025. Late last year, Moran awarded a contract to Master Boat to build a pair of 86'x36' 5,100-hp tugs with bollard pulls greater than 55 metric tons. The tugs will feature two Caterpillar 3512E Tier 4 main engines, each producing 2,549 hp, along with two Kongsberg US 205S FP thrusters, and a Markey Machinery DEPC-48 bow winch. The tugs will be the fi rst that Master Boat has built for Moran. Robert Allan Ltd. developed the design for the tugs.

Philly Shipyard Inc., Philadelphia, recently announced it has been awarded a contract to administer the T-AH(X) hospital ship feasibility study for Gibbs & Cox . Over a period of six months, the study will focus on developing preliminary designs for replacing the current Navy

Tennessee Valley Authority

The new towboat is the first Tier 4 towboat commissioned by a government agency.

New dredge would replace the McFarland, the Corps’ Philadelphia District dredge. Corps of Engineers

ON THE WAYS

Sparling to the Coast Guard in Key West, Fla. The new cutter is the 180th vessel Bollinger has delivered to the Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 54th fast-response cutter (FRC) delivered under the current program. The new FRC will be homeported in Boston. The 154'x25'5"x9'6" FRCs are being deployed in support of the full range of Coast Guard missions and other branches of the U.S. armed services.

hospital ships, Mercy and Comfort, both operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC). To accomplish this, Philly Shipyard will subcontract Vard Marine Inc. to provide engineering and technical services.

Bollinger Shipyards LLC, Lockport, La., has delivered the cutter William

The fi rst 104.3'x32.8'x14.2' parallel hybrid aluminum crew transfer vessel (CTV), designed by Incat Crowther, Lafayette, La., for Germany-based EMS Maritime Off shore (EMO), has been delivered. The CTV is currently servicing Germany’s off shore wind industry. Windea One, which has a 4.9' draft, is the world’s fi rst CTV to utilize Volvo

River valley, and the new Tier 4 towboat will be dedicated to supporting public power generation. Freedom is reportedly the rst Tier 4 towboat commissioned by a government agency and joins the exclusive ranks of just a few Tier 4-powered towboats that navigate the inland waterways, according to TVA of cials.

While Freedom initially was envisioned as a triple-screw Tier 3 vessel, Shane Carman, TVA’s manager, river services and CCP facility management, said TVA’s commitment to reducing emissions led them to a groundbreaking decision. Understanding their role as a power producer and their existing use of scrubbers in fossil-fuel-driven plants, TVA opted for twin-screw Tier 4 engines in the Freedom, a choice that aligned with their environmental objectives.

“We’ve already heard several companies say they don’t want their pilots and deckhands to see the interior since it is so nice,” Carman said.

Main propulsion comes from two Caterpillar 3512E Tier 4 engines, each generating 1,341 hp. The Cats, supplied by Thompson CAT, are paired with Twin Disc MGX-5600 gears from Sewart Supply. The 5-bladed, 58"×85" propellers were supplied by Sound Propeller Services, Seattle.

Tankage includes 20,300 gals. of freshwater; 4,500 gals. potable water; 325 gals. hydraulic oil; 25,500 gals. fuel; and 2,750 gals. diesel exhaust uid. Wheelhouse Electronics supplied the electronics suite. The steering system is from RIO Marine and is paired with Twin Disc EC300 single-level controls.

Freedom’s rst project was scheduled to take place in Mobile, Ala., in late July, receiving cargo directly from the general cargo vessel BBC Virginia. — Benjamin Hayden

Penta ’s new parallel hybrid system together with IPS 30 propulsion units, Volvo said. The vessel can be operated in the all-electric mode for up to six hours. There are a total of four Volvo DI13s, each producing 690 hp at 2,250 rpm. The propulsion package gives the new CTV a running speed of 25 knots.

Louisiana fuel supplier converting marine fleet to renewable diesel

John W. Stone Oil Distributors LLC, Gretna, La., has recently secured a ratable supply of renewable diesel (RD99) to help jumpstart the process of converting its entire marine eet to utilizing RD99.

With commitments to storage and distribution, the company aims to play a pivotal role in promoting lower-carbon fuels and assisting vessels in meeting regulatory emission targets on the Gulf Coast.

Chief Operating Of cer Tony Odak told WorkBoat that as of July 11, the company had started the process of converting its marine eet, made up of 11 inland tug/towboats, 47 inland barges, and three offshore tanker units, to RD99. The company said it expected to have approximately 50% of its eet converted by the end of July.

“Covering the Lower Mississippi, intercoastal waterways, and the Gulf of Mexico, and with a robust distribution network in place, we expect to have the remainder of our vessels on RD99 by the end of August,” Odak said.

Renewable diesel is made from fats and oils, such as soybean oil or canola oil, which undergo processing to become chemically identical to petroleum diesel. RD99 meets stringent ASTM D975 speci cations for petroleum in the U.S. and EN 590 in Europe. Thus, renewable diesel can be used as a direct replacement for petroleum diesel or blended with any amount of petroleum diesel, offering exibility and compatibility for various applications.

Back in 2014, the company began repowering much of its eet as part of its environmental, social, and corporate gov-

The Navy is looking into replacing two hospital ships. Petty Offi cer 3rd Class Leona Donaldson

The William Sparling is the 54th FRC delivered under the current program. Bollinger Shipyards

ernance plan (ESG). By transitioning its marine eet to renewable diesel, the company said it took a proactive stance in aligning its operations with sustainable practices and emission reduction goals. Renewable diesel, with its chemical similarity to petroleum diesel, exhibits a potential for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions of up to 75% on a life-cycle basis compared to conventional fuels, the company said.

John W. Stone has committed to two substantial storage tanks in the region. The company has secured a 100,000bbl. tank in Port Fourchon, La., and an 85,000-bbl. tank in New Orleans, enabling ef cient storage and distribution of the renewable bunker fuel. The strategic locations are designed to enhance accessibility and facilitate the expansion of renewable fuel usage in the region. The alternative fuel subsidies and regulations that are prevalent on the West Coast don’t exist yet in the www.PerformanceInflatables.com

Gulf region, and the local demands for RD99 are driven by decarbonization efforts.

Acknowledging the need for a diversi ed renewable diesel supply chain, the company is actively developing agreements with other oil re neries.

These agreements aim to secure additional sources of renewable diesel, and by forging partnerships with re neries, the company is demonstrating its commitment to expanding the availability of sustainable energy solutions within the industry.

Odak added that it’s not only domestic vessels but visiting trade and foreign shipping that are seeking RD99 to help meet lower emission targets. The adoption of renewable diesel represents a major stepping stone for the maritime industry to reach net zero emissions, the company said. Stone recognizes this need and wants to assist vessels in adhering to regulatory emission standards, Odak said.

“We have found that meeting these goals and being scally responsible are not mutually exclusive,” Odak said. “Rather, the pursuit of these ESG initiatives has had a positive impact on our top and bottom lines.”

John W. Stone photo

John W. Stone’s entire fleet is scheduled to be utilizing renewable diesel by the end of August.

Test Drive

By Capt. Arnie Hammerman, Correspondent

The Coast Guard awarded a $104 million contract to Inventech Marine Solutions (IMS) last year to build more than 200 fth-generation over-the-horizon cutter boats (CB-OTH-Vs).

After the contract award, Bremerton, Wash.-based IMS built and delivered four 25'6"×8'6" production models to the Coast Guard, which will test them in the eld for several months to provide technical feedback. These lead production boats will allow the Coast Guard to assess and request, if necessary, changes in ergonomics, equipment, and parts choices. All CB-OTH-Vs are the same even though they will be on different types of cutters and operate in widely different environments. These rst boats have been sent to Hawaii, New Jersey, Virginia, and Florida so that they can be tested on multiple oceans and in a variety of conditions.

“Having recently taken delivery of the four new production boats from IMS, we are looking forward to operational testing where we can use the OTHs in real-world conditions,” said Mark Porvaznik, boat acquisition program manager for the Coast Guard. “The safe controlled maneuverability we ex-

perienced in the preliminary testing will now be proven as we run the boats alongside our cutters at speed, load and unload them underway, and transfer personnel to conduct boarding operations.”

Porvaznik said the award process was extremely competitive. “All four manufacturers produced viable products, but the IMS boat stood above the rest, particularly when running fast in a three-foot chop. The combination of ride, control, and comfort in rough conditions helped us decide that the IMS boat would best meet our mission parameters.” (The other manufacturers were Black sh Solutions LLC, Gravois Aluminum Boats LLC (Metal Shark Boats), and MetalCraft Marine US Inc.)

“As a U.S. taxpayer and part of the marine industry, I appreciate the diligent and thorough process the Coast Guard uses to award a contract of this magnitude,” said Micah Bowers, Inventech Marine’s CEO. “Cost is important but by using a down-select process [in which the number of potential contractors is progressively reduced] and allowing each company to provide a proof-of-concept platform, the Coast Guard ultimately gets the most effective product for the mission goals.”

First ride on the new Coast Guard over-the-horizon cutter boat.

Arnie Hammerman

PERFORMANCE TESTING

Recently, before delivery, I was able to get on board one of these first four production models of the new cutter boat to take an exclusive look for WorkBoat. Factory performance analysis conducted while I was on board ensured that these lead production boats were performing up to specification before the Coast Guard received them for further evaluation.

On an overcast 50° day the IMS factory team launched two new CB-OTHVs from a ramp in Port Orchard, Wash., near where they were built. The 25'6" boats fit easily on a trailer. Trailerability adds versatility to the design by making it easier for the Coast Guard to move, store, and work on the boats when they are not mounted aboard their larger cutters. For added portability, the new CB-OTH-V meets C-130 loading criteria so the entire boat plus trailer can be transported by air.

These cutter boats are designed to be deployed from the decks of a variety of Coast Guard cutters including national security cutters, fast-response cutters, offshore patrol cutters, and mediumendurance cutters. The boats, which feature IMS Fast collars, are purpose built to execute over-the-horizon missions for the Coast Guard.

Our task for the day was to load the boats with a typical four-man crew and to test, evaluate, and record performance data ahead of delivery.

We moved out quickly from the dock

and accelerated to speed as we passed the Bremerton Naval Shipyard and ran out into Puget Sound in the morning chill. I rode on one of five Shockwave suspension seats on board. They are all jockey-style seats designed for safety at speed. The two helm seats offer additional adjustments, the rear seats have folding hand grips, and the aft-most seat is retractable so that it can fold down for better walkaround access when a fifth crewmember is not aboard.

Onboard the OTH-V, with a sister vessel running alongside, we ran reciprocal one-mile legs at top speeds averaging 42.5 knots and with a top speed of 43.4 knots. The single Cummins QSB 6.7 480-hp diesel driving a HamiltonJet HJX29 waterjet has an

CB-OTH V SPECIFICATIONS

Builder: Inventech Marine Solutions

Designer: Inventech Marine Solutions

Owner: U.S. Coast Guard

Mission: Search and rescue, drug, and migrant-interdiction operations, living marine resources, defense readiness and ports, waterways, and coastal security.

Length (LOA): 25'6"; 33'6' (with trailer)

Beam: 8'6"

Draft: (varies by loading) 1'6" to 2'1"

Weight: (varies by loading) 6,714 lbs.-10,800 lbs.

Main Propulsion: Cummins QSB 6.7, 480 hp @ 3,000 RPM

Marine Gear: ZF 286

Waterjet: HamiltonJet HJX29

average fuel consumption of 25.5 gph at 3,090 rpm. On these eye-watering, mile-long, high-speed runs we start with full tanks (90 gals.) and a crew of four, creating loaded conditions of about 10,260 lbs. Calculating range at 90% of fuel capacity delivers 135 miles at wide open throttle. After our WOT runs we slow to between 2,400 rpm and 2,500 rpm and average 28 knots for a one-hour duration test. At 28 knots, fuel consumption lowers dramatically to 11.15 gph, providing a cruise range of 203 nautical miles. This will allow the Coast Guard to deploy the boats up to 100 miles away from their cutters.

Once our endurance tests were complete, then came the fun part — highspeed sprints, maneuvering, and stop-

Controls: HamiltonJet AVX Express

Speed (knots): 30 (cruise); 43.4 (top)

Hull Construction: 5086 aluminum; grid stringer system interlaced with foam block flotation system; Fast collars composed of custom formed EPE (expanded polyethylene) closed cell foam.

Crew Capacity: 12; seating for 5

Seats: Shockwave jockey style

Capacities: Fuel, 90 gals. in two tanks

Electronics: Raymarine: Axiom PRO MFD chart plotter with 12" display, 4kW HD radar with 24" Radome, AIS5000, EV-1 heading sensor, and i70S remote display. Whelen PA/siren, Motorola multiband radio with encryption, Barrett HF radio, David Clark crew communications system.

The new OTH cutter boats are engineered to be launched and retrieved in a fully loaded condition with a 6X safety factor.

Inventech Marine Solutions

ping. At the helm I found the controls extremely responsive. The steering was so tight I had to temper my movements to keep from zigzagging. I measured the time to plane as 7.09 seconds as the boat lifted effortlessly from a dead stop onto plane and reached maximum rpm in 10 seconds. More impressive is the stopping power of the HamiltonJet. From a 40 knots at 3,000 rpm running speed, reversing the throttle decelerated us to a dead stop in 6.2 seconds. Despite the obvious forces, the dead stop maneuver is remarkably smooth and controlled.

The boat leaned gently and purposefully into tight, high-speed cruising turns, completing them in two- to three-boat-length doughnut-like circles, with no apparent cavitation or side slip. When starting hard turns at 28 knots, speed drops five-10 knots in the turn but once completed the boat pops back up to speed rapidly without adding throttle.

The CB-OTH-V likes to go fast, but once on plane you can slowly back down to achieve speeds in the 10- to 15knot range. Control at slower speeds is important to the Coast Guard for docking, maneuvering, and boarding, and the new cutter boat performs well at a wide range of speeds. The results from the in-water testing and performance evaluations of these fifth-generation CB-OTHs that I accompanied the fac-

tory crew on were impressive.

“During testing I have driven the boats in big waters, and it reinforced my confidence that these CB-OTH-V boats will excel when performing their mission for the Coast Guard,” said Jenson Charnell, president, IMS.

INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

While similar in size and speed to its most recent precursor, the fifthgeneration CB-OTH boats built by IMS feature several design and equipment improvements. They are engineered to be launched and retrieved in a fully loaded condition with a 6X safety factor

that includes the possibility of dynamic events like waves dropping out from under the boat or slamming up into the hull during hoisting operations at sea.

Sensors on the boat and on the Shockwave seats provide feedback to the operator through the VIMMS Shock Mitigation Monitoring System, which compares the impact load of hitting a wave to the load at the seat which has been mitigated by its suspension system. This allows the operator to adjust speed and course when necessary to reduce stress on the boat and crew. This is the first Coast Guard boat to include a shock-monitoring system that provides the crew with real-time information about wave impacts on the

Inventech Marine Solutions photos

The single Cummins 480-hp diesel driving a HamiltonJet waterjet has an average fuel consumption of 25.5 gph at 3,090 rpm.

Each boat is outfitted with a HamiltonJet HJX29 waterjet.

Arnie Hammerman

Top speed on the CB-OTH cutter boats is over 43 knots, with a cruise speed of 30 knots.

vessel.

The HamiltonJet waterjet provides improved ef ciency and cavitation margin. The boat is also tted with a HamiltonJet AVX Express electronic control system. IMS found the controls to be intuitive, simple, and very responsive during the set-up and testing last year, the company said.

HamiltonJet modi ed the controls to function more like an outboard, especially when reversing. This allows operators to transition more easily to operating waterjets when they are accustomed to outboard- and sterndrivepowered craft.

“For the CB-OTH-V, we made modications to our AVX Express electronic control system that would enable the boat’s single waterjet propulsion system to emulate the reversing patterns of an outboard con guration,” said Tom Latham, general manager, HamiltonJet Americas Region. “This allows for

improved crew familiarity and safety across Coast Guard platforms with varying propulsion types.”

The control system also includes a joystick, which aids in slow-speed

maneuvering. The joystick tends to be easier for new operators to master and provides precision control, both when transiting stern launch systems and during hull-side approaches.

Inventech Marine Solutions

Sensors on the boat and on the Shockwave seats provide feedback to the operator through the VIMMS Shock Mitigation Monitoring System.

IMS was impressed with the slowspeed maneuverability of the single jet utilizing the joystick. “While experienced operators may prefer the wheel and throttle, the joystick makes it easy to learn and adapt to the jet power, allowing all operators to come up to speed faster,” said Charnell.

CONSTRUCTION

The hull, deck and superstructure of the CB-OTH-V are built from precision-cut, finely welded high-grade 5086 aluminum. Decks are watertight and self-bailing. An integrated grid stringer system adds rigidity and strength.

Blocks of IMS’ Fast closed-cell foam buoyancy stabilizers are secured with straps between the stringers for sound dampening, insulation, and added flotation. The vessel meets “level” flotation capabilities, meaning that it will float evenly with a percentage of the gunnel above the waterline when holed or inundated. Fast collars are composed of the same type of EPE (expanded polyethylene) closed-cell foam used in the hull, covered with heavy-duty polyester heat-welded fabric, coated with urethane, and specially shaped to improve performance.

Recent improvements to the Fast

collar system maximize buoyancy, add stability when running, and dampen rolling, according to IMS. The unique shape of the collars works together with the rigid aluminum hull. The bottom of the foam collars includes a downward cast, and this shape improves cornering, reduces slamming, and increases lift when running. Water forced upward when the vessel impacts the sea is diverted into an anhedral tunnel area that creates lift and stabilizes the boat.

The collar design incorporates a unique dihedral-to-anhedral tunnel aft that creates additional lift while backing the vessel down without causing low pressure. This eliminates steering anomalies that can be caused by low-pressure in the tunnel created by suction from the intake of the waterjet.

The overall effect of the unique hull and collar shape is that the boat backs smoothly in reverse. When running forward, water is efficiently shed aft, streaming along the junction of the collared hull sides and the angular aluminum hull section. The reinforced flat chine section aft also acts as a performance fin and combines with an interceptor forward for improved tracking in hard turns. The collars provide

benefits like buoyancy, stability, and impact protection critical to meeting its Coast Guard mission.

Not only are the new CB-OTH-V boats built to be solid and give the operator and crew confidence when operating in adverse conditions, they are designed to be easily serviced. Most of the decks are detachable and there are ample hatches that provide access. All tanks, drive systems, the fire-suppression system, and the main engine are easily accessible. The configuration allows access to major engine components like the starter, water pump, turbo, belts, and filters, which will permit most service to be completed without removing the engine. Engine mounts are robust, and sensitive electronics like radios are housed in an enclosure for increased protection and durability.

“We are very proud to have won the contract off of the performance of the boat,” said Charnell. “We focused on building the boat based on our experience with tried-and-true methods that give our boats the ride and control they are known for. That said, we always strive to improve the boats but were careful to ensure any new innovations were proven improvements that really work.”

BOATS & GEAR Crew Comfort

Relaxed Fit

By Michael Crowley, Correspondent

Let’s face it, getting people to work on a commercial vessel, be it large or small or anything in between, and then hoping they stick around, is a lot harder than it used to be. Pay isn’t always enough of an incentive to work on the deck, in the wheelhouse, or in the engine room.

Something that vessel and boat owners are realizing that’s much more important than was previously admitted to is the quality of the vessel, loosely measured in terms of “comfort.”

John Myers, president and managing principal of the naval architecture company Hockema Group Inc., Seattle, gave an idea what comfort might entail. “Not having your ears ringing at the end of the day, not having a headache from working in an excessively noisy environment or an excessively vibrating environment, or one that’s too hot or too cold,” he said. “If you are constantly working among people in very cramped spaces, that just elevates the stress level of everybody onboard, versus a vessel with more elbow room.”

It’s an issue that has plagued all sizes and types of work-

boats. There are answers that depend very much on the size of the vessel or boat. To understand some of the approaches to crew comfort, let’s start with the 420'×81', 15,000-cu.-yd. hopper dredge Frederick Paup, designed by Hockema Group and being built at Keppel AmFELS, Brownsville, Texas, for Manson Construction. When it is launched this summer and delivered in 2024, the self-propelled Frederick Paup will be the largest U.S.-built self-propelled hopper dredge.

A building standard that has elevated the crew comfort idea and was used in designing and building the Frederick Paup is the 87-page, ABS-produced, Guide for Crew Habitability on Ships, introduced in 2016.

“It encompasses a whole host of things from ergonomics, ladderways, companionways, stair heights and inclination of ladders,” said Myers, noting that if you are accustomed to going up and down a particular stairway and then encounter something different, or maybe the stair tread is different, “it invites accidents.” Add to those concerns things such as hallway widths, minimum square footage of staterooms, bunk sizes and minimum lighting requirements. A vessel “built

A MetalCraft Marine-built patrol boat with Shoxs 6300 suspension seats.

Increasing vessel comfort is becoming more and more important .

MetalCraft Marine

to the standard is superior in most respects to what the standard industry practice had been prior to the standard being implemented.”

The Hockema Group has also designed a hopper dredge for the Army Corps of Engineers. “That one they dictated the vessel be fully compliant with the habitability standards,” said Myers, adding that he’s “getting pushed from some crew unions,” that would like to see vessels being built to the standard.

Early in the design phase for the Corps dredge, Hockema Group had some preconceived notions, based on previously designed large hopper dredges, of the size of areas such as the deck and the wheelhouse. But after applying the new standards Hockema Group realized that “the deck house needed to get eight feet longer and needed to grow it one deck.” There is “definitely a cost impact if complying to standards because all your spaces grow,” Myers said. The staterooms are 15% to 20% larger than on a commercial dredger, the passageways are wider, and “it all mushroomed into a larger deckhouse.”

From Myers’ standpoint, there is an advantage to a vessel owner who uses the crew habitability standard for a new boat in “a climate with a lot of companies scrambling and fighting among each other in getting crew, particularly on a vessel working long hours and being away from family. Attracting employees is going to be much greater if you give them a comfortable place to live, whether they are on duty or not.”

SMALL BOAT COMFORT

In the early 1990s, Navy patrol boats would routinely hit 50 knots. At that speed you didn’t sit down because there was no seat comfortable enough. You stood up and got beat up.

But that began to change after Walter Gezari, who bought seat manufacturer Stidd Systems, discovered that the “largest number of worker compensation claims are high-speed boat drivers,” said Bob Clark of MetalCraft Marine in Kingston, Ontario.

That’s what may have resulted in Gezari and Stidd Systems receiving approval for a patent in 1998 for sensordriven, deck-mounted shock-absorbing seats.

“He was the first,” said Clark. “The shock seats were probably the biggest breakthrough in historical terms for high-speed patrol boats. You were comfortable by sitting not standing.”

Stidd seats were chosen for all naval special warfare boats and special operation RIBs used by Navy SEALS. “That was the beginning,” said Clark. “They used Stidds in those RIBs and bought a lot of them.”

It led to marine suspension seating systems for the Coast Guard, Navy, and commercial workboat markets, and Stidd was joined by Shockwave and Shoxs in the marine suspension seating market.

Currently, MetalCraft is working on a contract for 67 patrol boats for the Navy, comprised of 22 39'×11'6" and 45 27'×8'6" Interceptor models that will be stationed in various ports around the world. These are not long-range patrol boats. They will basically be doing harbor security, guarding entrance approaches to Navy vessels. The contract calls for speeds not to exceed 30 knots, though they can hit 37 to 38 knots in a light condition and 34 knots fully loaded.

The patrol boats will have Shoxs 3000 series marine suspension seats from Allsalt Maritime.

“They have the functionality of the standard helm seat,” said Allsalt’s Bryan Wood. It’s a pedestal seat that swivels, slides fore-and-aft, raises up and down, and meets the sit-or-stand

functionality. The seat is made with military-grade materials, including hard-anodized aluminum.

Though the Navy patrol boats are going to be spending a lot of time loitering in protection mode, they will be used for training, which usually involves high speeds.

If high-speed pursuit is required, there won’t be a crew safety issue as the Shoxs 3000 suspension seats are designed to withstand a 14 G-force level.

“Shoxs seats are a major part of comfort, and comfort quite often translates into safety,” said Clark.

Contributing to the comfort level on these boats is a 3/4"-thick layer of resilient rubber, which Clark refers to as “shock mitigating rubber” that’s on the deck and in the cockpit.

Looking to the future, Clark believes that the next stage in crew comfort for Navy and Coast Guard boats used for port security will be more “spacious cabins.”

A large cabin is needed because port security works 12-hour shifts, which also means bigger, sea-kindly hulls to carry the larger cabin, so the boat and crew aren’t bouncing around going into waves.

He notes that the Navy has a history of avoiding air conditioning.

“The mentality was ‘they can suck it up,’” said Clark. Even MetalCraft Marine Navy boats sent to the Middle East had no air conditioning, probably to avoid the expense and weight of a generator.

By 2020, however, that thinking started to change for small boats, which increased crew comfort.

Hockema Group

The Hockema Group is designing the Frederick Paup, a 420’ hopper dredge, using the ABS Guide for Crew Habitability on Ships building standard.

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LOOKS BACK

SEPTEMBER 1963

• The Lia, a new heavy-duty 6-cu.yd. dipper dredge with movable electrical controls that make a one-man operation and a 60-second digging cycle possible, was completed recently in Baltimore at Ellicott Machine Corp. The owner, Compania de Obras Edilicias Maritimas Portuarias S.A. of Panama, has turned the vessel over to an Italian contracting rm, Vianini

Dragaggi Lavori Marittimi S.p.A. in Rome. The dredge is intended for use throughout the world.

• A new 50'×18'×7' twin-screw towboat, the Herman Crown, was completed recently at Lockport, Ill., by the Material Service Division of General Dynamics Corp. Main engines are a pair of GM 6-110 diesels, which turn 48"×40" Coolidge propellers through

SEPTEMBER 1973

• In its continuing battle against the acquisition of a barge line by a railway conglomerate, the American Waterways Operators has petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission to impose certain restrictions on the barge line, Cenac Towing Co. Inc., Houma, La. The commission’s Division 3, in a decision and order on July 17, 1973, af rmed a Feb. 13 order by an ICC Administrative Law Judge that the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (called the “Katy”) and 22 other sub-

SEPTEMBER 1983

• Moss Point Marine Inc., Escatawpa, Miss., recently delivered the fourth in a series of towing/supply boats to Nicor Marine Inc., New Orleans. The 198' Nicor Rebel is powered by a pair of National Marine Service Inc. supplied EMD 16-645-C diesels rated at 2,000 hp each. The mains are linked to Falk 1235 gears with 2.969:1 ratios. Engine controls are by Wabco with steering handled through a Sperry

system.

• The Ohio River Co. was recently granted carrier authority by the Interstate Commerce Commission — believed to be the rst time a barge operator has been granted both contract and common carrier status.

• Dravo Marine Equipment Co.’s marine repair facility in Pittsburgh, recently completed repairs to a barge owned by Badger Barge Lines.

4.5:1 marine gears. The boat features a Cummins Onan generator.

sidiary companies, are not prohibited by the Interstate Commerce Act from acquiring Cenac Towing and several af liated companies.

• There is no need to require licensed engineers on uninspected vessels, a recent U.S. Coast Guard study disclosed. The study of the matter has been completed and submitted to Congress, including the recommendation that the suggested licensing regulation be junked.