WorkBoat January 2024 by WorkBoat

Fireboats • 2023 Significant Boats • Offshore Wind ®

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Full Load The 43rd International WorkBoat Show.

JANUARY 2024

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Content

JANUARY 2024 VOLUME 81, NO. 1

FEATURES 16 Focus: Headwinds

The U.S. offshore wind market takes a breather.

20 Vessel Report: Hot Boats

Fireboats are at the top of many Christmas lists.

21 Significant Boats of 2023

WorkBoat’s 10 top boats of 2023 and Boat of the Year.

38 Cover Story: Jam-Packed

Coverage of the 43rd International WorkBoat Show.

42 In Business: Full Service

WorkBoat visits Platypus Marine shipyard near Seattle.

BOATS & GEAR 20 On the Ways

• Refurbished 126' tug receives second christening at WorkBoat Show • Midsize service operations vessel designed to fill the gap in offshore wind • Gulf Craft building 300-passenger ferry for US Virgin Islands • Safe Boats and Vita Power to build zero-emission patrol boats • Saildrone uncrewed service vessels (USVs) receives American Bureau of Shipping approval in principal

AT A GLANCE 8 On the Water: Decision-making — Part II. 8 Captain’s Table: Is the SIP still worthwhile? 9 Energy Level: Fossil fuels are not going anywhere. 10 Nor’easter: Wind turbines spin over Northeast waters. 11 Inland Insider: Inland waterways projects face cost overruns. 12 Insurance Watch: Market concerns still loom in 2024. 12 Legal Talk: When is a vessel restricted in its ability to maneuver?

NEWS LOG 14 First power for New York offshore wind farm project. 14 Bay-Houston Towing to build Robert Allan-designed tugs. 14 Washington state maritime sector supports over 170,000 jobs.

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

DEPARTMENTS 2 Editor’s Watch 6 Mail Bag 44 Port of Call 51 Advertisers Index 52 WB Looks Back

ON THE COVER

The 43rd International WorkBoat Show was held in New Orleans Nov. 29-Dec. 1. Photo by Doug Stewart

EDITOR S WATCH

Magnetic Drills Annular Cutters

It was a really big show!

he above phrase has been attributed to the late Ed Sullivan and his successful show, and describes the recent International WorkBoat Show. The 43rd edition of the show, which wrapped up in December, truly was a really big show and, according to event officials, was one of the most successful WorkBoat shows ever. “With a sold-out show floor, a large increase in attendance, a packed conference program, and an energy level in the aisles we haven’t seen in years, the WorkBoat Show has truly exceeded all expectations,” said Bob Callahan, group vice president and publisher of WorkBoat magazine and WorkBoat.com. Well, the show definitely exceeded www.hougen.com my expectations. There was a buzz in the aisles that I haven’t heard in years, Hou-756 WB - sixth page.indd 1 1/5/23 9:26 AMand crowds I haven’t seen in years. AtPacific Marine Expo, tendance was way up, and exhibitors the largest commercial marine felt it. Why? trade show on the West Coast, Adding to the increased numserving commercial mariners bers was Underwater Intervention (UI). After a three-year hiatus, UI from Alaska to California. co-located with the WorkBoat Show and attracted a global audience. I also heard several showgoers say it’s because people and companies have more money to spend. Whatever the reason, if you attended the WorkBoat Show this year you would have witnessed that it was a really good show. At the close of the show, 95% of the Visit www.pacificmarineexpo.com 2023 exhibitors had already renewed to sign up for the latest news! for 2024’s WorkBoat Show. This year’s show featured close to ai16389015345_editwatch_BPA_2021.pdf 1,000 exhibitors that showcased thouFrom small lightweight low profile mag drills to large multi-speed models and a wide range of annular cutters, Hougen has the power, performance & solutions for your holemaking needs.

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sands of products and services to over 13,000 attendees. On the first day of the show, the 2023 Boat of the Year, the 103'4"×45'6"×15'7" Rotortugs Signet Sirius and Signet Capella, was recognized and received awards. And once again, WorkBoat Conference Program sessions were popular, attracting standing-room only crowds to the show floor. Next year’s show will be held in New Orleans Nov. 12-14, a little earlier tha usual. I hope to see you there.

12/7/21

1:25 PM

WORKBOAT® (ISSN 0043-8014) is published monthly by Diversified Communications, 121 Free St., P.O. Box 7438, Portland, ME 04112-7438. Editorial Office: P.O. Box 1348, Mandeville, LA 70470. Annual Subscription Rates: U.S. $39; Canada $55; International $103. When available, extra copies of current issue are $4, all other issues and special issues are $5. For subscription customer service call (978) 671-0444. The publisher reserves the right to sell subscriptions to those who have purchasing power in the industry this publication serves. Periodicals postage paid at Portland, ME, and additional mailing offices. Circulation Office: 121 Free St., P.O. Box 7438, Portland, ME 04112-7438. From time to time, we make your name and address available to other companies whose products and services may interest you. If you prefer not to receive such mailings, please send a copy of your mailing label to: WorkBoat’s Mailing Preference Service, P.O. Box 7438, Portland, ME 04112. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to WORKBOAT, P.O. Box 1792, Lowell, MA 01853. Copyright 20 22 by Diversified Communications. Printed in U.S.A.

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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 • Max Hardberger • Joel Milton • Jim Redden CONTENT SPECIALIST Benjamin Hayden / bhayden@divcom.com DIGITAL PROJECT MANAGER / ART DIRECTOR Doug Stewart / dstewart@divcom.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jeremiah Karpowicz / jkarpowicz@divcom.com ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Mike Cohen 207-842-5439 / mcohen@divcom.com Kristin Luke 207-842-5635 / kluke@divcom.com

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Producers of The International WorkBoat Show and Pacific Marine Expo www.workboatshow.com • www.pacificmarineexpo.com EXPOSITION SALES DIRECTOR Christine Salmon 207-842-5530 / csalmon@divcom.com PRESIDENT & CEO Theodore Wirth / twirth@divcom.com GROUP VICE PRESIDENT Bob Callahan / bcallahan@divcom.com PUBLISHING OFFICES Main Office 121 Free St., P.O. Box 7438, Portland, ME 04112-7438 207-842-5608 • Fax: 207-842-5609 MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION cs@e-circ.net • 978-671-0444 (Monday-Friday, 10 AM – 4 PM ET)

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MAIL BAG Change is needed at the Coast Guard

he Coast Guard published an Accountability and Transparency Review (ATR) report on the service’s workforce culture and organizational climate in December. The report was accompanied by a memorandum from Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan, which directed 33 initial actions to address recommendations in the report. Adm. Fagan’s directed actions are designed to ensure that every member of the workforce has an experience aligned with the Coast Guard’s core values, and free from harassment, assault, hazing, bullying, hate and retaliation. “The Accountability and Transparency Review report makes clear that service change is necessary. We must drive meaningful change, consistent with our core values of honor, respect, and devotion to duty, to create an environment

where every Coast Guard member feels safe and valued,” said Fagan. “Acknowledging broken trust within the service is an important first step in reestablishing it. Now we turn to the important work of reaffirming our core values and our commitment to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and assault.” The commandant’s directed actions include the following lines of effort: • Improvements to workforce training, culture and professional development; • Creation of an Integrated Primary Prevention Program modeled after the Department of Defense program; • Incorporating our core values more thoroughly into enterprise communication, training and evaluations; • Implementation of policies to ensure accountability related to sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other harmful behaviors; • Increased oversight and better accountability at the Coast Guard Academy; and • Improved transparency and access to

workforce climate data and resources. The report is the result of a 90-day review that analyzed current law, policy, processes, practices, resources and service culture relevant to preventing and responding to sexual assault, harassment and other harmful behaviors in the Coast Guard. The ATR team, consisting of military and civilian members, visited Coast Guard units around the country to listen to members of the workforce about their experiences and engaged with the other military services and organizations with shared values and goals. The ATR team also examined previous studies dating from 1990 to the present. The Commandant’s Directed Actions, ATR report, and supporting documents are available at http://www.uscg.mil/ alwaysready/. U.S. Coast Guard Washington, D.C.

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AT-A-GLANCE

On the Water Decision-making — Part II

BY JOEL MILTON Joel Milton works on towing vessels. He can be reached at joelmilton@ yahoo.com.

n last month’s column I introduced the concept of the “10th man rule,” which states that if nine people in a group of 10 agree on an issue, the 10th must take the opposite position and and argue for that position. The rule can help prevent serious mistakes or disasters that we often plan and execute our way into, typically at the managerial or organizational level, because of the cognitive blind spots humans are inherently plagued with. Those blind spots can be very costly in the short and long term. But what about at the actual operational level we work at? Is there a way to adapt and incorporate the 10th man principles, in some form, into the decision-making process on board your vessel? The potential exists to do it, but it’s a tall order for most of us. You would need full buy-in from your crew or team, and sometimes that will prove unachievable. To get that buy-in you would need to have and consistently display an open,

Captain’s Table Is the Streamlined Inspection Program still worthwhile?

T BY CAPT. ALAN BERNSTEIN 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.

he Coast Guard needs to determine the impact and effectiveness of its Streamlined Inspection Program (SIP). That is the title of a recently released report by the Office of the U.S. Inspector General (OIG), which conducted an audit to determine the extent to which enrolled vessels comply with the SIP. The OIG essentially made three observations: SIP has not established or implemented key Performance Indicators, SIP may not be operating as intended, and SIP’s impact on the Coast Guard’s mission success is unknown.” While this is probably not good news for the Coast Guard or for the SIP, I believe that much of this negativity is rooted in a lack of understanding, by both the Coast Guard and industry, of the actual benefits of the program. My company, BB Riverboats, joined SIP in 1998 with one vessel, the M/V River Queen. By 2000 our entire fleet was enrolled in the program. My plan is to enroll our two harbor towboats in SIP in 2024.

collaborative mindset. Transparency in the decision-making process is necessary. You must possess the integrity, self-control, and selfconfidence to not just accept but convincingly encourage significant, continuous input and constructive criticism (without penalty) from those you supervise. Not necessarily as professional equals, but as valued team members who may see something that you don’t and won’t see without help. They can be capable of saving a captain from self-destructing, and the motive to do so should be obvious: self-preservation of both the individual, the team, and their shared livelihood. Real genius is rare. But control-freak captains that make secretive decisions for inscrutable or dubious reasons, or for no particular reason at all, are quite common. These captains are wholly unsuited for this approach. The job itself is way bigger than I am, and I’m not very important at all. None of us are individually. It’s a team sport and always has been, and if you can get over yourself then you have a real shot at doing a lot of things better than you otherwise might.

Why am I a participant in SIP? Because it has helped me and my company establish a system to keep my vessels in a constant state of regulatory compliance. Thus, it also results in a higher level of safety for my passengers and crew. Another benefit is better communications with Coast Guard inspectors along with a shared confidence that we are all reading from the same regulatory page. SIP-enrolled vessels continuously meet a higher level of safety and inspection readiness. Why has SIP not caught on? Because the Coast Guard has not uniformly gotten behind or promoted SIP. After all, if properly implemented, the program can lessen the burden on an already stressed Coast Guard inspector corps. It would be a huge time saver for them, a manpower saver for everyone involved, and I believe the U.S. commercial fleet would be safer and better managed. SIP is still worthwhile, despite the findings of the OIG report. This spring, I plan to hold a companywide seminar on SIP so everyone can understand the safety responsibility we have as vessel operators. It will also help my staff understand how this program elevates safety. I am proud of what we have accomplished with SIP, and I will continue to promote the program throughout the maritime industry. . www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

AT-A-GLANCE

Energy Level Fossil fuels are not going anywhere

WorkBoat GOM Indicators SEPT '23 WTI Crude Oil 89.68 Baker Hughes Rig Count 20 U.S. Oil Production (millions bpd) 12.9

NOV '23 74.46 21 13.2*

NOV '22 77.10 18 12.1

Sources: Baker-Hughes; U.S. EIA *Estimated

BY JIM REDDEN, CORRESPONDENT

on’t expect to see gasoline pumps disappearing anytime soon. So say Chevron and ExxonMobil, which closed out 2023 by betting heavily that fossil fuels will be around for some time to come, even as many of their contemporaries join the global push toward clean energy. In putting their money where their drill bits are, the super-majors plan to spend a combined $112.5 billion to buy two leading independent oil and gas producers. Both purchases are expected to close in the first half of 2024. Chevron said on Oct. 23 that it will pay $53 billion to acquire Hess Corp., primarily aimed at snapping up its 30% stake in the high-flying Guyana deepwater theater. Hess also has a sizable footprint in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico. Hess projects 2023 Gulf oil production will average around 30,000 bbl/d. “I think you would expect us to high-grade the exploration program as we look across a larger combined lease position,” Chevron CEO Mike Wirth said during an Oct. 27 call, referring specifically to the Gulf of Mexico.

OCT '23 85.49 24 13.0*

GOM Rig Count (November '22 - November '23) 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 4 0

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With the deal, Chevron will replace Hess as a partner in Guyana’s productive Stabroek deepwater block with lease owner ExxonMobil, which on Oct. 11 announced a $59.5-billion all-stock acquisition of onshore producer Pioneer Natural Resources Co. Pioneer operates exclusively in the prolific Permian Basin of West Texas and southeastern New Mexico. The transactions preceded an Oct. 24 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) that said fossil fuel demand will peak by 2030 as renewable energy gains traction. “The transition to clean energy is happening worldwide and is unstoppable,” said IEA Execu-

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tive Director Fatih Birol. ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods, however, suggests that the company, for now, has no intention of turning its back on the core commodity that made it among the world’s top companies. “Rather than chase, what I would say, is the current narrative or the current conventional wisdom as to what the world’s going to need,” Woods told analysts on Oct. 27, “let’s just focus first on what we can fundamentally contribute and bring an advantage to and therefore generate returns higher than the rest of industry, and then figure out how those advantages apply themselves to what the world needs.”

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AT-A-GLANCE

Nor’easter Wind turbines spin over Northeast waters

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.

he first wind turbines installed in U.S. Atlantic federal waters began turning in December, little more than a month after the drama of Ørsted canceling a flagship project. Ørsted’s Oct. 31 announcement backing out of its 1,100-megawatt Ocean Wind project off New Jersey shocked industry advocates and critics alike. Yet on Dec. 6 Ørsted turned on its first of 12 turbines for the South Fork Wind project, 35 miles off the east end of Long Island, laying claim to the first energy flowing from a federal waters wind power project into New York state’s power grid. With completion anticipated in 2024, South Fork would have a maximum nameplate power rating of 130 megawatts. That same day Avangrid, a partner with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners in the 806-MW Vineyard Wind project, said they had erected five of 62 GE Haliade-X turbines and aimed to be delivering first power into Massachusetts by the end of 2023. “Our team has worked tremendously hard, through nights, weekends, and holidays to put us in the position to deliver the first power from Avangrid’s nation-leading Vineyard Wind 1 project before the end of the year,” said Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra. “Today, we have fully installed the first five turbines of this historic project, representing a new frontier for climate action and the clean energy revolution in the United States.” The first five Vineyard turbines are nameplate rated for 65 MW. Before generating its first power

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deliveries by export cable to Barnstable, Mass., on Cape Cod, Avangrid said it “must complete several critical tests and technical milestones, including final testing of the array and export cables, and energization of the offshore substation which is one of the largest built in the global offshore industry.” The schedule gave hope to offshore wind advocates, after months of bad news like Ørsted’s sudden exit from Ocean Wind because of escalating costs. “Offshore wind is the single biggest lever we can pull to address the climate crisis while strengthening our regional economy, protecting ratepayers, improving public health, and creating high-quality jobs and equitable access to economic opportunity,” said Elizabeth Turnbull Henry, president of the Environmental League of Massachusetts. Yet U.S. offshore marine service companies – long experienced in oil and gas, and eager to apply their expertise to wind power – are newly cautious about the new industry’s financial turbulence. They think the wind power industry still has a promising future off the East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico, where the future market for wind energy will be with the region’s heavy industry. Ørsted’s sudden retreat from its New Jersey project is the clearest sign of industry distress amid mounting costs, along with other developers looking to re-bid contracts. But the Ocean Wind lease could be developed in a still-viable U.S. industry that will have a 25- to 30-year buildout, suggested Carl Annessa, executive vice president of Hornbeck Offshore Services Inc. “We’ll just have to endure that long cycle,” just as in the Gulf offshore oil and gas industry, Annessa said during a panel discussion at the 2023 International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans. Gulf offshore operators are now at work on the Vineyard Wind and South Fork Wind projects, using the so-called feeder barge model that uses Jones Actcompliant U.S. barges and tugs to bring turbine components to the work sites. Initially viewed with skepticism by Jones Act critics, the system is working. Annessa said there’s also a warming among European-based wind companies toward using more converted offshore service vessels (OSVs) instead of longstanding preferences for newbuild vessels. www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

AT-A-GLANCE

Inland Insider Inland waterways projects face cost overruns

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.

finish, ranging from $330 million to $800 million per project, Zea said. “The good news is that there is an appetite to complete these projects within Congress,” Zea said. “Congress is very supportive of the inland waterways transportation system.” He said lawmakers are considering a new Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) that advocates hope will include language stating that all projects funded under the infrastructure package will remain 100% federally funded. Zea added that WCI is concerned about a Corps of Engineers projection that it will take 10 years to complete Lock and Dam 25 on the Upper Mississippi River-Illinois Waterway. “That’s unacceptable,” he said. “In the 1920s, when the system was built, it took six years. We are encouraging the Corps to expedite lock construction to be completed in six-to-eight years. “If it’s a 10-year timeframe, with 15 projects on the books, it would take 150 years. It’s imperative that we complete projects so that we don’t build a backlog with others coming on.”

hen Congress passed the much-anticipated bill to improve the nation’s sagging infrastructure two years ago, it allocated $2.5 billion to fund lock and dam modernization projects along the inland river system. This was a major win for barge operators and shippers that use the rivers to get their cargoes to customers. They have endured years of costly delays and unreliable service from infrastructure that is 60 years old and frequently shuts down for repairs or maintenance. Eighty percent of locks are beyond their design life of 50 years, and only two locks are under 10 years old. Seven river projects, many of which have languished for years due to inadequate funding, were selected to receive money, with five to get enough for completion. But because of inflation and other factors, cost overruns threaten to derail this goal unless Congress steps in Workboat (3.3125” wide x 4.875” high) with more money. “We need another infrastructure bill to complete these projects,” quipped Tracy Zea, president of the Waterways Council Inc., Washington, D.C., which advocates for river infrastructure funding. He spoke at a Marine Money conference in New Orleans in December. Zea offered an update on infrastructure spending, saying that all but $113 million of the $2.9 billion allocation has been spent on the priority projects, while the remaining $113 million is expected to be included in the Biden administration’s next budget request, expected in early 2024. The seven projects are: McClellanWind farm turbine transfers in heavy seas pose Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System unique challenges. Nothing we haven’t solved in Three Rivers, Ark.; Arkansas River in building offshore pilot boats for over 60 Navigation Study; TJ O’Brien Lock and years and high-speed catamarans for the most Dam on the Illinois Waterway; Upper demanding applications. Mississippi River Lock and Dam 25; Our standard and custom-designed highKentucky Lock and Dam; and Montspeed CTVs are rugged, comfortable and espegomery and Emsworth Locks and Dams, cially suited for operators who put a high value both in Pennsylvania. on reliability, fuel efficiency and safety. The five slated to be funded to completion, Three Rivers, Montgomery GLADDING-HEARN Lock, TJ O’Brien, Lock and Dam 25 SHIPBUILDING and Kentucky lock, are experiencing Duclos Corporation gladding-hearn.com cost overruns and need more money to C

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AT-A-GLANCE

Insurance Watch Market concerns still loom in 2024

BY DAN BOOKHAM Dan Bookham is a vice president with Allen Insurance & Financial. He specializes in longshore, offshore and shipyard risk. He can be reached at 1-800-236-4311 or dbookham@ allenif.com.

s we enter 2024, it is time to break out the crystal ball and offer up predictions for the insurance market for the new year. First, the good news. The marine insurance market is expected to continue to grow in 2024. The cargo market is predicted to show some modest growth. When coupled with continued increases in property and vessel values, and increased demand for marine insurance products from emerging markets, the increased premiums generated should help shore up insurers’ balance sheets. Make no mistake, however. We are not out of the woods yet. Market concerns among insurers shows no signs of abating. Among the concerns are the increasing value of global trade, the growing complexity of global supply chains, the rising frequency and severity of natural catastrophes, potential broader economic instability, and the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Then there’s what will likely be turbulent

Legal Talk When is a vessel restricted in its ability to maneuver?

W BY TIM AKPINAR Tim Akpinar is a Little Neck, N.Y.based maritime attorney and former marine engineer. He can be reached at 718-224-9824 or t.akpinar@verizon. net

hen two vessels collide, one of the first things owners will do is pull out the Navigation Rules to determine who was at fault. Sometimes the rules are easy to apply, as in the case of a sailboat being overtaken by a powerboat on an open stretch of water. Other times, the rules can open the door to debate. That was the case in a 2019 collision between two vessels on the Mississippi River that involved Inland Rule 18. Rule 18 addresses vessels restricted in their ability to maneuver. The plaintiff’s vessel was traveling down the middle of the Mississippi near Chalmette, La. The plaintiff claimed that the defendant’s vessel steered into their path and struck them, causing injury to crewmembers. The two sides found themselves in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana arguing the issue in a motion. The plaintiff said that the defendant’s vessel did not display the ball-diamond-ball day shape indicating its restriction under Rule 27(b). And the defendant disputed the plaintiff’s claim that it was making an intentional swing maneuver.

election campaigns in the U.S, United Kingdom, Mexico, Taiwan, and India among other countries, that could lead to uncertainty and instability that bleeds over into the insurance markets. Additionally, the hard market that hit last year will likely continue well into 2024 and possibly into 2025. A hard insurance market is characterized by higher premiums, stricter underwriting standards, and reduced availability of coverage. It is caused by a combination of historical underpricing of risk, increased frequency or severity of losses, underperforming investments, increased reinsurance expense and broader economic pressures. Thus, the marine insurance market is expected to be characterized by several trends in 2024 that echo those from 2023. This includes a continued hardening of rates, an increasing focus on underwriting profitability, an increased demand for new and innovative marine insurance products, and the increasing use of technology to improve (or at least rationalize) underwriting and claims handling.

The court examined Rule 3(g) in detail. The rule defines a vessel restricted in its ability to maneuver as “a vessel which, from the nature of her work, is restricted in her ability to maneuver as required by these rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel.” The court examined a long list of activities giving rise to the restriction, which included, among others, dredging, surveying, etc. The defendant argued that Rule 18’s “nature of her work” requirement should extend to vessels engaged in un-anchoring operations. They based this argument on the statute’s language that “vessels restricted in their ability to maneuver include, but are not limited to ...” The court ruled in favor of the plaintiff. The court felt that the defendant’s vessel was not restricted in its ability to maneuver. The Navigation Rules can be straightforward, but also tricky, depending on the setting. Coast Guard license exam questions on the subject can be straightforward if one is able to visualize the respective vessel positions and headings described in multiple-choice answers. But in actual settings where millions of dollars could be at stake, things can get complicated when one side’s interpretation of the rules conflicts with the others. www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR NOV 12 - 14, 2024 / NEW ORLE ANS Morial Convention Center, Halls B, C, D, E & F

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NEWS LOG

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First power for New York offshore wind farm

Bay-Houston Towing to build Robert Allan tugs

ouston-based Bay-Houston Towing has awarded a contract to Sterling Shipyard, Port Neches, Texas, to build multiple Robert Allan Ltd.-designed RAstar 3200-W tugs. The RAstar 3200-W is a highperformance ASD ship handling and escort tug designed for berthing/unberthing large ships and providing escort and emergency response in exposed coastal areas with demanding sea states. According to Robert Allan’s website, the 3200-W tugs are approximately 105’x43’ and have a maximum draft of 21.3’. A pair of EMD 16 E23B HD Tier 4 EPA-compliant engines will power two model SRP-610 FP Schottel drives.

First turbine to produce energy off Long Island, N.Y.

Ørsted

he first of 12 South Fork Wind turbines began delivering power in December to New York’s Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) grid, marking the first utility-scale wind generation in U.S. federal waters, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced. “New York’s nation-leading efforts to generate reliable, renewable clean energy have reached a major milestone,” said Hochul. “South Fork Wind will power thousands of homes, create good-paying union jobs and demonstrate to all that offshore wind is a viable resource New York can harness for generations to come.” Joint venture partners Ørsted and Eversource recently installed two of the turbines 35 miles east of Montauk, N.Y., and expect to have all turbines installed by early 2024 with a maximum capacity of 130 megawatts. Like neighboring Northeast states, New York officials and energy planners have ambitious plans for renewable energy, including 9 gigawatts of offshore wind power capacity by 2035. South Fork Wind is one of the earliest offshore projects planned by New York, first approved by the LIPA board in 2017 with construction beginning in February 2022 with an offshore export cable system that links the project to the LIPA energy grid. The first monopile foundation was installed in June by Van Oord’s Netherlands-flagged offshore installation vessel Aeolus. Long Island, N.Y.-based contractor Haugland Energy Group LLC (an affiliate of Haugland Group LLC), installed the underground duct bank system for South Fork Wind’s onshore transmission line and led the construction of the project’s onshore interconnection facility. LS Cable installed and jointed the onshore cables with support from Long Island’s Elecnor Hawkeye. “The onshore cable scope of work alone created more than 100 union jobs for Long Island skilled trades workers,” according to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. “Roman Stone, also on Long Island, manufactured concrete mattresses to protect the undersea cables, and Ljungstrom, located in western New York, in partnership with Riggs Distler & Company Inc., provided specialized structural steelwork.” — Kirk Moore

Washington state maritime industries support more than 170,000 jobs

new study from the Washington Maritime Federation pegs the economic impact of Washington state maritime industries at nearly $46 billion a year resulting in more than 170,000 jobs, with maritime logistics and shipping, shipbuilding and repair, and commercial fishing and seafood production the top sectors. The average annual compensation of maritime-related jobs is $112,000 including benefits, according to the federation, which released the study during the 2023 Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle. Overall, Washington’s maritime sector contributes more than $382 million annually to Washington state revenues.

CORRECTION In the November cover story on Washington State Ferries (WSF) on page 28, it said, “The new legislation also gives WSF the option to engage in either a design-build arrangement or a design-build, which Von Ruden believes is best.” It should have said design-build arrangement or design-bid-build, which Von Ruden believes is best. WorkBoat regrets the error.

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

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FOCUS Offshore Wind

Headwinds Appeals for help grow as offshore wind faces economic reckoning. By Jim Redden, Correspondent

Equinor ASA

s pleas for government assistance mount, the odds of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power coursing through the nation’s transmission lines by 2030 are growing longer. The pendulum has indeed swung against offshore wind as Northeast developers lump insufficient federal and state tax relief with skyrocketing costs, nagging supply chain bottlenecks and cumbersome permitting for, at best, delaying project start-ups. Ørsted’s bombshell decision on Oct. 31 to scrap

two wind farms under development off New Jersey put a punctuation mark on a year that saw no less than 4.7 GW of planned wind power temporarily, or perhaps permanently scrapped. That’s not to say some projects haven’t advanced on schedule, particularly for the consortiums that managed to lock in supplier contracts before inflation and interest rates rose. As of late November, a combined 932 megawatts of first power were on target to begin flowing through the grid at year-end 2023 from two wind farms off Massachusetts and New York. (The first of 12 turbines began delivering power in early

Oil and wind collaborate in Norway at Equinor’s Hywind Tampen floating wind farm, which went fully operational in August supplying power to North Sea oil and gas production platforms. Equinor Wind US LLC was high bidder on one of the five areas awarded in a December 2022 California offshore wind lease sale.

December to New York’s Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) grid, marking the first utility-scale wind generation in U.S. federal waters.) No new projects are scheduled to come online until 2025 when US Wind is expected to begin generating roughly 270 MW from its MarWin offshore wind farm off Ocean City, Md. With some developers opting to pay hefty termination fees rather than proceed with what they say would be money-losing endeavors, the governors of six northeastern states sent a letter to President Biden in September appealing for assistance. “Absent intervention, these near-term projects are increasingly at risk of failing,” wrote the Democratic governors of New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. “Without federal action, offshore wind deployment in the U.S. is at serious risk of stalling because states’ ratepayers may be unable to absorb these significant new costs alone.” A measure of relief may be forthcoming from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, the Department of Energy said, which acknowledged the economic pickle developers face with the signing of iron-clad power purchase agreements (PPA) without an avenue for passing along spiraling costs. “Many projects, particularly those with an expected start of commercial operations between 2025 and 2028, have faced challenges in maintaining economic viability because of rising capital costs and interest rates,” the Department of Energy said in its 2023 Offshore Wind Market Report. “The IRA may soften the adverse impact of rising inflation, supply chain restraints and interest rates on offshore wind project costs for early-stage offshore wind projects.” With the latest Bureau of Ocean En-

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

Offshore Wind ergy Management (BOEM) lease sales, offshore wind energy touches every U.S. coastline, in some form or fashion. While California is working to establish a floating wind infrastructure, wouldbe developers in the oil and gas hub of the Gulf of Mexico are just trying to generate interest. Those areas can take a lesson from many northeast developers, which like Ørsted were saddled with non-negotiable rate agreements.

PULLING THE PLUG

Ørsted blamed “macroeconomic factors that have changed dramatically over a short period of time” for the abrupt decision to abandon its 1,100-MW Ocean Wind 1 and 1,148-MW Ocean Wind 2 wind farms that were scheduled to begin operation in 2025 and 2028, respectively. The Danish developer is contesting the legitimacy of a reported $300-million termination penalty. Despite Ørsted haggling unsuccess-

fully for state relief, what may have been the final straw was a federal lawsuit led by New Jersey’s Cape May County that challenged the federal permits issued for the twin projects and set the stage for a likely conflict between pro-wind Gov. Phil Murphy and local interests. Simultaneous with the cancellations, Ørsted and local partner Eversource made a final investment decision (FID) on the Revolution Wind farm off Rhode Island with a targeted 2025 completion date. Offshore construction is set to begin this year on the farm, which is designed to deliver 704 MW of power to Rhode Island and Connecticut. Elsewhere, the developers behind two planned wind farms in Massachusetts and one in Connecticut agreed to pay a combined $114 million in termination fees to cancel earlier negotiated PPAs with hopes of later renegotiating better deals and resuming development.

W I N C H E S

SPECIALT

E E MARIN ES FOR TH Y WINCH

On Aug. 23, Avangrid paid a $48 million penalty to scrap the 1.2-GW Commonwealth Wind farm in Massachusetts, and two months later shelled out roughly $16 million to abandon Connecticut’s 804-MW Park City Wind farm, originally scheduled to be commissioned in 2025. With the cancellations, the company avoided $2 billion in write-offs. Avangrid has indicated no intention of permanently abandoning the leases but intends to negotiate for more economically viable PPAs. “We have two high valuable leases ready to leverage and experience as part of the Iberdrola Group developing, financing and constructing offshore projects,” CEO Pedro Azagra Blázquez said in an Oct. 29 call, referencing the company’s Spanish parent. “We have two beautiful leases. They are worth a lot right now.” On Aug. 23, partners Shell New

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Energies and Ocean Winds North America followed up on earlier warnings and agreed to pay a $60 million fine and cancel the PPA for the 1.2 GW South Coast Wind farm, also in Massachusetts. In New York, the Equinor and BP consortium are proceeding for now with development of the 2,430-MW Beacon Wind 1 and Beacon Wind 2 and the 2.1-GW Empire Wind 1 and 2 farms, after the state quickly backpedaled and agreed to revisit its Oct. 25 refusal to adjust rate agreements. “Last night, New York advanced an expedited renewable energy procurement process, as part of the (state’s) 10-point plan,” Equinor CFO Torgrim Reitan told analysts on Oct.28. “We welcome this, but it is important for me to say that our projects must be financially robust to proceed.” New York also gave conditional approval in November for three wind

South Fork Wind

FOCUS Offshore Wind

The first turbine for New York’s South Fork Wind project set sail from the Port of New London, Conn., on Nov. 1 in preparation for first power. The first of 12 turbines began delivering power in early December to New York’s Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) grid, marking the first utility-scale wind generation in U.S. federal waters.

projects in state waters that would have a combined 4 GW of production capacity. The proposed Attentive Energy

One, Community Offshore Wind and Excelsior Wind farms are tentatively expected to be operational by 2030.

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www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

Offshore Wind

The first set of eight monopiles for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project was delivered to Virginia’s Portsmouth Marine Terminal in mid-October with offshore installation set to begin in May.

of Mexico. Aside from Maine, where a scaleddown pilot project is expected to begin churning out 12 MW of power this year, the floating wind sector is largely concentrated off California. The federal government’s multiagency Floating Offshore Wind Shot collaboration aims to reduce ratepayer costs to $45/MWh by 2035. “We see floating offshore wind as an enormous opportunity, given the

magnitude of the resource we have in the U.S,” Jocelyn Brown-Saracino, the DOE’s offshore wind lead, said during an Aug. 30 Reuters webinar. As California looks to create a new industry from scratch, prospective developers are trying to build a local supply chain. “We’re spending a lot of time reaching out to the suppliers in the area to really get a good handle on what their existing capabilities are and what things they need to increase their capabilities,” Robert Mastria, project director, offshore wind, for RWE Offshore Wind Holdings, said as part of the webinar panel. RWE Offshore was one of five provisional winners in the December 2022 federal wind lease sale offshore California with a high bid of $157.7 million. In the Gulf of Mexico, BOEM plans to take another stab at attracting developers, with a yet-to-bescheduled second lease sale with four optional areas encompassing 706,259 acres in Texas and 56,978 acres in Louisiana waters. Hopes that the well-established oil and gas infrastructure would entice bidders faded as the inaugural sale on Aug. 29 drew a single high bid of $5.6 million by RWE Offshore US Gulf for a 102,480-acre lease off Louisiana.

University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center

NEW HORIZONS With leases secured, the Biden administration is hoping the wind market will eventually expand to the deepwater West Coast and the Gulf

Dominion Energy Inc.

FIRST POWER As the year was winding down, consortiums behind the Vineyard Wind 1 and South Fork Wind offshore wind farms were racing to see which would be first to flip the switch and bring commercial scale offshore wind energy to the U.S. South Fork Wind was the winner. The first of 12 turbines for South Fork began delivering power Dec. 6 to New York’s Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) grid, marking the first utility-scale wind generation in U.S. federal waters. Meanwhile, the first five turbines for Vineyard Wind 1 have been installed and are expected to deliver 65 MW of energy by the end of the year. “On Vineyard Wind 1, construction is progressing, and we are on track for delivering first power before the end of the year and achieving commercial operation by the end of 2024,” said Azagra Blázquez. At full operation, Vineyard 1 will generate 800 MW of electricity from 62 turbines. South Fork wind’s 12 turbines will deliver a cumulative 132 MW of capacity. To the south, what is to be the nation’s largest offshore wind farm remains on track for a 2026 startup. Dominion Energy’s $9.8-billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project (CVOW) received final federal approval on Sept. 28, clearing the way for the installation of up to 176 turbines with a generation capacity of 2.6 GW. Like Vineyard and South Fork, Dominion lined up nearly all supplier contracts before prices spiked in 2022. President and CEO Bob Blue said on Nov. 3 that construction of the Charybdis, the first Jones Actcompliant wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV), is “77% complete” at the Seatrium AmFELS shipyard in Brownsville, Texas.

A Maine Maritime Academy tugboat moves the 1:8 scale VolturnUS floating wind turbine down the Penobscot River to Castine, Maine, for additional testing before offshore installation. The miniaturized pilot project is expected to begin operation this year.

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

VESSEL REPORT Fireboats In Corpus Christi, Texas, MetalCraft’s FireStorm-70 fire and police boat shows what 15,000 gpm looks like.

Hot Boats By Michael Crowley, Correspondent

etalCraft Marine’s Bob Clark loves talking about small boats, especially small boats his company builds. “The one that’s really hot is the 43/44,” he said, referring to MetalCraft’s 43'1"×14'4" FireStorm 40. “Five are on order and five new orders are coming in.” Many of these boats — 60% in fact —are fireboats and some will be combination fire and police boats. “Why have two boats when you can have one boat that solves two problems?” said Clark, who added that his Kingston, Ontario-based company made sure to feature multimission boats at the 2023 International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans recently. Clark said the Port of Corpus Christi, Texas, has two FireStorm 40s and a FireStorm 70 (70'10"×22'10"). Both boats combine fire and police functions. He expects to build a FireStorm 40 for the city of San Diego that will also be crewed by both fire and police department staff. “It just makes so much sense,” said Clark. “You satisfy both groups.” Of course, that only works if a city’s fire and police departments get along, and Clark admitted that sometimes

they don’t always work well together. Crewing a boat with both fire and police officers isn’t a new idea for MetalCraft Marine. In fact, one of MetalCraft’s first fireboats went to Seward, Alaska, as both a fire and police boat. Clark noted that the vessel, built in 2004, is still running well. Crew efficiency diminishes when responders are faced with a long-lasting blaze — a day or two or more. That calls for a backup, which is the role of MetalCraft’s Interceptor line of fireboats. If a fireboat has been working a fire for 24 hours, the Interceptor will “take food to them or fuel, change out the crew.” Clark said Charleston, S.C., received an Interceptor 9M (30'8"×9'10") two years ago “just for that reason.” “They have big fires in Charleston,” noted Clark, mostly industrial fires on the Charleston River. That’s probably why he expects to start building another Interceptor 9M for Charleston, as a backup for a Firestorm 36. To fight shoreside fires, which Clark said make up 70% to 80% of all fires, fireboats “have large diameter hose connections for feeding fire trucks.” A 10"-dia. hose delivers 11,500 gpm and a 6" hose delivers 6,000 gpm. If there aren’t fire trucks, then interstage pumps are set out See VESSEL REPORT on page 33

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

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2023 SIGNIFICANT BOATS SIGNET SIRIUS, SIGNET CAPELLA NAMED BOAT OF THE YEAR

SIGNIFICANT BOATS OF 2023

SPECIFICATIONS

SIGNET SIRIUS, SIGNET CAPELLA WorkBoat’s 2023 Boat of the Year award went to two Rotortugs.

Signet Maritime

BOAT OF THE YEAR

By Ken Hocke, Senior Editor

the Year for 2023. Signet Shipbuilding & Repair (SS&R), Pascagoula, Miss., delivered the first of the two new Robert Allan Ltd.-designed Rotortugs — Signet Sirius — to Signet Maritime in October. SS&R is owned by Houston-based Signet Maritime, which operates a fleet of tugs that provide ship assist, ship

escort, towing, offshore support, subsea and rig moves. Gayle C. Snyder, Signet’s executive vice president, said she believes that the new tugs are the first towing vessels to receive an ABS ENVIRO

Doug Stewart

he Enbridge Ingleside (Texas) Energy Center at the Port of Corpus Christi is the largest crude oil storage and export terminal by volume in the U.S. Those exports are moved by VLCCs (very large crude carriers). Inside the port, the vessels are maneuvered by harbor tug. The size of the VLCCs as well as the complexity of the product they haul calls for a special type of harbor tug — tugs that can maneuver the VLCCs around the tight turns that mark the Texas port’s entrance to the Gulf of Mexico. The tugs will operate through Aransas Pass and its unique geography. It’s a narrow channel with a strong crosscurrent from the north and up to 6.5', six-second wave periods. The Rotortugs will have to maintain outbound speed to steer the ships properly and pull the ships against the crosscurrent at the bar. That’s why the 103'4"×45'6"×15'7" Rotortugs Signet Sirius and Signet Capella were voted WorkBoat’s Boat of

Builder: Signet Shipbuilding & Repair Designer: Robert Allan Ltd. Owner: Signet Maritime Length: 103'4" Beam: 45'6" Depth: 15'7" Main Propulsion: (3) MTU 12V4000 M65L, Tier 4, 7,725 hp (total) Ship’s Service Power: (2) John Deere 6135 AFM85 genset, Tier 3, 300 kW Z-Drive: (3) Kongsberg US 205 Firefighting: FFS AS, SFP 1,000kW centrifugal fire pump; (2) FFS 1200LB monitor, 10,600 gpm, 400' range Deck Equipment: (2) Markey Marine DESF-52 AGILE, 200-hp bow winch; TESF-32 AGILE, 200hp stern winch Fenders: Buoyant Works modular, polyurethane elastomer Certification/Classification: ABS ENVIRO notation, ABS LEV (low-emissions vessel) ABS Cybersecurity-1 (CS-1) Delivery Date: September 2023

Gayle C. Snyder, Signet Maritime s executive vice president (middle), and other Signet and Robert Allan Ltd. representatives.

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

notation, first in the U.S. to achieve an ABS LEV (low-emissions vessel) notation, and first in the U.S. to receive an ABS Cybersecurity-1 (CS-1) notation. “This Rotortug design is the only available technology to assure the safe movement of future, deeper draft VLCCs through the currents in the jetties in Corpus Christi,” said George Burkley, executive director, Maritime Pilots Institute, Covington, La. Signet Sirius and Signet Capella are built for closequarter operations in narrow marine terminal slips and can shoulder indirect and accelerate assist maneuver deep-draft VLCCs not otherwise possible. Main propulsion comes from three MTU 12V4000

M65L Tier 4 marine engines producing a total of 7,725 hp. The mains connect to Kongsberg US 205 controllable pitch Z-drives with 2,500mm-dia., 4-bladed nibral propellers in nozzles. Ship’s service power comes from a pair of Tier 3 John Deere 6135 AFM85 gensets, sparking 300 kW of electrical power each. The tugs have two Markey Marine winches — a DESF-52 AGILE, 20-hp, electric winch on the bow; and a TESF-32 AGILE, 200-hp, electric winch on the stern. The tug is equipped with a Fire Fighting Systems AS (FFS) SFP 1,000-kW centrifugal fire pump, and two FFS 1200LB remotely operated 10,600-gpm monitors with ranges of 400'.

ART 90-32W | Signet Sirius

OVER-THE-HORIZON CUTTER BOATS

SPECIFICATIONS

New OTH cutter boats are engineered to be launched and retrieved in a fully loaded condition. By Capt. Arnie Hammerman, Correspondent

Arnie Hammerman

remerton, Wash.-based Inventech Marine Solutions built and delivered four 25'6"×8'6" production model fifth-generation overthe-horizon cutter boats (CB-OTH-V) to the Coast Guard last summer. The boats are part of a $104 million contract. The Coast Guard will test them in the field for several months to provide technical feedback. WorkBoat was invited to ride along during one of the boat’s test runs. 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 first 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. Onboard the OTH-V, with a sister vessel running alongside, the boat ran reciprocal one-mile legs at top speeds averaging 42.5 knots and with a top speed of 43.4 knots. The single Cum-

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

mins QSB 6.7 480-hp diesel driving a HamiltonJet XJX29 waterjet has an average fuel consumption of 25.5 gph at 3,090 rpm. On these eye-watering, mile-long, high-speed runs the boat starts with full tanks (90 gals.) and a crew of four, creating loaded conditions of about 10,260 lbs. Calculating range 23

SPECIFICATIONS at 90% of fuel capacity delivers 135 miles at wide open throttle. After our full-throttle runs we slowed to between 2,400 rpm and 2,500 rpm and average 28 knots for a one-hour duration test. At 28 knots, fuel consumption lowered dramatically to 11.15 gph, providing a cruise range of 203 nautical miles. This allows the Coast Guard to deploy the boats up to 100 miles away from their cutters. 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 dropped five-10 knots in the turn, but once completed the boat popped back up to speed rapidly without add-

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" (w/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

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

ing throttle. The HamiltonJet waterjet provides

improved efficiency and cavitation margin.

R.B. WEEKS

The new dredge is the largest capital expense in Weeks Marine’s history. By Ken Hocke, Senior Editor

Eastern Shipbuilding Group

n May Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Panama City, Fla., (ESG) delivered the R.B. Weeks, a 364'6"×79'6"×27'3", 8,550-cu.-yd. capacity trailing suction hopper dredge, to Weeks Marine Inc., Cranford, N.J. Despite building the vessel through the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, ESG was able to deliver the vessel on schedule. The R.B. Weeks was built at ESG’s Allanton shipyard and launched in summer 2022. Weeks Marine said the new dredge represents a significant milestone for the company and is the largest capital investment in company’s history, which spans over a century. “The R.B. Weeks joins an impressive fleet that works alongside the Army Corps of Engineers to preserve our treasured waterways,” Joey D’Isernia, president of Eastern Shipbuilding, said when the shipyard delivered the new dredge. The R.B. Weeks is nearly identical to the Magdalen delivered by ESG in 2017. The vessel includes an electri-

cal power, propulsion, and dredge machinery package from Royal IHC, GE 16V250 Tier 4 engines, along with several accommodation and crew comfort upgrades. The Royal IHC dredge machinery package includes dynamic positioning and powerful dredge and jet pumps that efficiently load and unload the vessel. The GE diesel engines connect to a Wärtsilä controllable pitch prop system in nozzles through four Siemens reduction gears. For additional maneuverability, R.B. Weeks is fitted with a Wartsila fixed-pitch tunnel bowthruster. Main electrical power comes from

SPECIFICATIONS Builder: Eastern Shipbuilding Group Designer: Royal IHC Owner: Weeks Marine Length: 364'6" Beam: 79'6" Depth: 27'3" Capacity: 8,550 cu. yds. Main Propulsion: (2) GE 16V250, Tier 4 Propellers: (2) Wärtsilä controllable pitch prop system Marine Gears: (2) Siemens Ship’s Service Power: (2) Hyundai Thruster: Wärtsilä fixed pitch tunnel thruster Hull Construction: Steel Certification/Classification: Lloyd’s Registry Maltese Cross A1 Hopper Dredge, LMC, UMS Delivery Date: May 2023

two Hyundai gensets, a GE 6L250 MDC auxiliary generator, and a Caterpillar C18 emergency generator. The new dredge is Lloyd’s Registry Maltese Cross A1 Hopper Dredge, LMC, UMS classed.

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

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SPECIFICATIONS

Former charter fishing boat is now part of the offshore wind industry. By Ben Hayden, WorkBoat Staff

Coast Line Transfers

n August, Coast Line Transfers LLC (CLT), New Bedford, Mass., finished converting a fishing boat into a crew transfer vessel (CTV) for the Vineyard Wind 1 Project. The original boat was built by Geo Shipyard, New Iberia, La., in 2007. Hornblower Shipyard, Bridgeport, Conn., handled the conversion of the Capt. Les Eldridge. The aluminum catamaran now measures 62'×21'6"×20' and draws 9'6". The decision to convert the boat into a CTV came about when a partner at CLT, Ed Washburn, spotted the vessel and proposed the idea. After exploring different subchapters under the Coast Guard certifications, CLT

Builder: Hornblower Shipyard Designer: Nautical Design & Consulting Owner: Coast Line Transfers/ Stasinos Marine Length: 62' Beam: 21'6" Depth: 4.5' Draft: 9'6" Main Propulsion: (2) Cummins QSL9, 398 hp Speed (knots): 10 Hull Construction: Aluminum Ship’s Service Power: Lugar, 9 kW Marine Gear: (2) Twin Disc MG-509 Certification/Classification: USCG certified Subchapters T and L Tankage (gals.): Fuel, 12,000; water, 250 Electronics: Furuno VX2 radar, sonar depth sounder, RD 30 GPS; Rosepoint electric chart plotters; Simrad 1512 navigation system; AP-35 autopilot; KVH Azimuth 1000 digital compass; Icom IC MC422 and IC M302 VHF radios; Raymarine VHF with digital selective calling Delivery Date: August 2023

decided to proceed with the conversion and contracted naval architects Nautical Design & Consultants Inc., Berwick, La. Rob Pearce, another partner at CLT, met a Buoyant Works representative at the 2022 International WorkBoat Show. This led to a Buoyant Works (UK) Wide Cup adjustable fender being one of the first modifications made to the vessel. Hornblower Shipyard “did all the painting and all service power is supplied by a Lugthe coatings. They ger 9-kW genset. resealed the winThe Capt. Les Eldridge is currently dows and the pilot- operating under a COI Subchapter T house,” said James certification as it awaits its final stabilStasinos, co-owner ity review, including a dual Subchapof Stasinos Mater T and L certificate. Currently, the rine and partner at CTV can carry 26 passengers without CTL. “They did a deck cargo. Under Subchapter L, the ton of little items boat can carry deck cargo and 18 that turned a dirty offshore workers. fishing boat into a The CTV is currently able to carry much nicer high1,000 lbs. of deck cargo, but that Nautical Design & Consulting offers marine design and speed crew transfer capacity is also expected to increase support services to all vessel types and applications. vessel.” with its final stability review. The The CTV distinction between passengers versus is powered by offshore workers comes as Subchapter twin CumT is a small passenger vessel, while mins QSL 9.0 Subchapter L is an offshore energy engines hooked support vessel. up to a pair of To create more space for cargo on Design & Consulting bronze fixedthe aft deck, Nautical Design cut back pitch propellers the overhang and stairs. Typical cargo 3020 Third Street | Berwick, Louisiana 70342 through two Twin includes offshore consumables, ship’s randal@nauticaldesign.us | www.nauticaldesign.us The Miss Katie has aDisc capacity of 512 macu. yds. ofstores, dredgesmall spoils.spare parts, and trash MG-509 rine gears. Ship’s from offshore vessels. DESIGN | PROJECT MANAGEMENT | CONSULTING

Congratulations to the Signiﬁcant Boats of 2023

Nautical

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

SPECIFICATIONS

EMPIRE STATE, STATE OF MAINE, LONE STAR STATE, PATRIOT STATE, NSMV V SUNY Maritime receives first of five multimission training vessels. By Ben Hayden, WorkBoat Staff

TOTE Services

n September, Philly Shipyard Inc. delivered the 525'×89' Empire State, the first of five new purposebuilt, modern training vessels for the U.S.’s state maritime academies. The national security multimission vessels (NSMVs) are designed to provide world-class training for future U.S. mariners. With a draft of 24', the Empire State, which can berth up to 760 people, will serve SUNY Maritime College, Bronx, N.Y. The next training vessel, Patriot State, destined for the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, is scheduled to be delivered in 2024. The keel laying for State of Maine (Maine Maritime Acad-

emy) and steel cutting for Lone Star State (Texas A&M Maritime Academy) were recently completed. Construction of NSMV V (California Maritime Academy) is underway. All vessels are scheduled to be delivered by 2026.

Builder: Philly Shipyard Designer: Herbert Engineering (guidance design), DSEC (detail and function design), Philly Shipyard Owner: Maritime Administration Vessel Construction Manager: Tote Services LLC Length: 525'1" Beam: 88'7" Depth: 55' 1-1/2" Draft: 24' 1-3/8" Deadweight: 8,487 dwt. Main Engine: (4) Wabtec 16V250MDC, 5,625 hp Propulsion Motor: (2) GE Power Conversion N3HXC 1250L/10, 4,500 kW Tankage (gals.): Fuel, 2,167 m3, fresh water, 1,324 m3; lube oil, 28 m3 Hull Construction: Steel Passengers/Crew: 1,000/600 Delivery Date: September 2023

IMO Tier III and EPA Tier 4 certified. No SCR. No urea. No soot on deck. Simply Clean Wabtec's medium speed marine diesel engines are certified to IMO Tier III and EPA Tier 4 emissions standards without requiring SCR and urea-based exhaust after-treatment. • Proven technology - since 2016 over 1,200 engines in service with over 1 million running hours on marine engines • Easier and less expensive to install • Eliminates spacious provisions required for a SCR after-treatment system and urea storage, preserving valuable accommodation, cargo and tank space • Simple to operate and no additional operating expenses from urea use, catalyst replacements and SCR component maintenance • Developing low/no carbon fuel ready platform • Improved CII/EEXI with low fuel consumption and increased heat recovery.

No urea. No kidding. www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

MSDProducts@wabtec.com wabteccorp.com/marine-solutions

SIGNIFICANT BOATS OF 2023

SPECIFICATIONS

NEEBISH ISLANDER III

Michigan’s Neebish Island ferry operates seven days a week. By WorkBoat Staff

ment and through the solid ice conditions it will encounter on its route. EUPTA, established in 1975, operates three local passenger-vehicle ferries to the nearby islands of Sugar and Drummond. Ferries provide the only way for residents to get on and off the islands. Neebish Islander III has a full displacement hull with a displacement of 170 LT or 173 metric tons. The ferry has a fuel capacity of 1,500 gals. “Based on the experience of four previous commercial vessel designs built by this shipyard, we know that EUPTA will receive a first-class product from Burger Boat Company, and we look forward to collaborating once again,” Mark Pudlo, president, Seacraft Design, told WorkBoat when work began on the project in 2021. Main propulsion comes from twin Caterpillar C18 engines producing 600 hp each. The Cats connect to Kahlenberg 4-bladed stainlesssteel propellers on

Burger Boat

he 92'×33' Neebish Islander III entered service in November 2022, replacing an almost 80-year-old ferry — the Neebish Islander II. Burger Boat Co., Manitowoc, Wis., built the new car-passenger ferry for the Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority (EUPTA), Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. It was designed by Seacraft Design LLC, Sturgeon Bay, Wis. The new ferry can carry up to 150 passengers and 15 vehicles. The steel ferry, which has a 6'2" draft, will operate year-round on the St. Mary’s River in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula between Barbeau, Mich., and Neebish Island. The ferry was designed to operate in the harsh winter environ-

Builder: Burger Boat Co. Designer: Seacraft Design LLC Owner: Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority Length: 92' Beam: 33' Draft: 6'2" Main Propulsion: (2) Caterpillar C18, 600 hp Propeller: (2) Kahlenberg 4-bladed, stainless steel Displacement: 170 LT (173 MT) Controls: Jastram, independent rudders Hull Construction: Steel Tankage (gals.): Fuel, 1,500 Certification/Classification: USCG-classed Subchapter T Delivery Date: November 2022

Aquamet 22'5"-dia. shafts, giving the Neebish Islander III a maximum speed of 10 knots. Controls are the responsibility of Jastram. The ferry has independent rudders, one forward, one aft. The new ferry is USCG-classed Subchapter T. “We are thrilled with the Burger team and their progress on the Neebish Islander III,” Pete Paramski, executive director, EUPTA, said back in April 2022. “It was exciting to watch the rollover of the hull and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Burger.”

Builder: Brix Marine www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

SPECIFICATIONS

SEAWAY TRIDENT

Tug with many roles helps clear St. Lawrence Seaway ice.

Glosten

Brix Marine

By Michael Crowley, Correspondent

he term “tugboat” doesn’t come close to describing the 60'×28'×10'6" Seaway Trident. It looks like a tugboat, its designer refers to it as a tugboat, but its primary focus is not maneuvering vessels in or out of a crowded harbor. Try scraping ice off the walls of locks, maintaining aids to navigation and, yes, moving various barges around. The Seaway Trident, powered by a pair of 660-hp Caterpillar C-18s turning Schottel SRP 210 Z-drives, was designed by Glosten, Seattle, and built by Washburn & Doughty Associates Inc., East Boothbay, Maine. It was built for the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp., an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation. After completing a contract-level design package and technical specification, Glosten’s role on the project continued with onsite support at Washburn & Doughty during the Trident’s construction. 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,” a narrow part of the St. Lawrence Seaway on the U.S. side, said Peter Soles, who works in marine operations and business development at Glosten’s

Seattle office. “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 and the Seaway Trident pushes the ice to the side of the channel, thus keeping the passage clear. The Seaway Trident also herds ice into a lock chamber, allowing the ice to flow 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 with the Seaway Trident being Z-drive powered, “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

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

Builder: Washburn & Doughty Associates Inc. Designer: Glosten Owner: Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. Length: 60' Beam: 28' Depth: 10'6" Main Propulsion: (2) Caterpillar C-18, 660-hp Z-Drive: (2) Schottel SRP 210, built to Finnish-Swedish IC standards Marine Gear: (2) Siemens Ship’s Service Power: (2) Hyundai Thruster: Wärtsilä fixed pitch tunnel thruster Hull Construction: Steel, 3/8" bottom plate, ½" hull plating, ¾" guard plating Deck Machinery: Markey Machine DESMG-18 headline winch, Heila HLMR fully foldable deck crane Certification/Classification: ABS Ice Class CO Delivery Date: May 2023

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, adding that “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. 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. 29

SIGNIFICANT BOATS OF 2023

SPECIFICATIONS

SHACKLEFORD

Cat is designed for single-pass surveys in the offshore wind market. By Bruce Buls, Editor at Large

All American Marine

o Chris Freeman, an ocean surveyor and cofounder of Geodynamics, Newport, N.C., the boat that carries his sonars and other tools of the trade is more than just a platform to transport him and his equipment. “We consider the boat as a precision survey instrument, purpose-built for the specific survey environment and then wrapped around the ideal sensors for a specific set of missions,” he said in a statement. “This holistic approach to our vessel builds has proven successful time and again but requires a builder open to an uncompromised data-centric build.” Geodynamics (an NV5 company) took delivery of its newest — and biggest — vessel, the 73'×26.7' Shackleford from All American Marine,

Bellingham, Wash., in April. The hydrofoil-assisted aluminum catamaran was designed by Teknicraft Design in New Zealand. The semi-displacement cat is powered by a pair of Caterpillar C18 “D” ACERT, Tier 3, 2,100-rpm, 803-hp engines turning fixed-pitch propellers through ZF 665V remote-mounted gearboxes. The boat is said to comfortably and economically cruise at 20

Builder: All American Marine Designer: Teknicraft Owner: Geodynamics Length: 73' Beam: 26.7' Depth: 10'6" Main Propulsion: (2) Caterpillar C-18 D ACERT, 803 hp @ 2,100 rpm Propeller: (2) ZF 665 V Ship’s Service Power: (2) Kohler 24EKOZD, 24 kW Hull Construction: Aluminum catamaran Deck: Kongsberg multibeam echosounder, swim platforms on stern deck, moonpool Delivery Date: April 2023

knots. Survey work is often accomplished at about 8 knots. The new boat will provide Geodynamics with the capability to conduct accurate “single pass” survey operations for the growing offshore wind market on the Atlantic coast.

INNOVATIVE. UNIQUE. PROVEN. ALLAMERICANMARINE.com

Scan the QR Code to learn more about RV Shackleford, a 2023 Workboat Significant Boat Nominee

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

SPECIFICATIONS

FREEDOM

New towboat supports public power generation in Tennessee.

n June, Vessel Repair Inc., Port Arthur, Texas, delivered the steel-hulled 100'×34'×10'9" towboat Freedom to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The boat was designed by Sterling Marine, Fairhope Ala. It has a draft of 9'5" and a deadweight tonnage of 479 gt. The towboat is reportedly the first Tier 4 towboat commissioned by a government agency and joins the exclusive ranks of the few Tier 4-powered towboats that navigate the inland waterways, according to TVA officials. Main propulsion comes from two Caterpillar 3512E Tier 4 engines, each generating 1,341 hp. The Cats, supplied by Thompson CAT, Nashville, Tenn., are paired with Twin Disc MGX-5600 gears from Sewart

Tennessee Valley Authority

By Ken Hocke, Senior Editor

Supply, Morgan City, La. 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 fluid. Wheelhouse Electronics, Paradis, La., supplied the electronics suite. The steering system is from RIO Marine

ARTEMIS

49-passenger catamaran tour boat can go out deep in Hawaii. By Ken Hocke, Senior Editor

Brix Marine

rix Marine, Port Angeles, Wash., delivered the 46''×16' catamaran tour boat Artemis to Hawaiian Adventures Kona, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, in May. Artemis is Coast Guard-certified for 49 passengers with an extended range offshore route allowing the vessel to access the Kona coast’s deep waters up to 20 miles offshore. The vessel is purpose-built to enhance Hawaiian Adventures’ mission of cultivating connections between communities and marine wildlife. The new tour boat features modern lifesaving equipment, and new vessel construction standards that feature 5086 alloy aluminum hull skins, 5052 alloy aluminum interior transverse frames, longitudinal T-bars, longitudinal (internal) hull stiffeners, selfbailing aluminum decks, watertight bulkheads, and a 4' hull extension with

2' swim step extension, centerline ladders, removable railings, boarding door cleats, and hatches. Main deck seating from Genoa features Phifer Inc.’s Phifertex fabric. Main propulsion comes from twin Volvo Penta IPS D11 diesel inboards, rated at 510 hp at 2,250 rpm each. The mains connect to Volvo Penta IPS 650 outdrives with P series props. Controls are also from Volvo Penta Tankage includes twin 300-gal. fuel tanks. Artemis began operating in Hawaii in July.

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

Builder: Vessel Repair Designer: Sterling Marine Owner: Tennessee Valley Authority Length: 100' Beam: 34' Depth: 10'9" Draft: 9'5" Main Propulsion: (4) Caterpillar 3512E, 1,341 hp Propeller: (4) 58”x85”, 5-bladed Marine Gear: (4) Twin Disc MGX5600 Controls: Twin Disc EC300 single level Steering System: Rio Marine Hull Construction: Steel Tankage (gals.): Fuel, 25,500; freshwater, 20,300; potable water, 4,500; hydraulic oil, 325; diesel exhaust fluid, 2,750 Delivery Date: September 2023

Inc., Channelview, Texas, and is paired with Twin Disc EC300 single-level controls. Freedom’s first project took place in Mobile, Ala., in late July.

SPECIFICATIONS Builder: Brix Marine Designer: Brix Marine Owner: Hawaiian Adventures Kona Length: 46' Beam: 16' Draft: 3.8' Deadweight: 15 GRT Main Propulsion: (2) Volvo Penta IPS D11, 510 hp @ 2,250 rpm Outdrive: (2) Volvo Penta IPS 650 Speed: 32 mph @ 2,250 rpm (max); 26.7 mph @ 2,100 rpm (cruise) Controls/Steering System: Volvo (3 stations) Hull Construction: Aluminum Passengers/Crew: 49/2 Tankage: Fuel, 600 gals.; water, 110 gals. Tankage: (2) 300-gal. fuel tanks Certification/Classification: USCG classed, Subchapter T Delivery Date: May 2023

FREEDOM

Cat ® equipment: 2 x Tier 4 3512E; 1,341 HP each

SEAWAY TRIDENT

Cat® equipment: 2x C18, 670 HP each

SHACKLEFORD

Cat ® equipment: 2 x Tier 3 C18; 803 HP each

FIVE BOATS, FIVE HIGH FIVES. Workboat magazine’s Top 10 Significant Boats of 2023 includes five vessels with Cat® power aboard. It’s a big deal for everyone involved, and was made possible thanks to the hard work of our amazing customers and dealers. Thank you for trusting Caterpillar.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL FIVE RECOGNIZED BOATS!

R.B. WEEKS

Cat® equipment: C18 emergency generator

NEEBISH ISLANDER III Cat ® equipment: 2 x C18; 600 HP each C2.2 gen set

©️ 2023 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, LET’S DO THE WORK, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Corporate Yellow”, the “Power Edge” and Cat “Modern Hex” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

SCAN TO FIND CAT DEALERS THROUGH OUR DEALER LOCATOR TOOL.

Fireboats VESSEL REPORT

A rendering of the Moose Boats M2 that was delivered to the Alameda (Calif.) Fire Department in November.

Continued from page 20

on shore, leading up to the burning structure. The longest distance a MetalCraft Marine fireboat has pumped water to a fire is two miles.

Moose Boats

MOOSE BOATS “For its size, we think it will be one of the most powerful fireboats in the country,” said Ken Royal with Moose Boats in Vallejo, Calif. He’s talking about Moose’s M2, a 38'×13'6"×22" aluminum catamaran fireboat for the Alameda (Calif.) Fire Department that was launched in November. It’s powered with twin 480-hp Cummins turbo diesels coupled to Hamilton HJX29 waterjets. The fireboat’s most notable feature, said Royal, “is it’s a 38-footer that will get almost 5,000 gallons per minute discharge.” That’s with twin fire pumps powered off the main engines’ PTO unit. Moose Boats beefed up the M2’s firefighting system with a 2,000gpm deck gun, a 2,000-gpm monitor on the cabin top and two cockpit monitors, one port and one starboard. Additionally, the fire department can connect a 5" hose to the cabin-top monitor. The contract for the new boat came about after the Alameda Fire Department determined it needed a fireboat and went to the city and worked out a deal for a new boat. The deal was contingent on the design allowing the fire department to augment the city’s water supply in case of a fire on Alameda Island in San Francisco Bay. Alameda is also close to the Hayward Fault line, which is in the heart of the San Francisco Bay area. “The thinking was if we lose water supply in a major earthquake this vessel will be able to supply land-based units,” said Royal. That could be sooner rather than later as scientists say the Hayward fault is “a tectonic time bomb” and give it a 31.7% chance of rupturing before 2036 in a 6.7 to 7.0 magnitude earthquake or greater. Alameda’s new boat will also work as a dive-rescue boat. Thus, “there’s

plenty of room for storage for scuba tanks and equipment that goes along with sonar equipment,” said Royal. The new fireboat is powered with a 480-hp 6.7L Cummins and should make about 38 knots. “This is really our go-to-model of the three models we offer,” said Royal. With the fireboat for Alameda in the water, Moose Boats is concentrating on building a 46-footer for the Boston Fire Department’s special operations dive team. The boat should be delivered in the third or fourth quarter of 2024. It will be the first boat Moose Boats has built for Boston.

LAKE ASSAULT BOATS

Lake Assault Boats, Superior, Wis., builds 20'-60' fireboats in both landing-craft and monohull designs. Currently the most popular configurations are 26' to 28' landing craft hulls. “Quite a number we do in that size range. Probably the most popular models,” said Bob Beck, Lake Assault’s director of sales and marketing. He calls that range “the magical size from both operational and storage” standpoints because boats can be easily moved to different locations. “It allows agencies to cover multiple bodies of water. Once you get to 30 feet, that boat gets pretty stationary.” The 28-footer typically has 250- to

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

300-hp twin outboards and a 1,500gpm fire pump. Generally, there’s a single fire monitor, either deckmounted or roof-top, though some customers request a secondary monitor at the bow. It can be designed with several cabin configurations. Lake Assault Boats most significant fireboat this year was the M 24, a 32'×10.5' fireboat that went to the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District in Lake Tahoe, Nev., last summer. It’s a replacement for the fire department’s Marine 24 that was severely damaged in a winter storm, while tied to a pier on Lake Tahoe. The new M 24 is a landing craft hull with a bow door and push knees. The new fireboat has a couple of upgrades, including triple 350-hp Suzuki outboards. The previous fireboat only had a pair of 250-hp outboards. The triple diesels, with an engine joystick control system, give the M 24 a 46-mph top speed across Lake Tahoe. The cabin’s interior was upgraded “to make it more ergonomic and user friendly,” said Beck. The cabin has shock-mitigating seats for the operator and navigator, multiple multifunction displays, a Teledyne Flir camera system and there is a generator for onboard power. The replacement M 24 also comes with a trailer, which its predecessor lacked. 33

ON THE WAYS CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY AT WORKBOAT YARDS

Refurbished tug gets second christening at the WorkBoat Show

TradeWinds Towing

126' tug features double-drum waterfall winch, stern roller, and Shark Jaws with hydraulic tow pins.

ew Orleans-based TradeWinds Towing christened its refurbished 126'×36' anchor-handling tug Isabelle at December’s International WorkBoat Show. The tug was originally built in 1978 at Main Iron Works, Houma, La., and delivered to McAllister Towing, New York. The tug operated in the Persian Gulf for many years until it was purchased by TradeWinds Towing. “I bought the tug and brought it back here and stacked it. Then sent it back to Main Iron Works for the drydock work,” said Capt. Dominique Smith. “When that was done, I took it to Amelia (La.)” where the boat was outfitted at the TradeWinds’ facility there. Main propulsion comes from twin EMD 16-645-E7 diesel engines, producing a total of 5,750 hp. The EMDs connect to a pair of propellers in Kort nozzles through two Falk marine

gear boxes. “I didn’t replace the engines. I just overhauled the mains,” said Smith. The Isabelle is also fitted with a 250-hp bowthruster for added maneuverability. The tug has 81.75 tons of bollard pull. Towing equipment includes a SMATCO 66 DAW200 doubledrum waterfall winch; 2,400' of 2-1/4" tow wire and 2,000' of 2-1/4" anchorhandling wire. The tug has a 100-ton capacity with a stern roller capable of landing 15-ton anchors and a Smith Berger 200-ton Shark Jaws with hydraulic tow pins. Salvage gear consists of twin 3" diesel trash pumps, a welding machine, and two line-throwing guns. Tankage includes 135,000 gals. of diesel fuel; 3,528 gals. lube oil; 707 gals. hydraulic oil; and 24,000 gals. potable water. The tug has an FCI Aquamiser 1,200-gpd watermaker.

The electronics suite was completely reworked and includes a Rosepoint ECS and KVH satellite internet with phone and email. The Isabelle is ABS classed Maltese Cross A1 Towing and Maltese Cross AMS. — Ken Hocke

Midi-SOV designed to fill vessel gap in offshore wind

K-based naval architect Chartwell Marine Ltd. and Vard have unveiled a new ship design for the offshore wind market — the 180'×52.5'×14.8' Midi-SOV. The vessel is designed to address the gap between current crew transfer vessels (CTVs) and larger service operation vessels (SOVs). The Midi-SOV concept was developed by Chartwell Marine in response

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

ON THE WAYS This presents a challenge for architects — a lightweight aluminum craft that weighs less than 300 tons is subject to significant challenges in seakeeping and comfort. The Midi SOV design will create a more comfortable environment than

currently available CTVs. This will make the Midi better suited for longer operating times offshore, the designers said. Addressing the challenge, Randle explained why they decided to partner with Chartwell Marine to take the

Safe Boats/Vita Power

BOATBUILDING BITTS

The 223e offers the workboat and patrol boat markets a zero-emission option when long, high-speed runs are not required.

afe Boats International (SBI), Bremerton, Wash., and UKbased Vita Power have signed an agreement to build zero-emission patrol boats. The objective of the partnership is to develop a 100% electric patrol boat that is both reliable and practical, Safe Boats said. Together, the companies have adapted one of

Robert Alla Ltd.

to the demand for larger CTVs servicing bigger turbine installations farther from shore. The vessel is designed to be Jones Act compliant and ready for construction in U.S. shipyards. The SOV is set to debut in U.S. and European markets in 2024. Karl Randle, principal naval architect at Vard, spoke to the unanswered questions that began the partnership. “How could we find a vessel that’s in the middle, that hits the perfect price point but also gives the technicians a more comfortable, habitable place to work, rest, and then do safe operation so they can be more efficient without needing to do transits every day?” asked Karl Randle, principal naval architect at Vard. With onboard comfort in mind, the design features a low waterplane area above the waterline to minimize roll motion. Walk-to-work capabilities, previously challenging for smaller SOV hull forms, have also been expanded. The vessel includes 36 single cabins for offshore wind personnel and 20 cabins for the ship’s crew, along with facilities like a gym, auditorium, meeting rooms, and day rooms. Andy Page, director at Chartwell Marine, highlighted the high costs associated with U.S. offshore wind projects, especially in deep-ocean areas on both coasts. “We don’t have the luxury that we have in Europe of having lots of vessel availability,” he said. “So, we’re going to have to use possibly fewer vessels to do more work. That’s really where the SOV is important, but perhaps the market can’t afford the full scale, and that’s where the Midi finds a perfect place in the market.” Page discussed the challenges of typical CTV 12-hour passages, noting the time-consuming impact of speed restrictions due to right whale migratory patterns. Through their work with offshore wind developers, Page mentioned developer’s requests for vessels that offer onboard accommodations for extended offshore stays beyond the capabilities of traditional CTVs.

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

The Saildrone Surveyor design completed a 2,250-mile maiden voyage from San Francisco to Hawaii in 2021.

Safe’s most proven hull designs — the 23’ center console — to be propelled by Vita Power’s V300 electric motor and battery package. Dubbed the “223e”, the design provides a zero-emission solution for operators who work long hours at lower speeds. The 223e off ers the workboat and patrol boat markets a zero-emission option when long, highspeed runs are not required. The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) approval in principle for Saildrone uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) is a first step toward creating a new class of vessel distinctly apart from — while sharing some of the same missions – traditional workboat classes. Robotic sea vehicles started as the province of creative oceanographers and engineers, who are always up against the daunting cost of doing science at sea on ships and looking to use new digital technology. Eastern Shipbuilding Group christened and launched the 95' Argus,

ON THE WAYS

The Midi-SOV is Jones Act compliant, ready to be built in U.S. shipyards, and is set to debut in U.S. and European markets in 2024.

Vard

Eastern Shipbuilding Group

BOATBUILDING BITTS

Launch of the Coast Guard’s first Heritage-class OPC.

the Coast Guard’s first Heritage-class off shore patrol cutter (OPC). The ceremony was held at Eastern in Panama City, Fla. The OPC is designed to conduct an array of missions including law enforcement, drug and migrant interdiction, search and rescue, disaster relief, and other homeland security and defense operations in support of U.S. maritime security and border protection. The OPC design includes the capability of carrying an MH-60R or MH-65 helicopter and three operational over-the-horizon small boats. Seaside LNG and Polaris New Energy christened the 340'x66' LNG bunker barge Clean Everglades at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding (FBS), Sturgeon Bay, Wis., in October. The 5,500-cu.-meter ABS Oceans-classed ATB is fitted with four 1,375 CBM IMO Type C tanks. It will utilize a cargo handling system designed and developed by Wärtsilä. The vessel is the sistership to the 5,500-cu.-meter LNG barge Clean Canaveral, which was delivered by FBS two years ago and has made more than 65 LNG bunker deliveries. The Clean Everglades is similar in design and appearance to the Clean Canaveral.

concept to production design. The Midi-SOV is significantly larger than a CTV, but half the mass of a SOV. “You can fill that gap and get the operability almost of a fully blown SOV,” he said. “You can have containers on the deck. You’ve got a small crane. You’ve got all the key components of an SOV in a slightly smaller form. And there’s no other platform ready to do that today.” Energy efficiency is a focal point, with the design adaptable to methanoldiesel dual-fuel engines, electric propulsion, and an energy storage system. “In terms of volume consideration, we’ve been thinking about methanol tanks and the amount of space that takes up compared to diesel tanks,” said Page. “The message is that we haven’t just designed a diesel boat. We thought very carefully about what future fuels we might need” keeping space and technology in mind. Capacities for the vessel include 50,200 gals. of fuel oil and 211,300 gals. potable water. The Midi-SOV has an expected maximum speed of 12 knots, while service speed will be 10 knots. — Ben Hayden

Gulf Craft building 300-passenger ferry for Virgin Islands

ncat Crowther has partnered with Gulf Craft LLC, Franklin, La., to design and build a new Sub-

chapter K 104'3"×28'×9'10" aluminum passenger ferry for the U.S Virgin Islands. Construction of the new ferry began in November. The passenger vessel will service the busy tourist and commuter route between Red Hook on the island of St. Thomas, and Cruz Bay on the island of St. John. Currently, two other Incat Crowther-designed 89.6' vessels service this route. The new ferry will be built with accessibility and an elevated customer experience in mind. It will be capable of transporting up to 300 passengers at speeds of up to 28 knots. The vessel will also be fitted with the latest EPA Tier 4 diesel engine emission control technologies. The air-conditioned main cabin provides seating for up to 202 passengers, including five dedicated wheelchair accessible spaces. Two ADA-compliant bathrooms and a fully enclosed luggage room are also provided on the main deck level, along with integrated side boarding ramps for a safe and efficient boarding experience. The vessel’s upper deck will transport up to 100 passengers in outdoor seating, while the vessel’s wheelhouse provides the captain with an excellent line of sight and 360° visibility. Wing helm stations are also provided for the captain to ensure safe docking of the vessel. The commissioning of the new ferry

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

adds to Incat Crowther’s growing footprint in the Caribbean. “Incat Crowther has a proven track record of designing and delivering tailored passenger ferries for operators throughout the Caribbean,” Incat Crowther USA managing director Grant Pecoraro said in a statement. “Our team of naval architects understand that no two routes are the same. Our digital shipbuilding process enables us to carefully focus on specific operational requirements to ensure our designs are tailored specifically for local conditions, existing dockside infrastructure, and with the operator and its customers in mind.” Main propulsion will come from twin Caterpillar C32 ACERT diesel engines, producing 1,199 hp each. The mains will connect to two fixed pitch props. “It is evident that the two existing Incat Crowther ferries which have been

Incat Crowther

ON THE WAYS

The new ferry is being built with accessibility and an elevated customer experience in mind.

successfully servicing this route for over a decade provided confidence to the U.S Virgin Island government to again select an Incat Crowther vessel to service the local community in the future,” said Pecoraro.

Ship’s service power will come from two 65 kW-generators. Tankage will include 2,000 gals. fuel, 500 gals. fresh water, and 400 gals. urea for Tier 4 compliancy. — K. Hocke

April 22-25, 2024 New Orleans The offshore wind energy market is rapidly expanding. Now is the time for the commercial vessel industry to get connected to the supply chain and take advantage of the growth. There is no better place to get plugged in than at the 2024 International Partnering Forum (IPF). The largest offshore wind energy conference in the Americas connects global leaders and businesses, creating partnerships that move the industry forward.

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

COVER STORY

Jam-Packed News from the 43rd International WorkBoat Show.

Doug Stewart photos

he 43rd edition of the International WorkBoat Show wrapped up Dec. 1 in New Orleans, marking the close of one of the most successful WorkBoat shows ever, according to event officials. “We couldn’t be more thrilled about the outcome of this year’s show,” said Bob Callahan, group vice president and publisher of WorkBoat magazine and WorkBoat.com. “With a sold-out show floor, a large increase in attendance, a packed conference program, and an energy level in the aisles we haven’t seen in years, the WorkBoat Show has truly exceeded all expectations.” At the close of the show, 95% of the 2023 exhibitors had already renewed for 2024’s WorkBoat Show. Next year’s show will be held in New Orleans Nov. 12-14. On the first day of the show, the 2023 Boat of the Year, the 103'4"×45'6"×15'7" Rotortugs Signet Sirius and Signet Capella, was recognized and received

The 2023 International WorkBoat Show was one of the most successful WorkBoat shows ever, according to event officials, with a sold-out show floor and a double-digit increase in attendance.

awards. Once again, WorkBoat Conference Program sessions attracted standingroom only crowds. Packed sessions included “The Design and Construction of the First Electric Tug” and “Maritime Innovations: Evolution in Vessel Design.” On the last day of the show, “Government Maritime Acquisition Day”, which featured sessions led by the Army, Navy, and Coast Guard, also attracted large crowds. Also adding to the increased numbers was Underwater Intervention (UI). After a three-year hiatus, UI co-located with the WorkBoat Show and attracted

a global audience. This year’s show featured close to 1,000 exhibitors that showcased thousands of products and services to over 13,000 attendees. — David Krapf

*** Financial setbacks for offshore wind developers may force retrenchment for some U.S. East Coast projects. But the industry still has a promising future there and in the Gulf of Mexico, where the market for wind power will lie with the region’s heavy industry, according to offshore operators. Wind company Ørsted’s sudden

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

COVER STORY retreat from its Ocean Wind projects off New Jersey is the clearest sign of industry distress amid mounting costs, with attempts by Ørsted and others to get new power purchase agreements and tax credits. But the Ocean Wind project could be revived in a still-viable U.S. industry with a 25- to 30-year buildout, suggested Carl Annessa, executive vice president of Hornbeck Offshore Services Inc. “We’ll just have to endure that long cycle,” just as in the Gulf offshore oil and gas industry, Annessa said during a panel discussion at the show. The session “Energizing Potential Through Addition, not Transition,” focused on how wind power development will fit in with the Gulf’s legacy industry at Port Fourchon, La., and other hydrocarbon hubs. “I expect the solution for offshore wind in the Gulf of Mexico will have to be something other than municipal power” as is planned for energy aimed at East Coast population centers, said Annessa. There will be demand from the Gulf region’s energy-hungry industries and a developing market for hydrogen, said Joseph Orgeron, a Louisiana state legislator whose offshore experience with oil and gas helped build the Block Island Wind Farm, a 30-megawatt pilot project in state waters off Rhode Island in 2016. His startup 2nd Wind Marine has designed a “superfeeder” barge to supply offshore wind companies with a Jones Act-compliant installation solution. Orgeron sees the Ørsted pullback as part of a “respiratory break” after the prolonged breakneck effort by developers, Northeast state governments and the Biden administration to press forward on development. In the Gulf of Mexico, some Texas state officials have been less than enthusiastic about offshore wind. That has given developers some pause and probably contributed to the lackluster response to the Bureau of Offshore Energy Management’s first lease offerings, said Orgeron.

(Speakers, seated, left to right) Carl Annessa, Hornbeck Offshore Services; Joseph Orgeron, 2nd Wind Marine; and Davie Breaux, Greater Lafourche Port Commission.

Onshore renewable energy developers also face political challenges in Texas, part of perennial battles over energy market share. But talk of a “energy transition” obscures the potential additional uses for existing energy infrastructure for both hydrocarbons and wind, said Orgeron. Gulf offshore operators are now at work off the East Coast on the Vineyard Wind and South Fork Wind projects, using the so-called feeder barge model that uses Jones Act-compliant U.S. barges and tugs to bring turbine components to the work sites. Initially viewed with skepticism by Jones Act critics, the system is working. Annessa said there’s also a warming among European-based wind companies toward using more converted offshore service vessels (OSV) instead of their longstanding preferences for newbuild vessels. Initially, “the mentality was ‘we want the newest and we want the best,’” in an industry that was used to working with advanced vessels at relatively low charter rates in Europe, said Annessa. Faced with big costs in the U.S., “the wind industry was not prepared for that, frankly.” By doing OSV conversions, “we felt we could meet 90% of those requirements,” he said. “I attribute that just to good old American ingenuity,” he added. “That’s been the history of the

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

Gulf of Mexico, and it’s being brought to bear in the Northeast.” Asked what 2024 will bring, Orgeron and Annessa agreed the industry pace will likely slow down for the year. “I think the industry at least from the perspective of the U.S., is going to take a year off,” said Annessa. — Kirk Moore

*** At this year’s WorkBoat Show, the design and construction of the first U.S. electric tug was discussed. Crowley Maritime Corp.’s innovative 82’ eWolf tug, the first zero-emissions tug in the U.S., is designed to operate without using any fossil fuels, a significant step in the race to reduce carbon emissions. While conventional tugs use more than 30,000 gals. of diesel fuel annually, the eWolf will operate on 6-MWh of battery power with zero emissions. It is scheduled to be operational by the beginning of 2024. The eWolf was built by Master Boat Builders, Coden, Ala., with design and on-site construction management by Crowley Engineering Services. The eWolf will operate at the Port of San Diego. San Diego was sought as an ideal port for zero emissions vessel short-term operations and can provide a centrally located dock for charging. The vessel will eliminate 178 tons of nitro39

COVER STORY gen oxide, 2.5 tons of diesel particulate matter, and 3,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide over the first 10 years of use. Keegan Plaskon, director of business development at the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), said the “eWolf complies with U.S. shipping industry standards and will be the first Jones Act-compliant all-electric tug.” Crowley said the zero-emissions capabilities and autonomous technology will benefit the environment and increase the safety of mariners on board. However, there are drawbacks. The battery-driven electric motors cannot be retrofitted and placed in existing tugs, while alternative fuel engines can be retrofitted. Garret Rice, president of Master Boat Builders Inc., shared, “It’s costly to retrofit an already existing vessel fully. Federal and state grants can help fund new fully electric vessels.” Edward Schwarz of ABB added, “It’s important to work with people and companies who understand the end goal. You have come to terms with the time a project like this will take upfront, from regulations to layout complications.” — Carli Stewart

*** In the opening conference session at the WorkBoat Show on marine electrification, moderated by Baskar Vairamohan, electrification program manager at EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute), Marcelino Alvarez, CEO of Photon Marine, discussed what he’s seeing in the electric outboard arena. “The future of maritime electrification starts with workboats. When we talk about commercial, we’re looking at applications in tourism, transportation, mariculture, and ports and utilities,” he said. Alvarez provided a utility customer example. Using Photon’s P300 electric outboard to travel 29.2 miles, he said, the motor would use a 62.6-kWh battery pack. At 34 cents a mile, the total cost of that transit would amount to $10.02. “For comparison, you might spend four40

(Left to right) Ron Wille, president and COO, All American Marine; Joey D’Isernia, chairman and CEO, Eastern Shipbuilding Group; and Garrett Rice, president, Master Boat Builders.

to-five-times that amount using a gas engine,” Alvarez said. Over the engine’s lifecycle, the break-even point between the cost of an electric vs. the cost of a gas outboard is two-and-a-half years, though that varies based on use cases. “We’ve seen instances where the payback period is closer to 14 months, and some cases where it’s closer to five years,” Alvarez said. The key drivers for the shift to electric include efficiency, emission regulations, sustainability goals, ease of maintenance, and grant funding. Major challenges include cost, technology, supply chain limitations, and regulations. Randy Fenton, marine infrastructure manager at New York Power Authority Canals (NYPAC), provided a different outlook on electrifying the waterways. “We’re just testing the waters on the electric side of the industry. It’s a difficult one to enter. Our goal at the power authority, as mandated by our state for our light-duty vehicles, is that by 2025 we need to be 50% electric.” — Benjamin Hayden

*** Workforce development has been a tough problem to solve, with shipyards facing labor challenges that seemingly have no end.

“It starts by creating a culture where people want to stay,” Garrett Rice, president, Master Boat Builders, Coden, Ala., said during a WorkBoat Show conference session “Shipyard Realities.” “Everyone has a different idea what workforce development is. If you are looking just six months or a year out, you’re going to get run over.” Ron Wille, president and COO, All American Marine, Bellingham, Wash., said it is necessary to create a culture where younger workers can be comfortable. Current generations don’t have the skills that generations before them had as far as the trades are concerned. “You have to take that into consideration,” said Wille. “You want to make your facility a great place to work. Give them a clear path to where they are going and how to advance to get there.” The third member of the panel, Joey D’Isernia, chairmen and CEO, Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Panama City, Fla., agreed that making workers feel as though they have a stake in the success of the shipyard is important. “We place a lot of emphasis on career growth. We also provide them a safe means of communication if there’s a problem.” D’Isernia said there is a lack of emphasis on all industrial trades, not just shipbuilding, and it’s having a negative effect on the culture of the young. “Our country needs to do a better job of putting trades in front of them,” he said.

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

COVER STORY “We’ve got to be in a constant state of training to our standards,” said All American’s Wille. — Ken Hocke

*** Low water is but one problem facing companies that operate on the U.S. inland waterways system. In the session “Inland Waterways Infrastructure Update” at the show, panel members discussed a range of topics including water levels, navigation, locks and dams, supply chain, funding, and workforce development. In November 2021, Congress passed the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. As part of the legislation, $17 billion has been earmarked for inland waterways aging infrastructure, coastal ports, and land ports of entry. While the money is available, many projects have yet to start for several reasons. One major reason is a lack of workers. There just aren’t enough people to do the job. “There are workforce issues,” said Tracy Zea, president and CEO Waterways Council Inc. (WCI). “But instead of starting new projects, I’d rather see us finishing current projects.” “It’s a challenge,” agreed Mark Wright, a vice president with the American Waterways Operators. “We’ve been going out to college job fairs

in addition to the five state licensing academies”, Maine Maritime Academy, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Cal Maritime, SUNY Maritime, and Texas A&M University at Galveston. — K. Hocke

*** The Military Sealift Command (MSC) is a two-star Navy command and the largest employer of merchant mariners in the U.S. MSC controls the replenishment and military transport of Navy ships. The MSC is responsible for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all U.S. military services as well as for other government agencies. MSC depends on the maritime industry to supply its needs as far as boats and ships, mariners and equipment are concerned. The agency spent $1.2 billion in fiscal 2023 on small businesses. “And I would say there’s more opportunity for small businesses in subcontracting,” Leah Baker, director, MSC, Office of Small Business Programs, told a WorkBoat Show audience during the conference session “U.S. Navy: Military Sealift Command — Ship Inventory Overview, Shipyard Repair Needs, Challenges & Opportunities.” “My number one piece of advice would be to do your homework” before applying for MSC contracts, Baker said.

Leah Baker, director, Military Sealift Command,Office of Small Business Programs

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

Marcin Krauze, MSC contract specialist, said that following each contract’s completion, MSC sits down with officials from the shipyard that did the work and does a hotwash. “We talk about what was good, what was bad, and they tell us what worked for them and what didn’t.” He said the entire process is a team effort. “You are the industry and definitely have more knowledge,” he said. “We value the insight you give us. We need you guys, and you need us.” — K. Hocke

*** Seeking to be responsible for their environments and communities, shipyards are joining other businesses in promising to “go green” and be “sustainable.” But at the Port of Corpus Christi, Texas, “we stopped using those words,” said Sarah Garza, the port’s director of environmental planning and compliance. “It’s just being transparent and saying, ‘this is what we’re going to do.’” At Corpus Christi, that covers topics of air and water quality, sediment, and climate. “We listed specific targets with each one of those,” Garza said in a panel discussion at the WorkBoat Show. At Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Wisconsin, bringing up environmental quality and reducing costs starts at the bottom with everyday industrial housekeeping. “You’re probably already doing a lot of this stuff,” said Thomas Carow, environmental health and safety director at Fincantieri. Early in the company’s program, the discoveries started with energy management costs, and reducing daily water consumption by 500,000 gals., Carow recalled. “It was very low cost.” Checking for volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions led to finding leaks in compressor systems, and energy monitoring to resetting thermostats for night hours. “If you talk to your folks, you can find a lot of low-cost, no-cost things you can do,” said Carow. The speakers stressed it’s important for businesses to make sure their employees and neighbors know about those efforts. — K. Moore 41

IN BUSINESS Platypus Marine

Full Service By Benjamin Hayden, WorkBoat Staff

efore the Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle opened in November, WorkBoat visited with boatbuilder Platypus Marine Inc. in nearby Port Angeles, Wash. Christopher Feffer, the shipyard’s president, provided a briefing on the company’s projects and business, and an overview of the Pacific Northwest boatbuilding market. The yard’s business “is about a third commercial fishing, with some various tugs, a third in yachts, and about a third in government,” Feffer said. Platypus Marine is in the forefront of project management. Touring the main office, plasma TVs lined entire walls, showcasing diverse projects across the company’s 10-acre waterfront yard. The shipyard is currently busy erecting a 140'×110'×531 building for new construction. For a preview of what will likely be built in the new fabrication facility, look at Damen Shipyard Group’s newbuild portfolio. Platypus signed a partnership deal with Damen at the 2022 International WorkBoat Show. The two companies will build a new

87.9' (26.8 meters) aluminum Jones Act fast crew supply vessel (FCS). Platypus said it will begin building a Damen FCS 2710 hybrid upon completion of its new construction building in Port Angeles. The new facility is scheduled to be completed in early 2024 and the new FCS is scheduled to be delivered in the first quarter of 2025. The new construction building will be able to hold up to four 111.5' (34 meters) vessels at once in various stages of construction. “If that building gets completely filled with wind boats and CTVs, it will be set up specifically for aluminum builds,” Feffer said. Through local construction and partnering with yards such as Platypus “we have delivered over 200 vessels for the U.S. market,” Alan Borde, Damen’s U.S. area manager, said in a statement announcing the agreement last year. The FCS 2710 will have a maximum speed of 25 knots, a deck area of 969 sq. ft., and a capacity of 10 crew and 24 personnel. The boat’s total power will be up to 2,939 hp (2,162 kW). The FCS 2710 will fill a gap not only the offshore wind market but also in oil, mining, and

Doug Stewart photos

WorkBoat tours Washington’s Platypus Marine shipyard.

Chris Feffer, president of Platypus Marine.

remote construction on the West Coast, Platypus Marine said. Platypus Marine’s five buildings, totaling over 110,000 sq. ft., make it one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest indoor full-service shipyards, specializing in marine refit, repair, and new construction. The buildings all have radiant floor heating. OTHER BOATS At the dock when WorkBoat visited was the 600'×105' tanker Torm Timothy. Platypus Marine is in the process of reflagging the vessel from Norwe-

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

Platypus Marine gian to U.S. before the tanker is added to the Maritime Administration’s new Tanker Security Program (TSP). In May, Marad signed an operating agreement with Crowley-Stena Marine Solutions LLC for three tank vessels. TSP is establishing a fleet of active, commercially viable, militarily useful, privately owned U.S.-flag product tank vessels that will meet national defense and other security requirements and maintain a U.S. presence in international commercial shipping. Another standout vessel at the yard was the 104'×30' Puget, the debris recovery vessel for the Corps Seattle District. In its prime, the boat was a World War II seaplane recovery vessel stationed out of Hawaii. The Puget was built in 1944. Over the years Platypus Marine has redone the boat’s tunnels, insulation, electronics, soundproofing, new lights, paints and coatings, and new generators. The vessel is one of five debris recovery vessels in the U.S. It handles wreck and obstruction removal, snagging and clearing for navigation, and drift and debris removal. “It’s us, San Francisco, New York, Norfolk, and Baltimore/Washington D.C. We get about 1,000 tons of woody debris and other boats and dock sections a year,” said Brad Schultz, chief of the Waterway Maintenance Unit for the Army Corp of Engineers Seattle District. “Just about 80 to 90 percent of it we’re able to recycle. Some of it goes to restoration projects around Puget Sound, some DOT projects, and the Port of Seattle takes a lot of our good root balls which are good for doing the restoration. Some of it goes down to Tacoma. There’s a hog fuel facility that makes pelletized fuel out of the woody debris that we have too.” Additionally, every year, salvageable debris gets donated to the regional Sea Scouts program. The program is run by a Platypus Marine employee. The donations get cleaned up by the Sea Scouts, resold, and the money helps upkeep the maintenance of a 44' cutter and 36' sloop for the local program.

The tanker Torm Timothy is in the process of being reflagged.

The Navy yard tugboat (YTB) Washtucna was at the shipyard during the visit.

The 104'x30' debris recovery vessel Puget works for the Corps of Engineers Seattle District.

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

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www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

PORT OF CALL Offshore Positions Wanted Experienced Riggers, Painters, Cooks & Galleyhands for Offshore.

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www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

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attention engine room personell! QMED-Oilers & UL Assistant Engineers Earn some extra cash and learn about the dredging industry! Join Weeks Marine, Inc. on our hopper dredges and receive a

$3K SIGN-ON BONUS!

We are an industry leader offering competitive daily rates, a generous benefits package, along with stability, room for growth culture. h and a family-first f

EEO/M/F/D/V EEO/M Please visit the Careers link located on our home page to submit your resume.

www.weeksmarine.com

Promote your job listing in the upcoming WorkBoat issue! Contact: Wendy Jalbert wjalbert@divcom.com WM RESOURCES STAFFING L.L.C.

Seeking Offshore Positions Experienced Riggers, Painters, Cooks & Galleyhands for Offshore. Must have T.W.I.C. Miniumum 2 years offshore experience. Must pass drug test. Email Resumes to:

wmresource206@yahoo.com 46

Cooks & Galleyhands For Offshore in U.S. Gulf of Mexico TWIC Required

(985)-851-0727

5450 West Maine St., Houma LA 70360

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

PORT OF CALL SE EK IN G QUA LI FIE D & E X PE RI ENC ED PER SO NNE L to work on our subsea construction fleet.

AVAILABLE POSITIONS

Seeking to Expand its Sale & Purchase Brokerage Team We are looking for motivated individuals with at least 2 to 3 years of experience in the shipping industry. Ideal candidates will have either experience in Sale and Purchase, Chartering or Vessel Operations. Applicants should review our company background at www.pierotshipping.com before submitting their resumes to hr@pierotshipping.com

 Master  Senior Chief Officer  Chief Officer  Second Officer  Chief Engineer  Second Engineer  Third Engineer  Fourth Engineer  Electro-Technical Officer  Electrician  Instrument Technician  Bosun  Able Seafarer  Able Seafarer (Engine)  Welder

 Offshore Const Supervisor  Offshore Operations Engineer  Deck Supervisor  Rigging Supervisor  Assistant Rigging Supervisor  Rigger (incl Lead rigger)  Rigger Welder  ROV Superintendent  ROV Senior Supervisor  ROV Supervisor  ROV Senior Pilot Technician  ROV Pilot Technician  HSE Advisor  Medic Administrator  Offshore Administrator

Send resumes to:

Our main office is located in New York, with remote operations in the USEC Mid-Atlantic and Miami

Accepting applications

 Crane Operator  Crane Technician  Materials Coordinator  Chief Pipelay Engineer  Fitter  Technician Supervisor  Hydraulic Technician  PLC Technician  Electrical Technician  Mechanical Technician  Pipelay Operator  Deck Mechanic  Deck Coordinator  Offshore Const Manager  SR Offshore Const Supervisor

offshorevesseljobs@technipfmc.com

EMPLOYMENT SPECIAL These packages include print, online and digital newsletters. We have over 27,000 qualified digital subscribers.

Call or email Wendy today! 207-842-5616 wjalbert@divcom.com

Captains, Engineers & ABs

1 MONTH

1 - 3" Print Ad in 1 issue 1 - Month on WorkBoat.com 4 - Job Watch E-news Posts

ONLY $395 2 MONTHS

2 - 3" Print Ad in 2 issues 2 - Months on WorkBoat.com 8 - Job Watch E-news Posts

ONLY $695

Email your resume and credentials to:

jobs@tradewindtowing.com www.tradewindstowing.com (No phone calls please)

Captains, Mates, and ABs

HIGH-EFFICIENCY & RELIABLE MARINE SOLUTIONS

J.E. McAmis is hiring for dredging and marine construction projects in the Pacific Northwest. If interested please email resumes to

scott@jemcamis.com and copy to Captain Doug at

acecrabber@yahoo.com

Engine Room Pumps

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

www.desmi.com  (757) 857 7041

Ballast Water Treatment Systems

PORT OF CALL Employment, Equipment & Services

In-Mar Solutions offers Wynn Marine Heavy Duty Straight-Line Wipers Wynn Type C (internal Motor) and Type D (external motor)

THE MOST POWERFUL TOOL

for removing coatings and rust

Straight-Line Wipers offer the most advanced design in linear action window wiper systems for marine and other specialized applications. Optimum window coverage can be achieved and enhanced by utilizing a twinbladed or dual-arm/blade design.

www.inmarsolutions.com 

info@inmarsolutions.com

(225) 644-7063

Rustibus® is designed to de-scale and power brush ship decks, hatch covers, tank tops, etc. free from paint and rust! USA OFFICE Ph: 832-203-7170 houston@rustibus.com

Coast Guard & State Pilotage License Insurance License Defense & Wage Loss Group Coverage Available

Agent - MOPS Merchant Officers Protective Syndicate

Keel Coolers

Trouble free marine engine cooling since 1927!

R.J. Mellusi & Co.

(212) 962-1590 - FAX (212) 385-0920

29 Broadway, Suite 2400, New York, NY 10006

THE WALTER MACHINE CO, INC Tel: 201-656-5654 - Fax: 201-656-0318

www.waltergear.com

POWERING THE FLEET FOR 60 YEARS! BOLLARD GENSETS OFFER LOW COST OF OWNERSHIP, AND LOWER OPERATING TEMPS AND FUEL CONSUMPTION THANKS TO THE INCREASED USE OF COPPER. CUSTOM SPECS AVAILABLE. DESIGNED AND BUILT BY MER EQUIPMENT.

(206) 286-1817 www.merequipment.com 48

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

PORT OF CALL

Marine Mattresses Bunks and Curtains Fire Retardent Meets IMO & USCG Requirements

WWW.CAPITALBED.COM

800-579-3065

◼

SALES@CAPITALBED.COM

36-inch Diameter Modular Plastic Pontoons The Best Idea Since the Indian Canoe

Uses: Pontoon boats, house boats,

workboats—replace old steel or aluminum pontoons Heavy Duty: Molded from sturdy, medium density polyethylene (MDPF) and filled with polyurethane foam for increased stability Modular: Each bow, middle and stern modules are 10 ft. in length

Displacement at full submersion:

Bow module supports gross weight of 3,100 lbs. and middle/stern each supports 4,200 lbs.

10207 Napier Drive Rosharon, TX 77583 Phone: 419-675-0002 info@wilsonpontoons.com

Toll Free: 877-456-2531

www.plasticpontoon.com SMITH BROTHERS, Inc.

TUGS/BARGES FOR RENT

Barges sized from 8’ x 18’ to 45’ to 120’. Also “Shugart sectional barges. “Truckable Tugs” here.

www.smithbarge.com Galesville, MD 20765 - (410) 867-1818 Keith Aschenbach keitha@mcleancontracting.com

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

PORT OF CALL Employment, Equipment & Services SIMPLE. RUGGED. RELIABLE. KIENE Cylinder Pressure Indicators for measuring diesel engine firing pressures...

MARINE MACHINING & MANUFACTURING Your One-Stop Shop for Your Marine Drive Needs Sales and Service

Sales and Service

• A17, A19, A22 and A22HS • Propeller Shafting Bar Stock lengths up to 36’ • C.N.C. Machined Propeller Shafting • Precision Propeller Shaft straightening & repair

• Custom Machined Shaft Couplings up to 30” diameter • Michigan Wheel Propellers • Propeller Repair

W O R L D L E A D E R I N B O AT S H A F T I N G World's Largest Stocking Distributor of AQUAMET

33475 Giftos Dr., Clinton Township, MI 48035 ◼ PH. 586-791-8800

• Easy to use—simple and reliable. • Reduce maintenance costs. • Improve engine availability. • Use to balance cylinders. • Pinpoint engine problems. • Optimize fuel consumption. • Fits any standard indicator valve. • Recommended and used by

www.marinemachining.com - www.aquamet.com

major engine builders.

• Minimal investment to monitor

engine condition..

Call or e-mail for info! 1-800-264-5950 info@kienediesel.com www.kienediesel.com

Become a Certified and Accredited Marine Surveyor

Fishing Vessel Qualified. Complete course and examination for all vessel types and uses. 1-800-245-4425 or navsurvey.com

WANTED - 180' Offshore Supply Vessel BUYER IS ACTIVELY SEEKING 1970S-1980S U.S. FLAGGED / BUILT OFFSHORE SUPPLY VESSEL 4 Bedrooms

2 Living Rooms Current certificates / COI not required. Laundry Room Preferred dimensions are 180' 200' LOA, 2 Kitchen beam 38' or greater. Laid up vessels will be Guest Room 3 Bath Rooms considered based on current condition.

Moss Point, MS | marty.daniels@oceanfleetservices.com | 228-281-2866

We are a Custom Manufacturer Now of Wheelhouse Tinted Shades & Manufacturing and Installing Crew Quarter Blackout Shades Fire Retardant We custom build every shade to fit each window in our facility.

They are Incredibly durable, driven by oversized clutches and operated by a stainless steel pull chain. We offer measurement and installation services in Southern Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. We carry $5,000,000 workers’ compensation, and liability insurance policies with U.S.L.&H. and the Jones Act.

Bunk Curtains

Download our order form to Contact: Edward Kass III purchase 504-615-5833 your shades ekass@solarboatshades.com today! www.solarboatshades.com

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

PORT OF CALL

ADVERTISERS INDEX Ahead Sanitation Systems Inc . . . 17 Airmar Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 All American Marine . . . . . . . . . . . 30 BAE Systems Ship Repair . . . . . . . . .7 Bloom Incorporated. . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Browns Point Marine Service, LLC11 Caterpillar Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Coast Guard Foundation . . . . . . . . . .4 David Clark Company Inc . . . . . . . 25 Furuno USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CV3 Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding . . . 11 Hougen Mfg., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 International WorkBoat Show . . . 13 Karl Senner, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . CV4 McDermott Light & Signal . . . . . . 15 Nautical Design & Consulting . . . 26 Oceantic - IPF 2024 . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Omni Powertrain Technologies. . . .3 RIBCRAFT USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Robert Allan Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 R W Fernstrum & Company . . . . . . .6 Seacraft Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Shell USA/Panolin America Inc . CV2 Subsalve USA Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Wabtec Corporation. . . . . . . . . . . . 27

www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

LOOKS BACK JANUARY 1964

• The Coast Guard buoy tender Buckthord went down the ways at Mobile Ship Repair Yard, Mobile, Ala., in December, without ceremony and without its superstructure. It was the third vessel constructed and launched in the six months since the reactivation of the company’s Blakeley Island operations in March 1963. The 100' tender, is powered by twin Caterpillar diesels

with a total of 660 hp. Final outfitting will take place some time in February. • St. Louis Shipbuilding-Federal Barge Inc. recently completed the delivery of six 195'×35'×11' hopper barges equipped with rolling covers to Peavey Finance Co., Minneapolis, and is building two 240'×50'×12' singleskin liquid barges for Southern Towing Co., Caruthersville, Mo. The two

barges are the 14th and 15th barges of this type that the shipyard has built for Southern.

JANUARY 1974

• An expanded program to regulate development along the nation’s coastlines, navigable inland waters, tidal waters and wetlands has been announced by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Col. Don S. McCoy, Galveston district engineer, said the changes in the permit program reflect new Corps policies and procedures in keeping with the recent legislation to protect the public’s interest in navigable waters and wetlands. • Robert J. Blackwell, the assistant secretary of commerce for maritime

affairs, recently said shipbuilding costs in U.S. yards have been reduced by 13% as a result of improved productivity. He said the shipbuilding provisions of the Merchant Marine Act of 1970 have resulted in the greatest peacetime building program in history, with $2.4 billion in contracts placed in U.S. shipyards since 1970. That figure, over a three-year period, is one-half of the total for the last 15 years.

JANUARY 1984 • Is there really a vessel glut in the Gulf of Mexico? While on the surface the question may seem ridiculous, a closer examination shows that many of the so-called displaced vessels simply would not be put to work if a new oil boom were to begin tomorrow. The reason? According to industry experts, many of the unchartered boats are simply too small, underpowered, fuel inefficient, and too old. 52

• The U.S. Maritime Administration’s Office of Research and Development recently awarded three contracts as part of its Cooperative Industry Research Program. One grant went to the ITT Research Institute to identify those fleet management projects which would most improve the profitability and productivity of barge companies. A second grant was awarded to Ingram Barge Co. www.workboat.com • JANUARY 2024 • WorkBoat

Pure Radar

When You’re Serious

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10.4” & 12.1” Color LCD Radar Displays

Safely navigate high-traffic areas with complete confidence. Display target speed and course in seconds with Fast Target Tracking™

New Risk Visualizer™ identifies potential collision areas

Choose Solid-State or magnetron configurations

Get the whole story at FurunoUSA.com

Target Analyzer™ alerts you to potentially hazardous targets

Overlay Radar targets on charts with FR12

KarlSenner-Workboat-REINTJES-DecAd-PRESS.pdf

PROPELLING EXCELLENCE Karl Senner, LLC provides the maritime community with the highest quality marine propulsion equipment. Premium products backed by superior support allow Karl Senner’s customers to optimize vessel performance, safety and reliability. C

KARLSENNER.COM | 504-469-4000 MY

SERVICES New Orleans, LA Channelview, TX Paducah, KY Seattle, WA

SALES CY New Orleans, LA CMY Seattle, WA Boston, MA K Montreal, QC

REINTJES Hybrid Gearbox with PTI, Boost, and PTO capability.

Full Electrical Integration also

available from Karl Senner, LLC.

10/11/1