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FEATURES
14 Vessel Report: Shallow Access
Landing craft builders innovate versatile hulls that go where others can't.
26 Cover Story: Top 10 News Stories
The top 10 workboat industry stories of 2025.
84 Focus: Deep Thinking
Underwater habitats support diver missions.
88 IWBS Listings
WorkBoat Show preview and exhibitors list.
BOATS & GEAR
18 On the Ways
• WTIV Charybdis goes to Virginia • Blount-built tug delivered to NY Power Authority • Finland and US to build Arctic Security Cutters • Midship Marine building new research vessel • Rozema scores Coast Guard boat order • Conrad to build USVs with Blue Water Autonomy • Silver Ships fireboat delivered • Ribcraft USA delivers search-andrescue RIB • Johnson Bros. orders deck barges at St. Johns Ship Building • Bollinger lays keel for another Navy ship.
48 2025 Boatbuilding Review
A look at the boats featured in WorkBoat from November 2024 to November 2025.
AT A GLANCE
6 Energy Level: Uncertainty surrounds the offshore industry.
6 Inland Insider: Our sagging infrastructure.
7 On the Water: Seeing is believing.
8 Insurance Watch: A spill is just the beginning.
10 Health, Safety, and Environment: A simple approach to quality.
12 Captain's Table: Inspecting the inspectors.
SAVE THE DATE
Over and out
INEW ORLEANS
n late August 1997, I was being interviewed for the associate editor’s position at WorkBoat. The interview was being conducted by the magazine’s editor, Don Nelson, in a place called the Red Barn Pub. When Don got up to get us a second round, I thought, “Whatever happens, this is the best interview I’ve ever been on, and it’s the best interview I’ll ever be on.” Turns out it was the last job interview I ever had.
Don hired me that night (I didn't start until Sept. 2) and I learned a lot from him over the next two years before he took a job at another publication in Wisconsin.
Dave Krapf took over as editor in chief, I was moved up to senior editor, and Bruce Buls came on as our technical editor. It stayed that way for the next two decades.
I worked out of a two-story building in Mandeville, La., until 2005 when our landlord decided to double our rent. Our publisher, Mike Lodato, was having none of it and sent the salespeople to the corporate of ce in Portland, Maine, and Dave and I home. So, I’ve been working out of my house for 20 years. (By the way, two months after I was moved home, Hurricane Katrina took the roof off that building where we had worked.)
For the editorial team under Dave Krapf, it was never a nine-to- ve job and that suited me. But for the two weeks each month that we were on deadline, we were on call — nights, weekends, whatever it took.
And now I’m here. This issue of WorkBoat is of cially my last.
Ken Hocke, Senior Editor khocke@divcom.com
The magazine staff and the people at our parent company, Diversi ed, have been a big part of my life the last 28 years. Appropriately, so has the marine industry that I’ve had the privilege to be a part of as an observer.
It’s not possible to thank all the people who have helped me along the way. To list them all would be an exercise in futility. I think you know who you are, and you have my deep gratitude.
WorkBoat is in good hands as I bow out. Dave and Bruce and I had our run. Now it’s time for the next regime to carry the brand forward led by Executive Editor Eric Haun and jack-of-alltrades Doug Stewart. I told Eric to use anything we’ve left behind that’s useful, but to forge his own WorkBoat path.
I’m looking forward to seeing where the brand goes from here.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Eric Haun / ehaun@divcom.com
SENIOR EDITOR Ken Hocke / khocke@divcom.com
SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR Benjamin Hayden / bhayden@divcom.com
SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kirk Moore / kmoore@divcom.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Tim Akpinar • Jonathan Barnes • Capt. Alan Bernstein • Stephen Blakely Dan Bookham • G. Allen Brooks • Bruce Buls • Capt. Eric Colby • Casey Conley
Michael Crowley • Jerry Fraser • Nate Gilman • Pamela Glass • Capt. Arnie Hammerman Craig Hooper • Joel Milton • Richard Paine Jr. • Chris Richmond
Producers of The International WorkBoat Show and Pacific Marine Expo www.workboatshow.com • www.pacificmarineexpo.com
PRESIDENT & CEO Theodore Wirth / twirth@divcom.com
VICE PRESIDENT Wes Doane / wdoane@divcom.com
OFFICES
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Join ABS at the International Workboat Show – Booth 1621.
Energy Level
Uncertainty surrounds the offshore industry
TheBY G. ALLEN BROOKS
G. Allen Brooks is an energy analyst. In his over50-year career in energy and investment he has served as an energy security analyst, oil service company manager, and a member of the board of directors for several oilfield service companies.
offshore oil and gas industry often marches to its own drummer, sometimes out of step with broader energy trends. Offshore leasing, exploration, and development require far longer timelines than onshore projects due to complex regulatory approvals, project economics, and equipment availability.
Crude oil prices below $60 per barrel have industry executives scaling back spending plans as they weigh adjustments within their financial discipline protocols. The cultural shift since the 2015 oil price crash created a healthier industry marked by cost control, restrained investment, lower leverage, and higher returns to shareholders.
Weak oil prices are driven by geopolitical events, the strong push to electrify economies, and OPEC members seeking market share. Forecasts of an oil glut during winter’s low-demand months have reinforced expectations for lower prices. Slower economic growth has further reduced energy consumption, while OPEC’s restoration of output and expanding shale production have boosted global supply. Swelling inventories are prompting forecasters to cut price projections, with the U.S. Energy Information Administration now predicting an average of $47.77 per barrel for 2026 — nearly 20% below current levels. Such a drop will challenge exploration and production economics, slow drilling activity, and drive new rounds of cost-cutting and layoffs.
The offshore market has long represented the future for oil companies. Larger deposits dominate discovery records and industry expectations, meaning attractive per-barrel costs despite higher expenses for finding and developing fields. Facing the prospect of lower oil prices, explorers will be unwilling to pay more for rigs and vessels. Although this will hurt the near-term earnings growth of offshore service companies, the greater impact will be a continued dry spell in building new equipment.
Rising prices for new offshore equipment mean vessel owners must secure higher day rates to justify investment. We have not found any U.S. orders for new offshore support vessels in 2025, except for specialty units serving the offshore wind industry.
As the onshore oil industry contracts due to falling prices, deepwater barrels will become the least costly source of supply. A tightening balance between oil supply and demand will drive prices up. This time, the offshore industry may lead the oil patch’s recovery.
Inland Insider
Our sagging infrastructure
TheBY PAMELA GLASS
Pamela Glass is the Washington, D.C., correspondent for WorkBoat. She reports on the decisions and deliberations of congressional committees and federal agencies that affect the maritime industry.
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has given the inland waterways a barely passing grade for providing a reliable lock-and-dam transportation system, citing old structures, funding shortfalls, delays, and closures.
In its 2025 Infrastructure Report Card, the inland system received a grade of C-, just slightly better than the D+ it earned in the last report in 2021. The small improvement “is not enough to reassure shippers, carriers, or logistics professionals navigating daily delays and disruptions,” the report said, calling the 12,000 miles of inland navigation and 11,000 intracoastal channels “the hidden backbone of the nation’s freight network,” that cost-effectively transports $158 billion worth of goods a year.
This supply chain relies on strong infrastructure to keep goods moving efficiently, but “the U.S. still has work to do.”
Every four years, the ASCE evaluates 18 categories of infrastructure. The results are a widely referenced benchmark for understanding the condition of critical systems like roads, bridges, ports, railways, and waterways.
The overall grade for all U.S. infrastructure was a disappointing C, while American ports were a standout, scoring a B (the highest of any infrastructure category), suggesting that recent private and federal investments are starting to pay off.
The ASCE acknowledged an increase in federal funding over recent years for waterways, but it said a $7.5 billion construction backlog is causing lock closures and long delays. Contributing is the age of the infrastructure, with 80% of the nation’s locks and dams exceeding their 50-year design life and needing frequent maintenance and repairs.
The report also noted that unpredictable water levels and drought, fueled largely by climate change, often render parts of the system unnavigable by barge, which increases transportation costs as vessels are unable to load to full capacity.
Despite increases in federal funding for waterways modernization, operations, and maintenance, sustained funding remains a challenge, and project cost overruns are more frequent, as original cost estimates don’t reflect current inflation and market conditions.
The engineers call for efficient funding for operations, maintenance, and backlogs, as well as ensuring that programs are funded at authorized levels and that funds are disbursed to inland projects. This reflects the priorities of the Water Resources Development Act, which seeks to improve U.S. rivers and harbors.
On the Water
Seeing is believing
BY JOEL MILTON
Joel Milton works on towing vessels. He can be reached at joelmilton@yahoo.com.
We are, without a doubt, a visually oriented species. We tend to learn best through graphical means. You can talk about something all day, but seeing is believing — and there’s no substitute. Very occasionally, the universe serves it up, in your face, as if to say, “So you doubted me?”
As we motored into Southeast Basin in Long Beach Harbor, Calif., on the morning of Sept. 9 for a bunker delivery to a freighter in the adjacent Six Basin, the presence of the containership Mississippi at Pier G was notable for only one thing beyond its massive size: an abnormally large list to starboard, away from the dock and toward the bright green STAX Engineering Inc., Long Beach, Calif., emissionsreduction barge spudded down alongside. My seaman’s eye
estimate was around 7° to 8° — enough to make me wonder what might be going on with them, stability wise. Typically, I would expect to see no more than about a 5° list when they’re working cargo, and usually well less. This was the most I’d ever seen.
I thought to myself that if our bunker delivery was for the Mississippi, given the signi cant list combined with a full load of containers on deck and the fact that they were actively working cargo, I would decline to go alongside, report the circumstances, and await further instructions (in other words, drop back 10 yards and punt).
A few moments later, the universe abruptly provided that graphic example as a slow-motion avalanche of several dozen containers toppled off the ship into the basin and directly onto the STAX barge. I immediately reported the event to the Long Beach Pilots, who activated the emergency response.
The containers continued to topple in waves, spreading out into the basin in every direction. The water they displaced was considerable, throwing out a mini-tsunami ahead of them.
My immediate concern was for the personnel on the STAX barge. It didn’t look good. In fact, I assumed the worst. Thankfully, no major injuries were reported.
WEATHER SENSORS BUILT FOR
REL I A B I L I T Y F OR THE S E A S A H E AD
AT-A-GLANCE
Insurance Watch
Pollution liability: The spill is just the beginning
BY CHRIS RICHMOND
Chris Richmond is a licensed mariner and marine insurance agent with Allen Insurance and Financial. He can be reached at 800-439-4311 or crichmond@allenif.com.
All commercial hull policies have a pollution exclusion clause. Sometimes you can get a pollution buyback endorsement for a small additional premium, but this essentially just covers cleanup of a spill. While a good start, it is not the ideal solution. In today’s world, cleanup costs are often just the beginning of expenses you may incur.
Pollution policy premiums are based on a vessel’s gross tonnage and type. These policies offer coverage under eight sections. While not all may apply to your situation, some distinctions are important.
Section A (discharge of the pollutant) covers spills related to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and claims under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability
Act. Pollution includes not only petroleum but also other hazardous materials stored or transported on your vessel.
After a spill is contained and cleaned up, who pays your defense costs? Section B (investigation and defense) addresses this critical area. Litigation claims can drag on and costs mount, whether or not you’re found liable. Having these covered is essential.
Was your spill accidental? That won’t stop nes or penalties from state or federal authorities. Section C ( nes and penalties) provides coverage for these costs.
The only thing worse than the spill is seeing oil-coated birds on television. Showing the public you are acting responsibly goes a long way. Section D (public relations) helps with that.
If your vessel is out of commission and you need a shortterm charter, coverage is available under Section E (automatic acquisition).
Actions you take after the spill to mitigate further damage are covered under Section F (mitigation).
Section G (property damage ashore) covers third-party claims for damage to property onshore.
Finally, Section H (U.S. criminal defense) provides funds for costs incurred due to violations of state or federal laws.
You may never need your pollution policy, but the one time you do, it will pay off.
Health, Safety, and Environment
A simple approach to drive quality performance
I’veBY RICHARD PAINE JR.
Richard Paine Jr. is a licensed mariner and certified maritime safety auditor with over 25 years of maritime industry experience. He is currently a senior VP at the Hornblower Group and can be reached at rjpainejr@gmail.com.
been involved in many different aspects of identifying what drives quality within a company. But before any company can answer that question, it’s essential to rst de ne what quality means to the business.
Quality can be de ned as how well a company meets its professional standards. It can also mean adhering to standard practices within its industry. Additionally, quality re ects how customers perceive the business. Ultimately, the scope of a company’s quality is driven by what leadership considers important and by the factors that help drive pro tability.
So, how does one drive quality in their business? First, you need to establish standards and expectations. You may be in business to make the world’s best widget, but if production is too costly or time-consuming, it could ultimately put your business, well, out of business. A company must identify the sweet spot: what it can do exceptionally well and consistently deliver those products and services to its customers.
Second, you need to establish a system of checks and balances to ensure your company meets the standards you’ve set. Some companies use independent departments to audit various business functions and verify compliance with quality standards. Others may choose to engage outside resources, such as auditors, consultants, or customer feedback.
Next, you need to measure and monitor the results of your inspections and audits and act on the ndings. It does no good to collect data, good or bad, if you don’t use it to promote best practices and correct problems within your business.
Driving quality in your business comes down to consistency. Business performance, brand reputation, and name recognition are tied to how others perceive your company, and whether it consistently delivers products and services at a high level or not.
Optimizing quality in your business doesn’t have to be overly complicated. It starts with identifying what you want and can do well, and then continually delivering on that goal.
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Captain’s Table
Inspecting the inspectors
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.
Ihave been watching the evolution of the maritime industry for nearly 50 years. I have seen good times, and I have seen bad times. I have battled spring oods caused by ice and rain, and I have successfully navigated low water during summer droughts. I con dently raise my hand when asked if I remember using paper charts to navigate, and I have seen the wheelhouse light up with a collection of electronics that ancient mariners could never have imagined.
At the same time, I have witnessed a gradual transformation in the experience level and demeanor of Coast Guard inspectors over the years. What was once a professional relationship steeped in respect and grounded in the knowledge and capabilities of both parties has, in many cases, turned into a combative and mistrustful standoff.
In the 1990s, Adm. James Card was a key advocate of the Coast Guard’s Prevention Through People (PTP) program, which fostered an environment of trust and empowerment within the marine safety program while remaining highly focused on reducing marine casualties. The PTP offered a modern approach to safety for a modern maritime era, and it worked well. Card’s leadership set the tone and practice that nurtured a culture of honor and respect. In those days, the Coast Guard inspector and the passenger vessel operator identi ed problems and mutually agreed on reasonable solutions. Today, it seems that many Coast Guard inspectors are inexperienced and arrive for inspections with an adversarial attitude. While there are still many experienced inspectors in the ranks, I am concerned about the future and urge the Coast Guard to strengthen its training program. I also encourage the Coast Guard to invite members of the industry to participate, sharing their knowledge and viewpoints with new inspectors to promote goodwill and broaden their training experience. At the same time, mariners must also take responsibility by approaching each inspection with a positive attitude and a thorough knowledge of applicable regulations. As the maritime industry and the Coast Guard continue to evolve, it is important not to lose sight of the principles that have guided us for many years, honoring the mariner and working together with trust and respect.
PARTNER
Shallow Access
Builders innovate versatile hulls that go where others can’t.
By Ben Hayden, Senior Associate Editor
Long valued for their versatility and reliability, aluminum landing craft are a go-to workboat option for government agencies, universities, island owners, environmental groups, oil-spill responders, and others who rely on the shallow-draft, bow-loading design to deliver people, vehicles, and equipment to remote or unimproved shorelines.
“A lot of people think they don’t need one until they go in one,” said Ian Gracey, founder of Silverback Marine, Tacoma, Wash. “Just about everybody that we bring in one says, ‘Wow, this is like going in a pickup truck for the rst time.’”
In the Paci c Northwest, long a hub for aluminum workboat construction, builders continue to re ne the concept with custom designs balancing speed, payload capacity, and easy maintenance. On the East Coast, Maine’s LymanMorse is among several yards expanding into the segment as regional demand grows for purpose-built aluminum landing craft without the cost of cross-country shipping.
MUNSON BOATS
Munson Boats, Burlington, Wash., designs and constructs each of its builds to order, ranging from 23' utility boats to 65' landing craft. The company’s six-person design department handles all engineering in-house.
“We are the world leader when it comes to the production of high-speed aluminum landing craft,” said Garrett Martin, business development manager at Munson. The yard delivers roughly 50 vessels per year, serving a broad mix of customers. Martin said about one-third of deliveries go to government operators, one-third to commercial customers, and one-third to private clients.
Government clients include the Air Force, which uses Munson-built landing craft to retrieve test equipment and paratrooper gear, the Army Corps of Engineers, which buy “a huge number of workboats from us for anything from hydroelectric dam maintenance to whatever other projects they have going on,” Martin said.
Silverback Marine
Silverback Marine’s new 32' patrol landing craft, Grizzly LE.
Lyman-Morse
Lyman-Morse recently delivered a 33' landing craft.
Munson Boats
A 36'x13' catamaran landing craft built for law enforcement.
Hard Drive Marine
Hard Drive Marine’s 44'x12' landing craft unloads a truck.
Munson’s also built boats ranging from 28' to over 50' for the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service. “We’ve built more in the 28- to 32-foot range than anything else, but different areas have different requirements,” Martin said.
Each landing craft features a signature bow door system, which Munson designs and assembles in-house. “We have three different methods for opening the bow door,” Martin explained. “Electric over hydraulic rams. We have 316 stainless steel hydraulic rams and an electric over hydraulic pump. We do an electric winch… and then we use a Thern 316 stainless steel mechanical hand-crank winch built here in America.
“The hand-crank winch is self-braking,” he said. “You unlock the bow door. You start cranking. The bow door goes down. You let go, it stops. You crank it the other way, it goes up.”
Munson manufactures many of the critical parts itself. “We make our own
bow door locks, our own doughnuts that we use as a locking mechanism,” Martin said. “We’ve had the composite bearings made that go inside of the hinges for the bow doors. We’re assembling all that in-house.”
For operators in demanding conditions, hydraulic systems offer added rigidity. “So for that, you can have a nice solid platform to walk out on over the water. It’s not going to ex with wave action. If you’re deploying or retrieving divers and stuff, there can be some serious advantages to that,” Martin said.
Among Munson’s recent builds is a 52'x16' spill-response landing craft for Western Canada Marine Response Corp., powered by twin 750-hp Scania diesels with HamiltonJet waterjets and joystick controls. The vessels carry 20,000 lbs. of cargo and use a full hydraulic system for skimmer and spillresponse gear. “That is a stunningly capable machine,” Martin said. “We’ve built [a number] of these from 2020
basically up to 2024.”
Another notable delivery this year was a 36'x13' catamaran landing craft for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife powered by twin Yamaha XTO outboard engines. “We hold the patent on the Packcat catamaran, which is a wet tunnel design,” Martin said. “It gives you more buoyancy, which also lends itself to extra stability and cargo capacity (6,000 lbs.).”
SILVERBACK MARINE
Silverback Marine founder Ian Gracey said a landing craft’s straightforward appearance often belies its practicality. “They’re totally function-driven,” he said. “You can pull equipment onto the deck, dive off it, or use it as a mobile platform. It’s a very practical design.”
Silverback builds a mix of aluminum workboats including landing craft, “mini” tractor tugs, and dive boats. Gracey said landing craft account for about 60% of the company’s annual out-
VESSEL REPORT Landing Craft
put, averaging 12 to 14 boats each year.
“Fire and rescue, environmental and research, and law enforcement are steady markets,” he said. “Landing craft also make sense for tender operations.”
The Pacific Northwest remains a core region for Silverback builds, but Gracey said deliveries are expanding to Alaska, the Northeast, and inland waterways. “Anywhere with rocky beaches or shallow access points tends to be a good fit,” he said. “We’re also seeing growth in river-jet applications and in waterfront construction work for bridges.”
One of Silverback’s recent projects is a 22'x8'6" aluminum patrol vessel for the New Mexico State Park rangers, designed as a hybrid between a traditional patrol boat and a landing craft.
“In a traditional police boat, you’re climbing up on the bow and jumping down into the mud,” Gracey said. “What we did here gives them the functionality of a landing craft without the wide bow.”
The vessel includes a narrow personnel-access bow door, twin shock-mitigating seats, and a single Mercury 425hp outboard. It also integrates PeteStep hull technology, the first installation of its kind in North America. During trials, the vessel reached 45 mph. It was scheduled for delivery in October.
LYMAN-MORSE
Lyman-Morse, Thomaston, Maine, best known for nearly five decades of custom yachtbuilding on Maine’s midcoast, has carved out a new foothold in the commercial market with a growing line of aluminum landing craft.
According to Jonathan Egan, who heads the yard’s workboat division, Lyman-Morse currently has four landing craft under construction including a 20-footer for local fishermen, two 28' models, and a 38' vessel for the Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse Preservation Society in Alpena, Mich. The 38' vessel has a 9,000-lb. payload capacity, which is being built so the society can haul a tractor and building materials out to the island to maintain the lighthouse grounds, Egan said.
The Thunder Bay vessel features a longer bow door and removable ramps
to reach shallow beachheads, along with interior modifications requested by the volunteer crew, such as folding tables, handrails, and step access tailored for an older demographic. The boat will be powered by twin 300-hp Yamaha outboards with digital throttle and shift.
Egan said customization remains the division’s biggest selling point. “Customers come to us because we’ll change whatever they want — extra side doors, different cabin layouts, or alternate hulls. That flexibility, plus our location in the Northeast and shorter build times, are what set us apart.”
Egan noted that while aluminum workboats dominate on the West Coast, few builders in New England focus on them. “It seems like people are starting to wake up to aluminum on the East Coast,” he said. “There’s a real niche here, and we’re winning bids against West Coast yards because shipping adds at least $10,000 to bring a boat east. Customers appreciate having a builder within driving distance for service and warranty support.”
Recent deliveries include a 28' firerescue landing craft for Anderson County, S.C., and a 24' landing craft for the town of Wolfeboro, N.H., followed by a 28' version for the local electric cooperative that serves Lake Winnipesaukee’s island residents. “These boats scream,” Egan said. “The Anderson County one did 60 miles an hour with twin 250s.”
From its fabrication shop between the Thomaston and Camden yards, the company sees continued momentum. “We’ve got half a dozen new inquiries right now,” Egan said. “It really feels like a growing entity within Lyman-Morse. We’ve always been boatbuilders — but this is a new chapter.”
HARD DRIVE
Hard Drive Marine, Bellingham, Wash., has maintained a steady production of aluminum landing craft through a mix of industrial, community, and research-focused builds. Over the past six months, the company has delivered five new boats to locations spanning from Alaska to the Caribbean and the South Pacific. Recent builds include
a 30'x10' flat-bottomed landing craft delivered to the island of Yap in Micronesia. It is used to transport construction equipment for airstrip development on remote islands.
“That boat had to be as simple as possible,” Day said. “They’re 1,000 miles from nowhere, so they didn’t want any technology that could strand them. It’s operated by a standard trailer winch for the door. No hydraulics, no complexity.”
Two 44'x12' models were delivered to Kodiak, Alaska, and a nearby mainland village. One features a fixed cabin, and the other is outfitted with Hard Drive Marine’s modular Jaxcab, a removable aluminum enclosure that can be repositioned or detached. Both vessels are powered by triple 300-hp Suzuki dual-prop outboards.
“The dual-prop design is key for landing craft,” Day said. “When you’re working close to the beach, you need strong reverse thrust to get off. In Alaska, with those huge tidal swings, it’s critical.”
Day said nearly every Hard Drive Marine landing craft now features the company’s patented Max Gate system which acts as a mechanical push-off aid to help vessels dislodge from soft beaches.
“Every boat we build has a Max Gate,” Day said. “People who’ve been stuck on the beach before know how big a deal it is. The gate’s spikes push you back into the water, and combined with the dual props, you can free yourself even with a falling tide.”
The company’s other innovation, the Max Helm, offers flexibility for operators who prefer an open deck layout. The helm can be repositioned along the deck or to one side, freeing space for cargo or specialized equipment.
“Our most popular model is the 40'x11', typically built without a cabin,” Day said. “With the Max Helm, you can move freight or gear anywhere on deck without obstruction. For lodges and operators in short-season or warmer climates, it’s a perfect setup.”
Hard Drive Marine is constructing another 44'x12' Jaxcab model like its Kodiak build, scheduled for delivery within the next several months.
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ON THE WAYS
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY AT WORKBOAT YARDS
Charybdis comes to Virginia
Namedfor a sea monster of ancient myth, the Charybdis pulled into Virginia’s Hampton Roads in September, ready to begin installing turbines for Dominion Energy’s 2.6GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project.
Of just a few projects to survive the Trump administration’s assault on renewable energy, CVOW has come far — blessed by a quiet Atlantic hurricane center, and rare bipartisan political support in Virginia.
Laid down in December 2020 at the Seatrium AmFELS shipyard in Brownsville, Texas, the 472'x184' Charybdis was celebrated then by the nascent U.S. offshore wind industry as the rst U.S.-built, Jones Act-quali ed wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) — and by far the biggest U.S. ag prospect, at a time when wind power
companies’ U.S. projects were virtually dependent on European WTIVs.
Launched in April 2024, the Charybdis completed early sea trials in the U.S. Gulf and departed Brownsville Aug. 22 to transit north to Virginia. In late October the vessel was undergoing nal punch-list items in accordance with its certi cate of inspection, according to Dominion.
Designed by GustoMSC and classed as an ABS A1 self-elevating unit, the Charybdis main deck is 472'5"x183'9", with a hull depth of 37'9". The draft of 24'7" to 29'2" includes spudcans (base cones attached to a rig’s legs) for transit and can be reduced by 4'11" with the spudcans retracted for shallow ports.
The vessel has a variable load capacity of 11,500 tons. Its Huisman leg encircling crane for lifting turbine components has a boom length of
426'7" and capacity of 2,200 tons at 95'2" radius.
With power, propulsion, and dynamic positioning by Kongsberg, Charybdis moves with four 3,200-kW xed aft thrusters and three 3,700-kW retractable forward thrusters, for a design speed of 10 knots. The dynamic positioning control system (DPS) meets ABS DPS 2; navigation and communication systems are in accordance with integrated management system and digital sequence information requirements.
Charybdis accommodates up to 119 in private cabins, equipped with ensuite showers, toilets, telephone, TV/ DVD, and network connections.
As Charybdis arrived, Dominion in late September described CVOW as around 60% toward completion, with work complete for all monopile foundations toward the planned array of 176 Siemens Gamesa 14-MW turbines.
“Anytime you are working offshore, weather is a concern, but we were able to make good progress this summer due to the favorable weather conditions,” said Jeremy Slayton, a spokesman for Dominion.
The project remains on schedule for full completion in late 2026, with rst power delivering to the grid in Q1 2026, said Slayton.
The Charybdis can carry components — turbine towers, nacelles and blades — for up to four turbines at a time from the staging area at the Portsmouth (Va.) Marine Terminal to offshore installation sites.
The pace of turbine installation cadence “will not be linear, but slower to start and faster as we go along,” according to Slayton.
Along with Charybdis will be a eet of support vessels in the lease area supporting construction, including crew transfer vessels, safety vessels, vessels installing scour protection along the base of foundations, and cable-laying vessels. The DEME Group installation vessel Orion will remain on lease to install transition pieces and two remaining offshore substations.
Even as Dominion anticipated the
McAllister
Towing
The McAllister Towing tugs Alicia F. and Jane McAllister assist Dominion Energy's wind turbine installation vessel Charybdis on its arrival at Portsmouth (Va.) Marine Terminal. The 472' WTIV is set to work on the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project.
arrival of Charybdis, the company in February 2025 warned customers and shareholders that the CVOW project had seen escalating costs around 9%, from $9.8 billion to $10.7 billion since “the original project budget was submitted to the Virginia State Corporation Commission in November 2021.”
The higher costs are related to power network upgrades required by regional grid operator PJM (shorthand for Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland)
“as part of the generator interconnect process and higher onshore electrical interconnection costs,” Dominion reported then.
Now big increases in consumer power costs are already becoming an economic and political issue in MidAtlantic states. Diminished supply as old fossil fuel power plants closed, growing demand from new corporate data centers and the failure of other offshore wind power projects are factors.
Along with Virginia offshore wind, Charybdis is positioned to survive the Trump administration’s campaign against renewable energy.
“Upon the completion of its charter with CVOW, the versatile Charybdis will be available to support a variety of projects, including offshore wind and other critical heavy lift shoreline projects, such as salvage operations or other energy projects,” according to Dominion. — Kirk Moore
First of four tugs delivered to NY Power Authority
The64'6"x22'x9' steel inland tug
Thomas X. Grasso was delivered to the New York Power Authority (NYPA) in July and entered service with its subsidiary, the New York State Canal Corp., during the bicentennial year of the Erie Canal. The delivery marks the first of four tugs being constructed by Blount under NYPA’s fleet renewal program for the corporation.
Designed by Bristol Harbor Group, Bristol, R.I., and built by Blount Boats, Warren, R.I., the vessels are set to operate along the 524-mile New York State Canal system to support
dredging, navigation-aid installation, pollution and debris control, and icebreaking.
NYPA’s marine infrastructure managers Amy Hansen and Randy Fenton spoke with WorkBoat about the newbuilds. “The Thomas X. Grasso is the first of four tugboats that we’re
planning to build for the Canal Corporation,” said Hansen. “The second boat is under construction.” Grasso and the series’ third tug will be homeported in Waterford, N.Y., while the second and fourth vessels will be stationed in Utica, N.Y., Hansen said.
ON THE WAYS
BOATBUILDING BITTS
On Oct. 9, President Trump and Finnish President Alexander Stubb signed an agreement authorizing the construction of up to 11 icebreakers to strengthen U.S. Coast Guard operations in the Arctic. The presidential memorandum establishes a new class of Arctic security cutters (ASC) and permits limited foreign construction to meet urgent national security needs, a White House press release said. Under the agreement, up to four cutters will be built in Finland under 14 U.S.C. 1151(b) and 10 U.S.C. 8679(b), “followed by the leveraging of Finnish expertise to construct up to seven new ASCs in shipyards located in the United States,” the White House said.
A new 85.2'x27'11"x11'2" research vessel designed by Incat Crowther for Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, N.C., is now under construction at Midship Marine, Harvey, La. The vessel will be used by CFCC’s marine technology program for extended multi-day and week-long, on-water research and education activities throughout the Cape Fear River system and up to 100 nautical miles offshore.
The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded a contract worth up to $70.9 million to Rozema Boat Works Inc., Mount Vernon, Wash., for the construction of up to six second-generation special-purpose craft – heavy weather (SPC-HWX II) ves-
Tier 3 “B” rated diesel engines, each producing 375 hp at 1,800 rpm, the Grasso delivers a combined 750 hp through Twin Disc MGX-5114SC 3:1 reduction gears to a pair of 38" Michigan Wheel stainless-steel propellers on 4.5" Aquamet 22HS shafts. The vessel’s top speed is listed at 10.5 knots, with an estimated bollard pull of
sels. The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract was finalized on Sept. 29. The first SPC-HWX II is expected to be delivered in fiscal year 2027. The new 64' vessels will replace the Coast Guard’s first-generation 52' SPC-HWX boats, which were built in the 1950s and 1960s and retired in 2021 due to escalating maintenance issues. Like their predecessors, the SPCHWX II boats will be based in the Pacific Northwest.
Blue Water Autonomy, Boston, which designs and builds unmanned ships for the U.S. Navy, has entered into a production agreement with Conrad Shipyard in Morgan City, La. The partnership marks a major step forward in Blue Water’s plan to deploy autonomous surface vessels at fleet scale. Under the agreement, Conrad will construct Blue Water’s first class of autonomous ships, dividing the project among several of its facilities.
Silver Ships, Theodore, Ala., recently delivered a custom fireboat to the Danbury, Conn., Fire Department. The 32' Explorer boat is designed for high-speed operations in the waters around the city of Danbury, including Candle-
18,000 lbs. Ship’s service power comes from twin Caterpillar C2.2 Tier 3 marine generators, each rated at 25 kW, providing 208/120V three-phase power.
The vessel draws 7', with an air draft limited to 15'3" to allow transit under low canal bridges, facilitated by a remotely operated retractable main mast. The vessel carries 4,100 gals. of fuel
oil, 350 gals. fresh water, and 350 gals. black water and gray water.
The Grasso’s design was tailored for the tight con nes of the canal system, according to Fenton. “Since they’re working in very restrained waters, and what I mean by that is width of the canal in areas that’s only 140' wide. We did equip these tugs with anking rud-
85' research vessel for Cape Fear Community College Incat
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ON THE WAYS
ders,” he said. “Just so we have much better precise control.”
The four tugs are being built as sisterships, with minor re nements anticipated as construction progresses. “We just took delivery of the rst one and, just like any other rst boat, there are always small improvements that we’re making as we go,” Hansen said. “But overall, [it’s a] fantastic boat.”
BOATBUILDING BITTS
wood Lake and its attached waterways. Featuring twin Suzuki DF300B Duo Prop Outboards, the vessel reaches a top speed of 37 knots.
Ribcraft USA, Marblehead, Mass., has delivered its 6.5 model rigid inflatable boat (RIB) to the Milford, Conn., Fire Department. The 21' custom vessel is expected to enhance search-and-rescue operations, support environmental protection efforts, and conduct side-scan sonar missions in areas inaccessible to the department’s larger fireboat. Powered by a 150-hp Yamaha outboard, the RIB can reach speeds greater than 40 knots.
St. Johns Ship Building Inc., Palatka, Fla., has been awarded a contract by Johnson Bros. Corp., Grapevine, Texas, for the construction of three 140'x40'x8' steel material deck barges with spud wells.
Bollinger Shipyards, Houma, La.,
The 21' custom vessel is expected to enhance search-and-rescue.
held a keel-laying ceremony on Oct. 17 for the future USNS Lenni Lenape (T-ATS 9), marking the sixth Navajo-class towing, salvage, and rescue ship the company is building for the U.S. Navy since acquiring the program in 2021. The Navajo-class ships provide oceangoing towing, salvage, and rescue capabilities to support fleet operations. The class replaces the Powhatan-class fleet of ocean tugs and Safeguard-class rescue and salvage ships currently operated by the Navy’s Military Sealift Command.
Every Vessel
The Thomas X. Grasso on the Erie Canal.
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Deck equipment includes a pair of Nabrico DF156-10-6L/R 10-ton pushing winches, two Nabrico DF-164 roller chocks, and a full complement of 10" and 8" diameter bitts for towing and mooring operations. Twin 8.5'-high push knees with a 10' center spacing, tted with Schuyler SR114 laminated fenders, provide the tug’s primary pushing interface. A Nick Jackson Co. 500-lb. main davit and Columbia 5AFM stainless-steel portable davits offer auxiliary lifting capability.
The tug is out tted for year-round operation, featuring ice-strengthened shell plating, reinforced scantlings, and ice knives at both the stem and rudder tubes. The hull is constructed to ABS Grade D standards with a reinforced ice belt, and the vessel is certi ed under Coast Guard Subchapter M.
The tug has accommodations for a three-person overnight crew, with capacity for up to eight during day operations. Interior amenities include heat and air-conditioning, a galley, crew head with shower, and modern communications and navigation systems supplied by Cay Electronics and Zenitel
Fire and safety systems include Kidde Fluoro-K automatic re suppression, Fireboy-Xintex Elite CPM detection with CO and combustible gas sensors, and a Subchapter F-compliant lifesaving package with an Elliot eight-person life raft, portable extinguishers, PFDs, and a 3M Fibrelight man-overboard cradle.
Cooling is handled by R.W. Fernstrum Weka box coolers, with Delta T ventilation, Rheem freshwater systems, and a Reverso GP-806 lube oil transfer unit. Navigation visibility is aided by Beclawat heated windows, Exalto wipers, and twin Carlisle Finch 350W Xenon searchlights.
The new class of tugs is being introduced to replace the Canal Corp.’s aging vessels. “We’re phasing out three of our older vessels… some of which date back to the 1930s and 1950s,” said Hansen. “It was just based on the age and really the condition of the hull.”
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P1RESTORING AMERICA’S MARITIME DOMINANCE
resident Trump’s executive order called “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance” — aimed at rebuilding the U.S. commercial oceangoing shipbuilding industry — triggered an abundance of interest when it was introduced in the spring.
Trump told reporters the U.S. would be spending “a lot of money on shipbuilding” to restore the country’s capacity in the sector. That proclamation caught the attention of shipyard owners across the United States.
The order calls for signi cant federal investment in American shipyards and the maritime workforce and outlines a new Maritime Action Plan to be coordinated by the Maritime Administration (Marad). The plan includes the estab-
lishment of a Maritime Security Trust Fund, shipbuilding tax incentives, and the launch of strategic commercial eet programs.
Marad said it will work with other federal agencies to create a exible investment program to fund commercial vessel construction and shipyard modernization.
“Government shipbuilding programs have fallen behind due to decades of problems: Congress’s failure to pass sustainable budgets, reliance on Continuing Resolutions, burdensome red tape, and inef cient management processes,” Jeff Vogel, vice president of legal for TOTE Services, wrote on InsideSources.com earlier this year. “Too often, these programs suffer from being too close to their customers, which can cause a shipyard to devote resources to compliance rather than vessel construction. This has led to a lack of capacity for our sea services and government research arms.”
In 2019, TOTE signed a contract with
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Marad to act as the Vessel Construction Manager (VCM) for the building of a new eet of National Security MultiMission Vessels set for construction at Hanwha Philly Shipyard, Philadelphia.
Vogal said the VCM approach has been a success. “The results have been undeniable: these training ships are being delivered on schedule, at an average cost of about $300 million per vessel — far below the nearly $1 billion estimates from traditional processes,” he wrote.
“The vessels then move on to America’s maritime service academies, which are being put in the spotlight for the lifelong, well-paid careers in the maritime industry that cadets can pursue as engineers, mates, seamen, and of cers.”
Late this summer, the U.S. Department of Labor announced up to $8 million in funding to send American workers and trainees abroad to learn advanced shipbuilding techniques from leading global shipbuilding nations. The initiative is designed to establish partner-
ships between U.S. technical education centers and community colleges and their counterparts in allied nations — particularly South Korea and Japan, the world’s second- and third-largest shipbuilders after China.
The funding supports President Trump’s Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance executive order.
“Working closely with our allies will advance the Department of Labor’s mission to create effective shipbuilding apprenticeship programs right here in the United States,” Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer said in September. “We are committed to helping President Trump restore maritime dominance by preparing American workers for success, which will lead to more mortgage-paying jobs and enhance national security.”
Expect more expansion plans and construction contracts in the future as other players come off the construction sidelines hunting for that Marad money.
— Ken Hocke
A2CHANGING OF THE GUARD
s delays and confusion pile up, shipbuilders are questioning President Trump’s commitment to America’s waterfront. In the rst days of the administration, a committed cadre of maritime enthusiasts, all eager to shake up America’s moribund working waterfront, moved quickly to advance a range of initiatives. While Trump continues to make big moves, White House missteps, ideological purges, and other political priorities have slowed progress in the maritime sector, leading industry players to worry that their high hopes ultimately may go unmet.
Reform measures enacted in the early months of the administration have cost shipbuilders. Budget cuts driven by the Department of Government Ef ciency forced the demise of the National Security Cutter program. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security partially terminated Eastern Shipbuilding
Group’s (Panama City, Fla.) contract for Offshore Patrol Cutters.
White House political priorities have cost shipbuilders as well. Trump’s antipathy for wind farms forced the abrupt cancellation of offshore wind projects from Massachusetts to Humboldt Bay, Calif., decimating demand for U.S.-built crew transfer vessels, service operations vessels, and other specialized ships.
The administration’s ever-shifting trade policy has also roiled the shipbuilding industry. Steel and aluminum tariffs have raised costs for and snarled supply chains. Continuous changes in tariffs are complicating shipyard investment strategies. Cutting-edge, nextgeneration manufacturers are struggling to buy advanced machine tools before a new set of tariffs are announced, and vessel operators are fretting as the cost of plate and electronics gear shift.
In addition, zealous immigration enforcement efforts have complicated efforts to leverage overseas investment in America’s waterfront. South Korean enthusiasm for U.S. waterfront investments took an enormous blow after a massive immigration raid on a Georgia Hyundai plant led to shabby treatment of more than 300 South Korean nationals.
Across the Trump administration, missteps and bureaucratic wrangling have taken a toll. In January, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, a longstanding maritime advocate, charged into of ce, installing a fully staffed maritime of ce in the National Security Council. By June, a texting scandal and a staff purge had sent Waltz to the relative hinterlands of an ambassadorship at the United Nations and scattered maritime-oriented staffers.
But the biggest challenge has been the industry’s resignation at the pace of change. Despite the urry of presidential interest, Washington still moves dreadfully slowly. “It has been almost eight months since President Trump announced America would be building ships again, and soon after launched an executive order to direct action,” cautioned Brent Sadler, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation. “What happened since is mixed — the
people who’d execute this plan aren’t in place. The Maritime Administrator, key for upgrading ports and support to shipbuilders just had his con rmation hearing on Oct. 22. And the Navy’s lead shipbuilder, the assistant secretary for research, development, and acquisition, hasn’t been named.”
All is not lost. Despite Washington headwinds, President Trump has chalked up some big wins, advancing White House reindustrialization and shipbuilding rehoming goals. Trump’s interest in building new Arctic icebreakers in the U.S. has propelled Davie Defense, a multinational shipbuilder, to propose a billion-dollar investment in the former Gulf Copper shipyards in Texas.
Efforts to enliven the U.S. Navy and invest in new defense technology have inspired a urry of excitement from smaller shipyards. The Modular Attack Surface Craft program, with the goal of simplifying large-scale production efforts is contributing to rumored grandscale waterfront investments by hungry contractors like Anduril, Saronic, and other “neo-defense” tech players.
The administration’s vigorous pursuit of “big stick” diplomacy, using the Navy to hunt maritime terrorists, real and alleged, in the Middle East, the Caribbean, the Eastern Paci c, and elsewhere have given old-school naval platforms a new lease on life.
The fortunes of America’s stodgy “prime” shipbuilders are experiencing eye-popping whiplash as their exible, multimission destroyers, aircraft carriers, and amphibious ships once again demonstrate their broad utility. After President Trump’s inauguration, the stock price of aircraft carrier-builder Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. (HII) nose-dived to a February low of $158.88. But, as the administration dispatches the USS Gerald R. Ford, a supercarrier Trump has regularly criticized, to South America, HII stock has zoomed to a near record-high of $298 per share.
The best may be yet to come. The Navy is putting the nal touches on a “Great Golden Fleet” building plan, and the Maritime Action Plan — the playbook to enact the goals sketched out in
the president’s executive order, is set to be released in November. In Congress, the accompanying SHIPS for America Act is moving forward.
Waterfront excitement is still there, but to sustain goodwill, the administration must execute, transforming orders, edicts, and promises into solid contracts. As much as the president is committed to rebuilding America’s maritime industry, Sadler warned that progress will be measured in investment dollars. “Some orders for ships are needed,” he said.
— Craig Hooper
P3OFFSHORE WIND UNDER SIEGE
resident Trump’s campaign to shut down offshore wind power projects scored early successes in spring 2025 against a fledging industry
already hobbled by escalating costs and canceled power contracts.
Wind power developers fought back in federal court and by political maneuvering, winning at least temporary reprieves as judges upheld earlier project approvals and the Trump administration negotiated with New York State officials to continue Equinor’s 810-MW Empire Wind 1 project.
As one of the first major East Coast wind power proposals, Empire Wind was widely seen as a banner project for a new “blue economy” merging maritime industry and renewable energy.
Construction started just under the wire, with $3 billion in financing in December 2024, before Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration. But on April 19, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum pushed a stopwork order on the project.
One month later, the administration relented, allowing Empire Wind construction to resume after negotiations that included New York State officials
agreeing to work toward approving new natural gas pipelines.
Despite its seeming reprieve from the Trump administration, Equinor reported a $995 million impairment related to Empire Wind, tied to both the plans for turbine arrays off New York and its South Brooklyn Marine Terminal project, which was to serve as a staging base for other Mid-Atlantic wind projects.
In mid-September the Interior Department asked a federal court in Maryland to cancel federal permits for the US Wind project off Ocean City, Md., asserting the Biden administration overstepped legal authority in 2024 by allowing the developers’ plan to proceed.
Then on Sept. 22 a federal court judge granted energy company Ørsted a preliminary injunction to resume work on its 704-MW Revolution Wind turbine array off Rhode Island, lifting an Aug. 22 stop-work order by Burgum.
U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth called the Trump administration’s
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explanations for the action “the height of arbitrary and capricious.” Among reasons offered by government lawyers have been unde ned threats to national security and allegations the former Biden administration rushed through environmental permitting for the project. Interior Secretary Burgum has said that “Under this administration, there is not a future for offshore wind because it is too expensive and not reliable enough.”
The $6 billion Revolution Wind array was already around 80% complete.
Facing U.S. political opposition, declining new construction, and a shift toward European and Asian markets, Ørsted announced it will cut 25% of its workforce by 2027. “This is a necessary consequence of our decision to focus our business and the fact that we’ll be nalizing our large construction portfolio in the coming years — which is why we’ll need fewer employees,” CEO Rasmus Errboe said in an Oct. 9 statement.
With the once-promising U.S. wind market in disarray, so are plans for its installation eet. Singapore-based shipbuilder Seatrium said Maersk Offshore Wind sought to terminate its contract for a $475 million wind turbine installation vessel that’s already nearly complete and intended for Empire Wind.
The Seatrium WTIV would use new Jones Act-compliant tugs and barges built in the U.S. by Kirby Offshore Wind following the “feeder barge” model that wind companies and industry advocates saw as the best path for their projects to get built, pending the arrival of newbuilt U.S. installation vessels.
Wind power companies and industry advocates promoted feeder barges as the best path for their projects to get built, pending the arrival of newbuilt U.S. installation vessels.
With diminished prospects, a few U.S. ag wind-support vessels might be positioned to survive after a Trump deep freeze. Offshore wind advocates continue to portray their industry as a future boon to Gulf Coast shipbuilding — political rivalry between renewable and fossil fuel industries notwithstanding.
After a June 28 christening in New Orleans, the service operations vessel
ECO Liberty was deployed to Empire Wind. The 262' Edison Chouest Offshore service operation vessel will have offshore quarters for 60 workers.
“The ECO Liberty showcases the positive impact Empire Wind is having on the American economy,” said Molly Morris, president of Equinor Renewables Americas. “This vessel reflects how offshore wind can create durable, high-quality jobs while building out a homegrown energy supply chain.” — Kirk Moore
4
USHIPYARDS FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION ON NATIONAL DEFENSE
.S. shipbuilding is experiencing a major reset. After years chasing contracts in the stalled offshore wind sector, many shipyards are turning back to a more reliable customer: the Department of Defense (DoD).
Federal investment and policy moves have redirected the industry toward rebuilding domestic capacity and accelerating production of naval and autonomous vessels. A presidential executive order, the bipartisan SHIPS for America Act, and the creation of the White House Office of Shipbuilding have brought new federal focus to maritime manufacturing.
“This is certainly a fascinating time,” said Ted Williams, Senesco Marine president. During a July visit by WorkBoat staff to the North Kingstown, R.I., yard, Williams reflected on the global imbalance in shipbuilding. “China right now has a larger Navy than we do… outbuilding us from a navy, military perspective, five-to-one, [and] from a commercial perspective, 10-to-one.”
That imbalance has spurred Washington to act. President Trump’s executive order pledged billions for new naval capacity and unmanned surface vessels. The order tasked the Maritime Administration (Marad) with leading a Maritime Action Plan that pairs yard investment with workforce support, with a delivery deadline of Nov. 5.
Williams sees the DoD as shipbuild-
ing’s future. “It goes back to the Liberty ship days,” he said. “Nationwide we were putting out one a day.”
He believes autonomy could bridge the capacity gap. “The best way, in my opinion, to resolve this discrepancy is autonomy. Medium, 150'-to-200' vessels with the right speed, fuel, and cargo capacity,” he said. “Imagine you get 100 or 500 of these to work in a hive around [an aircraft] carrier. The power and capacity of that is amazing. And if you do it right, they’re commodities — anywhere from $20 to $50 million apiece. Build 500 of them, and you’ve spent $10 billion. A carrier is $12 billion.”
Senesco is one of many companies, including both established and emerging shipbuilders, eyeing opportunities in the growing market for uncrewed and autonomous vessels. Companies already active in this space include Bollinger Shipyards, Lockport, La.; Austal USA, Mobile, Ala.; Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, Freeland, Wash.; Swiftships, Morgan City, La.; Metal Shark, Jeanerette, La.; and BlackSea Technologies, Baltimore, among others.
In August, Blue Water Autonomy, Boston, announced it had raised $50 million in venture capital financing following a $14 million seed round in April. The funding will support the development of its first full-scale, long-range autonomous ship in 2026.
Saronic Technologies, Austin, Texas, is betting that a reimagination of the shipyard itself is the key to American maritime resurgence. In February, the company closed its growth capital funding round at $600 million, valuing the firm at $4 billion.
Saronic President Dino Mavrookas founded the company in September 2022. Its first projects were three small autonomous boats. Saronic has since expanded its operations and product line, and it is now constructing a large 150' autonomous warship in its recently acquired Franklin, La., shipyard.
Mavrookas said that the 150' Marauder-class vessel is slated for launch by the end of the year. He emphasized that the autonomous ship has been designed and purpose-built from the keel up.
“All of that is fully vertically integrated,” he stated, noting that hardware and software development run in parallel within the company. “That’s really how you build autonomous vessels at scale. You need the hardware and the software co-developed alongside each other so that they can integrate and be produced at scale.” — Ben
Hayden
E5A NEW ERA IN THE GULF
xecutive Order 14172 issued Jan. 20 — the first day of Donald Trump’s second presidential term — directed that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed the Gulf of America. The name change speaks volumes about the President’s America First objectives, which include broader political efforts to bolster domestic energy production.
Policy shifts under the Trump administration have reshaped the United States’ offshore energy landscape. While the Biden administration had supported offshore wind development, the Trump White House has instead signaled a renewed long-term commitment to oil and gas. On Aug. 19, the Department of the Interior laid out a plan to hold more than 30 offshore lease sales in the Gulf through 2040. In addition, regulatory adjustments have loosened safety and permitting requirements, particularly for high-pressure wells and multireservoir access. These changes are designed to reduce costs and improve flexibility for operators, particularly in deepwater.
“We believe that offshore production will play an increasingly larger role in filling the global energy demand,” said Paul Goodfellow, CEO of Talos Energy Inc., Houston, in a June 17 strategy call. “Questions are starting to arise about the continued long-term economic viability of onshore basins, which are becoming less advantageous due to the depletion of Tier 1 and Tier 2 inventory. At the same time, technological advancements have unlocked significant deepwater reserves, while continued innovation in offshore
extraction enables us to operate more efficiently,” he added.
Industry-friendly regulations, paired with advances in technology, are expected to boost Gulf production. New equipment capable of withstanding pressures up to 20,000 pounds per square inch (psi) allows drilling in areas once considered off limits, compared with earlier limits of 10,000 to 15,000 psi.
On Aug. 12, 2024, Chevron Corp., Houston, announced it achieved first oil at its Anchor project in the deepwater U.S. Gulf, marking the successful use of high-pressure technology that is rated to safely operate at up to 20,000 psi, with reservoir depths reaching 34,000’ below sea level. “The Anchor project represents a breakthrough for the energy industry,” Nigel Hearne, executive vice president, Chevron Oil, Products & Gas, said in a statement. “Application of this industryfirst deepwater technology allows us to unlock previously difficult-to-access resources and will enable similar deepwater high-pressure developments for the industry.”
On July 25, Beacon Offshore Energy LLC, Houston, announced it had begun production at its Shenandoah field off the coast of Louisiana using 20,000-psi technology. On Oct. 9, Beacon said it ramped up the Phase 1 wells to deliver about 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) and noted that it believes the technology will facilitate development of similar fields.
BP, London, announced on Sept. 29 that it will build a new semisubmersible platform to develop its Tiber-Guadalupe project in the Gulf of America. Like BP’s Kaskida project sanctioned July 30, 2024, the Tiber-Guadalupe development will deploy 20,000-psi equipment.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates Gulf crude production will average 1.80 million bpd in 2025 and 1.81 million bpd in 2026. This is a modest rise from 1.77 million bpd in 2024. The increase is primarily driven by the addition of new fields, many of which are subsea tiebacks, which help offset the natural decline of mature assets.
Exploration activity remains limited, with operators focused on low-risk
developments tied to existing infrastructure. Between 2025 and 2026, 13 new Gulf fields are expected to come online, of which eight are tiebacks and five are greenfield developments using new floating production units, according to the EIA. This shift toward tiebacks reflects an industry preference for shorter-cycle, lower-capex developments that leverage existing infrastructure. One major example is Chevron’s Ballymore field, which started producing on April 21 and is expected to produce up to 75,000 bpd through a trio of wells tied back to the Blind Faith platform. Other tiebacks scheduled for late 2025 include Talos’ Katmai West and Sunspear, BP’s Argos Southwest Extension, and Beacon’s Zephyrus Phase 1.
Larger-scale projects, like BP’s $5 billion Tiber-Guadalupe development, continue to be sanctioned, though less frequently, indicating that operators remain willing to commit capital to longterm plays, provided the resource size and economics are strong.
The present phase of U.S. Gulf exploration and production is better described as optimization rather than expansion. As of this writing, oil prices are in the mid$60s per barrel. And with production expected to rise only slightly, operators are focusing on cost-effective tiebacks and selectively sanctioning high-impact deepwater projects. — Eric Haun
A6BREAKING THE ICE
fter many years of slow progress, the United States is executing an historic expansion of its polar icebreaking fleet to meet intensifying geopolitical demands in the Arctic and Antarctic.
While Russia and China have been expanding their presence in the polar regions, the U.S.’ operational icebreaker fleet remains critically small and aged. The Coast Guard has long relied on just one heavy icebreaker, the 1976-built USCGC Polar Star, and one medium
icebreaker, the USCGC Healy, commissioned in 1999. This fleet can be described as insufficient, at best.
Coast Guard analysis has indicated a requirement for at least eight to nine polar icebreakers — a mix of heavy and medium — to properly execute its polar missions, which include breaking through ice to support scientific research, commerce, national defense, and search-and-rescue operations.
Under recent expansion initiatives, the fleet is being supplemented by a commercial acquisition and a large, accelerated newbuild program.
In late 2024, to help immediately bridge the capability deficit, the Coast Guard acquired an existing commercially available vessel with icebreaking capability, the Aiviq, a former anchorhandling supply tug, for $125 million from a subsidiary of Edison Chouest Offshore, Cut Off, La. Following modifications, the ship was commissioned as the medium icebreaker USCGC Storis in August 2025, increasing the operational polar inventory to three vessels and providing a near-term presence capability.
The long-term playbook involves building new heavy icebreakers known as Polar Security Cutters (PSC). In 2019, the Coast Guard, in partnership with Naval Sea Systems Command, awarded VT Halter Marine Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., a $745.9 million contract for the detail design and construction of the first PSC. The contract included options for two additional cutters.
The lead vessel was initially scheduled for delivery in 2024, but significant cost growth and schedule delays have plagued the program.
In March, the contract for the PSC program was modified following the acquisition of VT Halter Marine by Bollinger Shipyards LLC, Lockport, La. A new award for $951.6 million was issued to Bollinger for continued design and construction. The delivery timeline for the first PSC was extended to May 2030, six years later than initially planned.
While efforts to expand the U.S. icebreaker fleet have been slow to develop, momentum increased under President Trump, who made fleet expansion a
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priority — in January going so far as to say he wanted the United States to have 40 “big” icebreakers.
The most dramatic step to expand U.S. icebreaking capabilities is an accelerated program for medium icebreakers, the Arctic Security Cutter (ASC), facilitated by an international strategic alliance known as the ICE Pact, signed in November 2024 between the U.S., Finland, and Canada to enhance icebreaker production and design cooperation.
In October, Trump and Finnish President Alexander Stubb approved a memorandum of understanding to build up to 11 icebreakers — rst in Finland and then in the U.S. — marking the most aggressive U.S. investment in its polar capabilities in decades.
The memorandum invokes Trump’s authority to permit foreign construction as a national security necessity. Under the $6.1 billion deal, four of the 11 ASCs will be built in Finnish shipyards, including Helsinki Shipyard, acquired
by Davie, Quebec, Canada, in 2023, and Rauma Marine Constructions Oy, leveraging Finland’s leading expertise and manufacturing to ensure a rapid delivery schedule. The rst vessels are projected to be delivered by 2028.
“Foreign construction of ASCs is a temporary measure to bridge a critical capability gap while spurring future domestic shipbuilding investment that will ensure the Coast Guard has the full supply of cutters it requires,” according to a White House fact sheet.
Up to seven additional ASCs will be constructed in U.S. shipyards based on Finnish design speci cations. Four of the ships will be built by Bollinger Shipyards in Houma, La., and three will be built by Davie Defense at the Galveston, Texas, shipyard it said it plans to acquire from Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corp. Davie said it will invest $1 billion into the facility.
And there could be more icebreaker orders on the horizon. Trump’s One Big
Beautiful Bill includes nearly $9 billion to build a series of heavy, medium, and light ASCs. — Eric Haun
MARITIME ACQUISITIONS
Things change. And so it is in the marine industry. Every year companies are bought and sold. This year is no different. Here are some of the more interesting transactions WorkBoat reported on in 2025:
• Moran Towing Corp., New Canaan, Conn., announced on Oct. 2 that it had acquired Bisso Towboat, New Orleans, as an investment in the ongoing growth of New Orleans and the lower Mississippi River region.
• Brown Gibbons Lang & Co. announced the sale of West Gulf Marine, a Galveston, Texas-based builder of in-
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land tank barges, to Maritime Partners LLC, a Metairie, La.-based maritime nancing rm focused on Jones Act vessels. The procurement came just one month after Maritime Partners nalized its purchase of Seattle-based Centerline Logistics Corp. Centerline operates a large eet of Jones Act-quali ed liquid petroleum barges and tugs, among other marine assets, that service the West, East, and Gulf Coasts, plus Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. The company also provides bunkering, ship-assist and escort, general towing, and tank storage
services.
• Seatrium Ltd., Singapore, announced in late September the divestment of its AmFELS shipyard in Brownsville, Texas, for $50.6 million. The sale is being carried out through its subsidiary, Seatrium AmFELS, Inc., under a binding agreement with Karpower Valley LLC, an af liate of Karpowership, Istanbul. The company said it will complete all of AmFELS’ ongoing projects by the end of 2025. The yard recently delivered the rst U.S.built wind turbine installation vessel,
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Charybdis, for Dominion Energy Inc., Richmond, Va., and it is currently building the nation’s largest hopper dredge, Frederick Paup, for Manson Construction Co., Seattle. The book value of the assets as of June 30 was approximately $30.4 million. The sale will be settled in cash, with $39 million of the payment deferred by one year from closing.
• In April, Saronic, Austin, Texas, announced it had acquired Franklin, La., shipbuilder Gulf Craft as part of its plans to produce a eet of autonomous vessels for naval and commercial marine
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applications. The nearly 100-acre Gulf Craft facility is now serving as the prototyping and production hub for Saronic’s medium uncrewed surface vessel eet, starting with the 150' Marauder-class autonomous surface vessel. The purchase price was not disclosed. Saronic is investing more than $250 million directly into the shipyard to modernize infrastructure, acquire new machinery, and update the facilities to support a rapid
capacity ramp-up, enabling Saronic to deliver up to 50 ships per year.
• Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Ocean nalized their $100 million acquisition of Philly Shipyard in December 2024, marking the of cial start of Hanwha’s U.S. shipbuilding operations under the new name Hanwha Philly Shipyard. The Philadelphia shipbuilder was previously a subsidiary of the Norwegian industrial investment group
Aker ASA. The deal received approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States in September 2024, which positions South Korea’s Hanwha to expand its presence in U.S. commercial and government shipbuilding markets. Hanwha noted the acquisition aims to leverage Philly Shipyard’s Jones Act shipbuilding track record while bringing in advanced technology and investment to expand capabilities.
• Several deals saw private equity rms make maritime acquisitions. Shipbuilder Diversi ed Marine Inc., Portland, Ore., was acquired by private equity rm Bochi Investments LLC, Lake Oswego, Ore., in a deal that closed on July 3. Diversi ed is a leading tugboat builder on the West Coast, active for 40 years in commercial vessel construction, retro tting, and repair. Investment rm Tallvine Partners, Coral Gables, Fla., in September announced its acquisition of Donjon Marine Co. LLC, Hillside, N.J., a marine services company with operations across the United States. In June, Investment rm Redwood Holdings, Baltimore, Md., announced it has agreed to acquire Canal Barge Co. Inc., New Orleans. The acquisition pairs Canal Barge with Marquette Transportation Co. LLC, Paducah, Ky., which Redwood purchased in May 2024. — K. Hocke
GOING GREEN
Workboat operators are periodically caught up in major technology shifts. That’s currently going on as companies are now looking to match up to propulsion systems that are more fuel ef cient, more dependable, cleaner burning and smoother running; mostly that’s coming down to a hybridelectric or an electric system.
The San Francisco Bay Ferry system is abandoning diesel propulsion and working toward a eet of fully electric passenger ferries, and Washington State Ferries (WSF), the nation’s largest ferry operator, is working to replace strictly
diesel-propulsion powered ferries with hybrid-electric powered ferries by 2040. The Washington program is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 76% by 2040 and to achieve zero emissions by 2050 as part of WSF’s $3.98 billion Ferry System Electri cation plan.
WSF ferries burn about 19-million gallons of diesel fuel annually to transport nearly 20-million passengers.
That makes them the biggest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions among Washington state agencies. Moving to a hybrid electri cation program is designed to reduce those greenhousegas emission and save millions in fuel costs. The operator will begin building its emission-free ferry eet by converting six existing vessels to hybrid-electric and building 16 new hybrid-electric vessels.
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San Francisco Bay’s rst passenger ferry was the sternwheeler General Sutter, launched in 1851, followed two years later by its rst steam ferry, the Clinton, a 120'x24' side-wheel steamer powered by a 125-hp low-pressure engine. Moving ahead 174 years, a future San Francisco Bay ferry will be a 92'3"x26', 155 passenger, batteryelectric powered, aluminum catamaran ferry. All American Marine, Bellingham, Wash., has signed up to build three of the 155-passenger ferries for $46 million, with an option for a fourth ferry. They are to be followed by a pair of 142'x34'9" 400-passenger batteryelectric ferries to be built by Nichols Bothers Boat Builders, Freeland, Wash. At a projected speed of 25 knots, the ferries will connect Oakland and Alameda to San Francisco. The 155-passenger and 400-passenger ferries will be the rst U.S. high-speed, battery-electric ferries.
The driver for the battery-electric ferries is San Francisco Bay Ferry’s commitment to zero emissions for its entire eet by 2035. Power that does not cross that zero-emission boundary will be generated by a Wartsila propulsion package that in the 92-footers includes a pair of 219-kW battery packs, one in each hull, matched up to a 625-kW electric motor powering a 360°, highspeed Hydromaster azimuth stern thruster. The 400-passenger ferries will have two units in each hull.
This summer, Marine Group Boat Works in Chula Vista, Calif., converted its 25'x14' diesel-powered yard tug, the Marco V to full battery-electric propulsion, replacing Tier 3 diesel engines with four electric motors using Torqeedo Deep Blue 100i inboard systems and battery modules, each generating 135 hp at 900 rpm. The rebuilt tug weighs within 10% of the original. It operates daily and charges overnight with 489volt shore power. The tug was converted to develop a standardized battery-electric propulsion package for small workboats, passenger vessels, and truckable tugs that potential Marine Group Boat Works customers could visualize and understand. — Michael Crowley
WORKFORCE BUILDUP IS CENTRAL TO NEW MARITIME STRATEGY 9
The Trump administration’s bid to reestablish U.S. prowess in commercial and naval shipbuilding is focusing on workforce recruitment, training, and retention, offering national resources toward tackling the industry’s persistent challenges.
The April 9 executive order for a Maritime Action Plan speci ed that the strategy “includes securing consistent, predictable and durable federal funding, making United States- agged and built vessels commercially competitive in international commerce, rebuilding America’s maritime manufacturing capabilities, and strengthening the recruitment, training and retention of the workforce.”
The executive order set out a Nov. 5 deadline for the Maritime Administration (Marad) and other agencies to set out the strategy with actionable steps. The order’s interim framework focused on initiatives including workforce development, along with new nancial incentives and subsidies for shipyards.
The stark imbalance in world maritime eets, 45,000 commercial cargo ships with just 200 U.S. agged, regained public attention with the Covid-19 upheaval in world trade and threat of renewed great-power con icts. Growing competition with China, and the potential for unmanned autonomous combat units demonstrated by the war in Ukraine, has U.S. naval thinkers and a new generation of shipbuilding entrepreneurs foreseeing a rapid turnaround.
“That’s really where the future of shipbuilding is right now,” Ted Williams, president of Senesco Marine, said in a July interview with WorkBoat at the
North Kingston, R.I., shipyard. Williams recalled the immense U.S. surge that responded to World War II threats: “If I had the workforce, I could put out one [ship] a week. It goes back to the Liberty ship days. Nationwide, we were putting out one a day.”
The end of that war left the U.S. merchant eet ascendant until competition from the Soviet Union, ags of convenience, and China brought on decades of decline. Industry leaders say it will be a steep climb back.
Part of the problem has been called the “silver tsunami” of aging workers retiring with no steady supply of new skill coming up. Weeks before the Trump administration arrived, Marad of cials reported on the need to attract more young people to join the maritime trades.
www.orca.eu
An agency report proposing a “Diverse Mariner Workforce Recruitment Strategy” identi ed challenges that the nation’s six maritime training schools
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and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy face in attracting students — especially women and minorities — and assuring that they apply and enroll in the schools and then graduate into maritime jobs.
The report focused primarily on making the student populations at maritime academies more diverse, arguing that diversity will help create a more inclusive culture in the industry and enhance overall performance of vessel crews.
The Department of Labor announced Sept. 5 there would be up to $8 million in funding to send American workers and trainees abroad to learn advanced shipbuilding techniques from leading global shipbuilding nations.
The initiative aims to establish partnerships between U.S. technical education centers and community colleges and their counterparts in allied nations — including South Korea and Japan, now
the world’s second- and third-largest shipbuilders after China.
“Working closely with our allies will advance the Department of Labor’s mission to create effective shipbuilding apprenticeship programs right here in the United States,” Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer said in announcing the move. “We are committed to helping President Trump restore maritime dominance by preparing American workers for success, which will lead to more mortgage-paying jobs and enhance national security.”
The program will support hands-on training opportunities for American workers in key trades, including boiler making, electrical work, steel fabrication, steam tting, shipwright work, and welding. Another goal is to develop a globally recognized shipbuilding trade curriculum for use in U.S. training programs.
Some U.S. shipyards have set up notable training programs on their own initiative to draw in new workforce recruits.
Gunderson Marine & Iron, Portland, Ore., opened its training center in Spring 2024 as a central hub for trades skills development, offering training in basic metals tting, industrial safety practices, and various welding techniques.
“The training center will equip participants with skills for meaningful and sustainable careers. After the completion of the paid training program, Gunderson evaluates graduates, offering full-time, living-wage jobs as welders and shipbuilders,” according to the company.
Bollinger Shipyards joined with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, South Mississippi Planning & Development District, and AccelerateMS to launch Ship tter Bootcamp in mid-2024.
The program is aimed squarely at the Coast Guard’s effort with Bollinger to develop the next-generation polar cutter eet, sponsors said: “The Ship tter Bootcamp is a critical step to establishing Bollinger Shipyards as a Center of Excellence in the design and construction of heavy polar icebreakers.”
— K. Moore
WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES FACES DOWN TWIN CHALLENGES
The United States’ largest ferry system, Washington State Ferries (WSF), will always be a mammoth mix of moving parts. Just look at the numbers from 2024: Nineteen million riders and 9 million vehicles traveled 765,000 miles on 21 boats while burning 90 million gals. of diesel fuel. Every day there are nearly 800 landings at 20 terminals while battling strong southerlies and swirling currents, dodging crab pots, and adjusting to 12' tides. From masters and mates to chief engineers, oilers and ABs, to people selling tickets and directing traffic, to downtown dispatchers, engineers, managers and lobbyists, about 2,000 Washingtonians work for WSF.
WSF has also been notable for who and what wasn’t there. For the past several years, especially during and immediately after the Covid pandemic, hundreds of sailings were canceled because of crew shortages. If anyone called in sick and the Coast Guard-mandated crew was incomplete, the ferry stayed tied up. No oiler? No go.
Steve Nevey, the current executive director of the state ferry
system, recognized the personnel problem when he took the job of operations manager in 2022. “When I started,” Nevey said in October, during an online public discussion, “the two biggest challenges were staffing and shortage of vessels.”
Nevey then set to work to overhaul WSF’s recruitment and internal advancement. WSF has been active in reaching out to high school students, especially those who might not be familiar with career opportunities in maritime, and it has partneed with Seattle Maritime Academy, Seattle Jobs Initiative, and the Maritime High School in the Highline School District.
Internally, WSF created several programs to help non-licensed crew reach licensed positions. “Previously, they had to pay for that themselves,” Nevey told the state Legislature’s Transportation Committee last March, “and they also had to take time off without pay. Now we pay the tuition [for classroom instruction] and they get paid their wage while they’re doing it.” He said that before making those changes, WSF was graduating five or six new licensed deck officers a year “when they were doing it on their own time and their own dime. Now it’s in the 30s and 40s a year.”
The other pressing problem for the ferry system is, of course, the boats. WSF doesn’t have enough boats, the ones in service are older and often break down, and the state government has mandated that the fleet clean up its act, environmentally. “We need to build eight, nine new vessels just to keep up with retirements of old vessels,” Nevey told the committee. “So it’s going to be eight, nine, 10 newbuilds before we even start net-gaining vessels.” The goal is a fleet of 26 boats.
FENDERING THE WORLD’S LEADING TUGS
A newbuild program for the next three boats is now in the shipyard engineering phase. Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Panama City, Fla., underbid the Washington state bidder, Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, and reportedly will begin construction of the first hybrid-powered ferry next fall. Originally, the state figured it had enough money for five new ferries, but it’s three for now. The new boats are designed by Elliott Bay Design Group, Seattle, and will be 160-car double-enders with hybrid power propulsion motors and batteries provided by ABB. The first new boat is expected in 2030.
The other part of the electrification program is conversion of existing vessels. The Wenatchee, one of WSF’s largest class (Jumbo Mark II, 202 cars) returned to service last summer after a midlife extension and hybrid-power conversion at Vigor’s Seattle shipyard. The job was supposed to take a year but took nearly two, all the while exhausting budgets and the patience of riders who would have been utilizing the big ferry. The original electrification plan called for serial conversion of all three Jumbo Mark IIs and three smaller ferries, but that plan was put on hold last March by Gov. Bob Ferguson. Rather than take another big boat out of service, the governor decided to delay conversion to improve current service.
“Last summer, with the support of the governor, we restored 18-boat domestic service for the first time since the pandemic, which is a huge milestone for the agency,” said Jenny Forty, director of external affairs, during the online meeting in October. “Last summer we had 191 canceled sailings due to lack of crewing, which is down from 617 the previous summer.”
BUILT TO PERFORM
2025 BOATBUILDING REVIEW
A look at the boats featured in WorkBoat from November 2024 to November 2025.
NOVEMBER 2024
TOWBOAT
C&C Marine and Repair
C&C Marine and Repair, Belle Chasse, La., has delivered a new twin-screw 198'x50'x12'6" towboat to American Commercial Barge Line, Jeffersonville, Ind. Designed by CT Marine, Cape Elizabeth, Maine, with an 11'6" draft, the Mariner is the largest and most powerful towboat on the Mississippi River, capable of pushing a tow of up to 64 barges.
Main propulsion comes from twin Caterpillar C280-12 diesel engines connected to Hung Shin 5-bladed 124" wheels through Reintjes WAF 6755 marine gears supplied by Karl Senner. Steering and controls are the responsibility of CT Marine’s TwinDIFF system with two steering and anking rudders.
Capacities include 117,192 gals of fuel oil; 17,250 gals. consumable potable water; 161,585 non-consumable water; 506 gals. hydraulic oil; 2,300 gals. coolant; and a 513-gal. genset day tank. In
addition, Mariner has accommodations for a 12-person crew and is tted with a single guest room.
The new towboat is ABS certi ed and USCG classed, Subchapter M.
AMMONIA-POWERED TUG
Feeney Shipyard
In September, Amogy Inc., an ammonia-to-power solution company, took delivery of the 105'x27'x13' tug NH3 Kraken. The steel-hulled tug was retro tted with Amogy’s ammoniato-electrical power system and had its successful inaugural run on a tributary upstream from New York City.
The retro t took place at Feeney Shipyard, Kingston, N.Y.
The tug was originally built in 1957 at Brooklyn-based Jakobson Shipyard and uses diesel generators and electric motors with its ammonia-topower system. The original tug was built for Virginia Railway Co.
Designed by Amogy and C-Job Naval Architects, Woodlands, Texas, the tug, which has a 13' draft, was not
retro tted for commercial use, but rather as a demonstration of the company’s ammonia-to-electric power system. The tug is now, technically, a recreational vessel.
The demonstration marks a step toward reducing global carbon emissions and moving the maritime industry closer to the International Maritime Organization’s 2050 net-zero emissions target, Amogy of cials said. It proves both the viability of Amogy’s technology and the potential of ammonia as a carbon-free maritime fuel.
Amogy’s patented ammonia-to-electrical power system splits, or “cracks,” liquid ammonia into its base elements of hydrogen and nitrogen. The hydrogen is then funneled into a fuel cell, generating high-performance power with zero carbon emissions.
During the demonstration, the NH3 Kraken was fueled with green ammonia produced entirely with renewable energy, the company said.
Main propulsion for the 259-gt. tug comes from a single RAMME Electric Machines SW860_M_750_B electric motor producing 750-kW of electrical power. The SW860 connects to a 2-bladed xed propeller through a Farrel marine gear with a 4.13: reduction ratio, giving NH3 Kraken a running speed of 12 knots.
Amogy’s technology was integrated with a e-SEAMatic BLUE package from power and automation systems integrator SEAM, and the steering system is a WEG 02509ET3E326T-W22. The tug can accommodate up to 20 people.
CT Marine
Amogy
SHIP-ASSIST TUG
Main Iron Works
Bisso Towboat Co. Inc., Luling, La., took delivery of the new low-emission ship-assist tug Mr. Brian, its sixth 5,000-hp azimuth-stern-drive tractor tug built in the past nine years by Main Iron Works LLC, Houma, La. The new tug is named in honor of Bisso’s longtime vice president, operations, Brian Cyprowski.
The 100'x38'x13'6" Mr. Brian is powered by Caterpillar 3516E Tier 4F main engines, generating 2,500 hp each at 1,600 rpm, which drive two Kongsberg US205S Z-drives. The Z-drives feature 2,400-millimeter diameter, 4-bladed stainless-steel propellers in stainless steel nozzles. Estimated bollard pull is 68 tons.
Electrical service is provided by two 118-kW Caterpillar generators powered by Caterpillar C4.4 engines. The tug is equipped with a JonRie series 240 escort winch featuring 500' of 2 ¾" diameter Saturn 12 line.
Other features include USCG-approved engine room monitoring and fire/ smoke alarm systems, fixed CO2 fire extinguishing system, Simrad navigation and electronics systems, soundproof insulation throughout the engine room and crew quarters, stainless steel bitts and bow staple, and four bunk rooms with seven berths.
Tankage includes capacities for 30,162 gals. of diesel, 11,000 gals. potable water, 1,825 gals. each of lube and hydraulic oil and 2,000 gals. of diesel exhaust fluid.
The Mr. Brian will have a crew complement of four and carry an ABS International Loadline designation in addition to being built to Subchapter
M certification and receiving a USCG certificate of inspection.
DECEMBER 2024
MARINE SPACEPORT
Conrad Shipyard
It’sentirely possible that the next breakthrough space adventure with a manned craft will depart from a waterborne vessel, possibly off the coast of Florida. That’s where the unmanned spaceship Neptune-Excelsior lifted off the 294'x56'x18'9" vessel Voyager (referred to as a Marine Spaceport and the first offshore support vesel (OSV) designed for space support) on Sept. 15, 2024. It was carried aloft by the SpaceBalloon that uses renewable hydrogen to ascend. The test flight reached 100,000', putting it above 99% of the earth’s atmosphere for part of its six-hour journey.
The driving force behind changing a traditional OSV from oil and gas support operations to offshore launching and recovery space operations is Space Perspective, Titusville, Fla.
Prior to becoming Space Perspective’s space flight launching and recovery platform, the Voyager was Edison Chouest Offshore’s C-Challenger, a 240' offshore supply vessel built in 1998 at Chouest’s North American Shipyard, Larose, La.
The switch in deepwater occupations required Conrad Shipyard, Morgan City, La., to make significant modifications to the Voyager, including lengthening the hull to 294', modifying the propulsion and emergency systems, outfitting the Voyager with a balloon launch system for the 600' balloon and 150’ to 200’ rigging for the space capsule’s
parachutes. There’s also a large Supreme Integrated Technologies A-frame on the stern to recover the capsule.
The Voyager uses small, fast boats to help retrieve the spacecraft and balloon from the sea.
The deck has the strength of 540 lbs./ sq. ft. and can handle 1,250 LT of cargo. Tankage includes 129,466 gals. of fuel and 36,620 gals. potable water.
With a 14'6" maximum draft, main propulsion comes from twin Caterpillar 3516 diesels producing 1,710 hp each. The boat also has two bowthrusters and two azimuthing stern thrusters (no hp available). One of the bowthrusters is an 850-hp CPP tunnel thruster and the other is a 1,200-hp dropdown. Cruising speed is 10 knots; maximum speed is 13 knots.
Why launch at sea? There are regulatory constraints to launch on shore that do not exist for offshore launching, and there’s a limited number of spaceports in the U.S. and globally.
The vessel can be easily moved in a day or two to areas with better weather conditions, allowing for more flexibility to station the vessel in calmer seas.
The boat, which can carry up to 42 people, features 16 staterooms, nine heads, a lounge area, hospital, walk-in cooler, and walk-in freezer.
Voyager is USCG certified Subchapter I and ABS classed Maltese Cross A1, AMS, DPS, Loadline (unrestricted ocean service), Circle E.
TOUR BOATS
Brix Marine
Brix Marine Brix Marine, Port Angeles, Wash., has launched three custom-built 34' foil assist catamarans for boat tourism company Na Pali Experience, Kaua’i, Hawaii. The Kulea, Lanakila, and To-
Bisso Towboat
Conrad Shipyard
BOATBUILDING REVIEW
kihi, designed in collaboration with Jutson Marine Design, each offers seating for up to 20 passengers and one crewmember.
The boats feature an asymmetric catamaran hull with midship-mounted hydrofoils for improved performance in varying sea conditions.
Each vessel is equipped with twin 300-hp Suzuki outboard engines and hooked up to two 100-gal. fuel tanks.
The vessels include SeaDek foam decking, high-grade vinyl seating, washdown systems, and advanced navigation electronics.
The vessels, whose responsibilities include cave exploration, dolphin encounters, and snorkeling among sea turtles, fall under USCG Subchapter T regulations.
JANUARY 2025
Offshore CTV
Senesco Marine
Senesco
Marine, North Kingstown, R.I., launched a new Jones Act-compliant crew transfer vessel (CTV) for its sister company, WindServe Marine.
The new vessel, WindServe Spartan, was built to serve the emerging offshore wind industry on the East Coast. Both Senesco Marine and WindServe Marine are part of the Reinauer Group.
The delivery of the WindServe Spartan marks the nal boat of a six-vessel contract with WindServe. The aluminum catamaran was designed by BMT, Houston, and measures 95'x30' with a 5'6" draft.
Compared with the rst four CTVs, the WindServe Spartan is hybrid-ready, built with an extended engine control room to allow for hybrid capabilities.
The new CTV is equipped with quad Volvo Penta D13 main engines, each rated at 690 hp at 2,300 rpm, and connected to a Volvo Penta IPS 900 propulsion system. The vessel has Volvo joystick controls, including a dynamic positioning system feature that allows the vessel to maintain its
position and heading despite strong winds and current.
The WindServe Spartan can achieve a service speed of 24 knots, with top speed capability of 27 knots, carrying up to six crewmembers and 24 offshore technicians. Crew amenities include Starlink internet, DirecTV satellite television, and KPM suspension seating.
Also onboard are a pair of Kohler Marine generators, a Toimil forward deck crane, a portable high-pressure washer on the bow, Hercules AAW-150 anchor windlass, First Electric automation system, and a Reygar BAREFleet vessel monitoring system.
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Senesco Marine
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BOATBUILDING REVIEW
Capacities include 9,715 gals. of fuel, and 792 gals. fresh water. The 540 sq. ft. forward cargo deck can handle up to 20 tons of freight.
WindServe Spartan is built to USCG Subchapter L certi cation and ABS classi cation.
ELECTRIC-OUTBOARD WORKBOATS
Silverback Marine
What will the workboats of the future look like? Photon Marine, a Portland, Ore.-based developer of electric propulsion systems, believes that its technology will be an option for vessel owners and operators seeking ways to improve ef ciency, environmental performance, and their bottom line.
It’s widely recognized that hybrid and electric vessels typically cost more initially than diesel-powered boats, with fully electric propulsion systems sometimes costing up to three times more. However, despite these higher initial costs, there are still nancial in-
centives to adopt these cleaner technologies, according to Charles Steinback, co-founder and vice president of business development at Photon Marine.
At peak, Photon Marine’s agship P300 electric outboard offers up to 300 hp and 500 newton meters (Nm) torque. Notably, it operates silently without any vibration or emissions.
At Paci c Marine Expo in Seattle in November 2024, Photon conducted onwater demonstrations, giving attendees the chance to experience its electric outboards installed on a Silverback Marine-built Grizzly aluminum workboat. The 24' vessel, which features dual motors, and a pair of 63-kWh battery packs, has an estimated range of about 30 nautical miles, cruises easily at 25 knots (at roughly 65% power) and can reach a top speed of 40 knots. It can be charged overnight on Level 2 (240 V) or in 45 minutes using DC fast charge.
Electric outboards, like any technology, have their limitations, but the technology will continue to improve, especially as battery systems advance.
Photon Marine sees opportunities across several vessel types, such as research and survey, mariculture, dredge and marine construction support, harbor patrol, eco-tourism and water taxis, crew transport, and ports and utilities, among others.
Photon’s electric outboards are currently being put to the test on the U.S. East Coast under a two-year lease agreement with the New York Power
Authority, with additional projects planned in other locations.
On the West Coast, Photon Marine is supporting the Port of Friday Harbor, which was recently awarded $7 million as part of the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Port Electri cation Grant Program. The initiative will see the port deploy up to ve electric vessels, including a 24' pump-out vessel, a 24' workboat and a 28' passenger transport boat. Ultimately, electric workboats are part of a wider push toward sustainability.
98' CREW TRANSFER
VESSEL
Blount Boats
American Offshore Services
Blount
Boats, Warren, R.I., delivered the 98.4'x36' crew transfer vessel Guarder to American Offshore Services (A-O-S), Providence, R.I., in November 2024.
The Jones Act-compliant aluminum catamaran is purpose-built to transfer technicians and equipment in support
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of the offshore wind industry on the U.S. East Coast. It can accommodate 24 passengers.
The newbuild is the third G-class series CTV delivered to A-O-S in 2024. The company is a partnership between Swedish CTV operator Northern Offshore Services (N-O-S) and U.S.-based investment firm Orion Infrastructure Capital.
Main propulsion comes from a combination of Volvo Penta D13 diesels and four Volvo Penta IPS 1050 propulsion drives, two in each hull. The fully integrated system includes Volvo Penta’s GPS-based dynamic positioning system and integrated joystick controls, designed for convenient and easy maneuverability even in conditions of strong currents and high waves. All subsystems are connected by Volvo Penta’s Electronic Vessel Control data network.
Guarder is “hybrid-ready”, meaning it has been built with extra space on
board to enable a conversion to hybrid in the future.
The G-class CTVs are equipped with the patented N-O-S fender, which has been proven on windfarms throughout Europe, and has shown “unparalleled gripping qualities, which increases transfer performance,” according to A-O-S.
The A-O-S CTV G-class is ABS classed, and USCG certi ed Subchapter L.
FEBRUARY 2025 FERRY SERVICE
PUSHBOAT
Sheridan Shipyard
The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) recently christened the 48'x18'x6'4" Summitt. The
new pushboat provides propulsion for the 90'x26' deck barge Volunteer, the two combining to create a ferry boat that operates between Benton and Houston counties.
The TDOT expects Summitt to serve the region for the next 30 years, replacing a 67-year-old pushboat. In 2023, the ferry service transported approximately 14,500 vehicles.
Summitt was designed by SeaCraft Design LLC, Sturgeon Bay, Wis., and built by McGinnis Inc.’s Sheridan Ship-
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yard, South Point, Ohio. The vessel was funded by federal and state tax dollars at a total cost of $3.3 million.
Main propulsion comes from twin John Deere 6090AFM85 diesel engines each rated at 285 hp at 2,100 rpm. Twin Disc MG-5091DC reduction gears with a 3.82:1 ratio spin 44" diameter Michigan Wheel Workhorse 4-bladed propellers. The pushboat meets EPA Tier 3 emissions standards, and its fuel capacity, split between forward (2,880 gals.) and aft tanks (1,180 gals.), totals 4,060 gals.
Ship’s service power comes from a Kubota KK4 generator, while additional systems onboard include R.W. Fernstrum & Co. grid coolers, and an Ahead Sanitation Systems marine sanitation device for wastewater treatment. Electronics, installed and provided by Gemini Electronics of Paducah, Ky., include a Furuno 1935 radar.
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The vessel also features McGinnis custom side fendering and Schuyler fenders on the bow and stern to enhance operational safety.
Deck equipment includes a Nabrico hand-operated, two-ton winch on the foredeck and a Wintech WK-3600-08 winch on the stern for securing the pushboat to the barge in rough weather conditions.
Interior out tting includes Tuf ex flooring, Distribution International ceiling panels, and Concord sound-absorbing wall paneling. In the pilothouse, captains sit 18' above the waterline while manning a Skipper Engineered Products hydraulic steering system provided by Donovan Marine. Fire safety is managed by a Fireboy-Xintex Elite RSM alarm panel.
The vessel was named in honor of the late University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball coach Pat Summitt, who served as head coach from 1974 to 2012.
FUEL BARGES Damen Song Cam Shipyard
Two new fuel barges designed by Robert Allan Ltd., Vancouver, B.C., have recently begun bunkering operations in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. Both barges were built at Damen SongCam Shipyard in Vietnam.
Designed and built for Wolverine Terminals, Calgary, Alberta, the vessels are the rst purpose-built bunkering barges
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in Prince Rupert. With its new fuel service, Wolverine can deliver a range of products, including marine diesel, heavy, intermediate or blended.
Having an option to refuel in Prince Rupert makes a fast-growing port even more competitive with Vancouver farther south. Previously, visiting ships and tankers either carried enough fuel for a round trip or they ran to Vancouver for it.
With the new bunkering, the port is also expanding into energy export with a new facility for LPG and other liquid bulk products.
The Wolverine Spirit 1 is a 466' transloading barge that was custom-designed to accept up to 24 rail tank-cars on deck. The cars are loaded and unloaded using an existing aquatrain marine ramp in Prince Rupert. For maximum ef ciency, there are four rail lanes and a pair of onboard turnouts (switches), a novel arrangement on a rail barge. Combined with a high-performance ballasting sys-
tem and Wolverine’s dedicated locomotive, the barge can load and of oad a full set of railcars during a single tide. The Wolverine Spirit 1 has a total capacity (100%) of 87,190 bbls.
After the fuel is transferred from the rail cars, Wolverine Spirit 1 is moved by tug from the port’s rail loading ramp to the Wolverine Terminals site nearby. From there fuel is pumped into the Wolverine Spirit 2, a 256' (78-meter) lightering barge and towed to client vessels in the inner harbor. With a capacity of 31,080 bbls. (100%), the barge can efciently deliver fuels to ocean-going vessels. The towing is provided by SAAM Towage Canada
Both barges have been designed to maximize the safety of operations. In addition to featuring double hulls, there are extensive containment and response systems aboard both barges, as well as re ghting systems and equipment. Cranes on both barges facilitate the
transfer of equipment from shore and handling of hoses. All fueling operations are also required by the port to be boomed. Both barges are fully compliant with Transport Canada regulations and are classed for their service with Lloyds Register. For environmental considerations, the IMO Tier III-compliant exhausts are equipped with after-treatment, all diesel-powered machinery has noise abatement, the tanks are tted with vapor recovery systems, and the lighting is low intensity.
PASSENGER/ VEHICLE FERRY
Eastern Shipbuilding Group
Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc. (ESG), Panama City, Fla., on Dec. 20, 2024, announced it had delivered the new ferry Long Island to
Yank Marine, Inc. has built and repaired thousands of boats: private yachts, commercial and fishing craft, military vessels, and a large array of USCG-certified passenger vessels.
the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Co., a subsidiary of McAllister Towing.
The 302'x52' passenger and auto ferry will provide service between Bridgeport, Conn., and Port Jefferson, N.Y., across Long Island Sound.
Designed by Gilbert Associates, Braintree, Mass., the ferry is powered by twin EPA Tier 4 Electro-Motive
Diesel 12 ME 23B diesel engines, each producing 3,000 hp at 900 rpm and driving Reintjes WAF 3445 3.083:1 reduction gears delivering power to fixed pitch propellers.
Ship’s service power comes from three John Deere 6135 AFM85 diesel generators producing 300 kw at 1,800 rpm. Maneuverability is enhanced by two Berg MTT113 FPL bowthrusters, each driven
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by John Deere 6135 AFM85 diesels rated 500 hp at 2,000 rpm and coupled to Reintjes WVS 234 1.50:1 reduction gears. Steering controls are by Jastram Karl Senner LLC supplied the reduction gearboxes and control systems for main propulsion and bowthrusters, as well as the Berg bowthrusters.
The addition of the Long Island ferry is designed to establish a consistent three-vessel schedule during peak travel periods, improving both capacity and reliability of service across Long Island Sound. The new ferry joins two other Eastern-built vessels in the operator’s eet: P.T. Barnum and Grand Republic, delivered in 1999 and 2003, respectively.
MARCH 2025
FOURTH NATIONAL SECURITY MULTIMISSION VESSEL
Texas A&M University
Hanwha Philly Shipyard has launched the fourth of five new ships as part of the Maritime Administration’s (Marad) National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) program. The 525'1"x88'7"x21'4" newbuilds are
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specifically designed to serve as training vessels for the nation’s state maritime academies.
NSMV IV, to be named Lone Star State, was floated out from the Philadelphia facilities in late January. Interior outfitting work was to be completed on board NSMV IV ahead of sea trials and scheduled delivery to the Texas A&M Maritime Academy in Galveston, Texas, later this year.
The first two NSMVs, Empire State and Patriot State, were delivered to SUNY Maritime College in 2023 and Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 2024, respectively.
NSMV III, State of Maine, was christened in Philadelphia in August, prior to deliver to Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine. NSMV V, Golden State, is currently being built on land and is scheduled to be handed over to California State University Maritime Academy in 2026.
Each ship in the series is equipped with four Wabtec 16V250MDC dieselelectric propulsion engines producing 16,800 kW (22,500 hp) of total installed power plus a 900-kW (1,200 hp) emergency generator. Full speed is 18 knots.
Each NSMV is designed to house numerous instructional spaces, a full training bridge, and accommodations for up to 600 cadets to train in a maritime academic environment at sea.
In addition, each vessel features hospital facilities, a helicopter pad and the ability to accommodate up to 1,000 people in times of humanitarian need. The NSMVs can also provide roll-on/ roll-off and container storage capacity for use during disaster relief missions.
The NSMV shipbuilding program is the first in the U.S. to use the vessel construction manager (VCM) model. This approach places responsibility for selecting and overseeing the shipyard with a government contractor, who applies commercial best practices to manage the project.
In 2019, Marad awarded TOTE Services a contract to serve as the VCM for the NSMV program. In 2020, Philly Shipyard was contracted to build the first two vessels. The next two vessels
were ordered in 2021, with the fifth and final vessel following in 2022.
HYBRID-POWERED TOUR BOAT
All American Marine
AllAmerican Marine, Bellingham, Wash., has begun construction of a new 108'x32'6" hybrid-powered passenger vessel for Harbor Breeze Cruises in California for operation in the Los Angeles/Long Beach area. Designed by Teknicraft Design in New Zealand, the new monohull will accommodate up to 350 people on several decks and stadium seating on the bow.
With a 588-kW BorgWarner energy storage system, zero-emissions operation is anticipated for most inner harbor tours and special events. For longer runs (the boat will have Limited Coastwise authorization), additional power will be provided by two Tier 4 MAN diesel engines with selective catalytic reduction and a diesel particulate filter. As such, the new boat will exceed both federal and state air quality requirements. And because of its low-emissions profile, the new boat qualified for a subsidy from the Los Angeles Marine Emission Reduction (LA MER), a project funded by California Climate Investments, an initiative that uses cap-and-trade auction income to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The hybrid system features two drive lines turning fixed-pitch propellers. Each side has a 250-kW motor and a MAN D2862 Tier 4 engine rated at 882 kW (1,182 bhp) at 2,100 rpm, supplied by Northern Lights, Seattle.
The electrical side of the system is provided by ABB Inc.
All propulsion power will run through
Reintjes PTO/PTI gearboxes from Karl Senner
For an extra boost when needed, both the electric motors and the diesel can work in conjunction to provide more power. There is an additional clutch in the gearboxes that allows them to be uncoupled from the shaft output completely and provides a battery-chargingonly mode, which allows the operator to use a Tier 4 with DPF engine to act as a generator and rapidly charge the battery bank while remaining stationary. This option can be used while drifting for a dinner cruise, or if Harbor Breeze Cruises needs to park at a transient dock without bulk charging capabilities.
When operating out of its home port, there is adequate shoreside infrastructure available now for overnight charging of the new boat, but future installation of increased charging capability for other vessels is part of the overall project.
The exterior design reflects the client’s desire for the vessel to have sleek European-type styling to make it stand out from the typical vessels in the U.S. For that Teknicraft turned to the Italian superyacht design firm Studio Sculli to create the concept styling of the exterior lines of the superstructure.
CHICAGO
PASSENGER VESSEL
Burger Boat Co.
Burger Boat
Chicago-based Wendella Tours & Cruises has ordered an 89'9"x30'x7'3" passenger vessel with a draft of 5'6" from Burger Boat Co., Manitowoc, Wis., for scheduled delivery in the spring of 2026.
The new vessel will join a Wendella fleet that consists of nine active vessels,
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including ve Subchapter K boats and four Subchapter T water taxis. These vessels, which have passenger capacities ranging from 95 to more than 300, host sightseeing tours, cruises and private events on Chicago’s waterways and Lake Michigan.
The new two-deck vessel was designed by Timothy Graul Marine Design and SeaCraft Design, both based in Sturgeon Bay, Wis. The steel newbuild will be a sistership to four of Wendella’s existing K-class vessels.
The new boat order comes amid growing local demand, providing added operational exibility, allowing for more rotations in and out of Wendella’s shipyard where the company’s vessels are rehabbed following their operating seasons.
Because Wendella operates yearround, including through the cold winter months, the new vessel will — like its sisterships — have a full climate-
controlled cabin. Powered by twin Volvo Penta D13 diesels, the monohull will be capable of speeds up to 10 knots. Its capacities include 1,000 gals. of fuel, 500 gals. fresh water, and 600 gals. waste.
Wendella has yet to choose a name for the new vessel, so it is being referred to as CV110 until a name is selected. The keel was scheduled to be laid at Burger’s yard in February, and Wendella anticipates placing the boat into service as soon as it is delivered next year.
APRIL 2025
OCEANGOING TUG
Marine Power & Equipment Co.
It’s been a long and winding journey for the latest tug to join the eet of Dawn Services LLC, Harvey, La. The
22-year-old vessel is being refurbished after spending ve years laid up in Pascagoula, Miss.
The tug was built in 2003, but its story dates to the early 1980s when a group of keels were laid for new tugs designed to tow barges between Seattle and Alaska. Market challenges derailed the builds, and the un nished hulls changed hands and shipyards several times before the tug that would become Foss Maritime Co.’s Corbin Foss was completed at Marine Power & Equipment Co., Seattle, in 2003.
Dawn Services
Dawn Services
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Removed from operational duty and laid up in 2021, the tug is now being given another chance after being recently acquired by Dawn Services, who is in the process of restoring the vessel for reentry into service under full ABS class.
Notably, the 150'x40' tug packs a lot of power, which Dawn Services found attractive as it looks to expand its presence in the larger tug market. The tug — renamed the Capt. John J. Charpentier in honor of Dawn Services’ founder — will be the company’s largest and most powerful tug, offering 108 tons of bollard pull. It is equipped with two Fairbanks Morse ALCO 16-251F diesel engines that turn twin 144"x127" 4-bladed, fixed-pitch propellers in Kort nozzles through a pair of Haley GMC 4228 reduction gears. It also features a pair of 170-kW Cummins N-14-TA generators and a 500-hp bowthruster. Topside refurbishment work on the Capt. John J. Charpentier has started at a dock rented by Dawn Services in Port Fourchon, La. The vessel will move to Bollinger Fourchon for more extensive repair work to be carried out in the coming months.
CHARTER FISHING BOATS
North River Boats
One hundred miles inland from the Pacific Coast, and surrounded by forests, Roseburg, Ore., has been called the Timber Capital of the World.
The largest employer in town has long been Roseburg Timber Products. Roseburg is also home to North River Boats, which employs about 300 people who collectively build about 300 alumi-
num boats a year. Sizes range from a 21' fishing boat with a 150-hp outboard to a 32'x16' Bristol Bay commercial gillnetter with twin waterjets to a 52'x16' crew transport boat with a wide variety of power options and cabin configurations.
It’s a broad spectrum with many different models, almost all of which are powered by outboard engines. Many, maybe most, North River Boats are used for fishing, both recreationally and commercially by charter operators. One such operator is Nootka Marine Adventures, which owns three upscale resorts on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
This summer, Nootka Marine will be getting eight new North River 3100SLX models followed by seven more next year. The boats will be delivered from Port Boat House in Alberni, British Columbia, also on Vancouver Island. Port Boat House is a dealer for North River and Yamaha and does all the final outfitting.
Nootka Marine already has 10 other North River boats, all 32-footers. The new 31s are powered by twin Yamaha F250 outboards, which are mounted on a stern platform extension. Inside the cabin there is seating for five passengers and an operator. All seats are S5s from ShockWave, Sidney, British Columbia. The house also provides a stand-up head and a small sink. There is no galley equipment. These are get-out-there-andfish boats, but comfortable get-out-thereand-fish boats with shock-mitigating seats, Seakeeper 2 roll-stoppers, and Espar G4 diesel heaters.
Seakeeper gyroscopic stabilizers have been around since the first prototype was developed in 2006. The concept is basic physics: a heavy flywheel is spun at high rpm (8,000-9,000) while positioned on a vertical shaft. The spinning causes the gyroscope to resist changes to its axis of rotation. It doesn’t eliminate rolling, but it diminishes it to just a few degrees. Most boats, like the 3100SLX, have the gyroscope under the deck and on the centerline, but off-center and on-deck locations can also work. The Seakeeper flywheel is housed inside a vacuumsealed, spherical steel cover. Sensors inform the unit of the boat’s motion, and
the gyro is adjusted as necessary by hydraulic arms powered by electric motors.
On the new boats, the Seakeeper 2 model runs on 12-volt battery power, as opposed to 120-volt systems on larger models. The North River 31-footer’s Seakeeper 2 battery bank has three AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries. Alternators on the Yamahas provide the power for recharging these batteries as well as powering the other batteries, starters, helm electronics, lights and pumps.
The North River 32s have a walkthrough cabin that opens to the bow and seating for nine, including the operator. The 31s will have a cuddy across the front and the house is pulled forward to provide more room on the back deck for fishing — and a larger aft overhang — while limiting seating to six, including one operator.
Like the 32s, the 31s will also carry all necessary fishing gear such as downriggers, cannon balls, rod holders, and iced fish boxes.
All three Nootka Marine resorts are located on ocean inlets on the west side of Vancouver Island. Fishing trips are often taken to the outside for ocean trolling.
On average, each resort is about 30-40 minutes from the outside running at about 30 mph. The 31'x9'6" deep-V hull has a 24° deadrise at the transom and a 55° entry at the bow.
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steel-hulled 67'6"x28'x9'6" push tug Soaring Eagle to Colonial Oil Industries Inc., Savannah, Ga., in December 2024.
Soaring Eagle left New Orleans shortly after Christmas Day and headed east on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. With a lock on the Okeechobee Waterway closed to navigation, the crew aboard the push tug had to go through the Florida Keys and up the east coast of Florida, with a diversion through Miami due to weather. The push tug arrived in Savannah on Jan. 8 of this year.
Soaring Eagle and its tank barge, CTOW 320, mark a signi cant step forward in enhancing Colonial’s marine division’s capabilities and a strategic investment in the future of the company’s marine fueling and towing capabilities.
The tug and barge were both christened at Colonial Terminals on the Savannah River on Jan. 31, 2025. The event welcomed key stakeholders.
CTOW 320 has a 32,000 bbls. capacity, 12 compartments, four segregations and the ability to carry various fuels and cargoes. The vessel also represents the company’s continued commitment to reducing environmental impact.
The Entech-designed twin-screw Soaring Eagle’s main propulsion comes from two Caterpillar C32 diesel engines each producing 800 hp at 1,800 rpm. The Cats connect to Sound Propeller stainless steel, 4-bladed 68"x57" wheels through Twin Disc MGX-5321 marine gears with 5.96:1 reduction ratios. The tug draws 8’ fully loaded. The propulsion package gives the tug a running speed of 10 knots.
Soaring Eagle will primarily work between Charleston, S.C., and Jacksonville Fla., pushing the new CTOW 320 tank barge.
Colonial Oil Industries’ marine division is a cornerstone of company operations as it ensures the seamless transportation of fuel products across strategic locations from Norfolk, Va., to Tampa, Fla. The christening event underscored the signi cance of a milestone in Colonial Oil Industries’ ongoing mission to innovate and lead in the oil and maritime industries.
Soaring Eagle’s tankage includes 18,512 gals. of fuel; 4,500 gals. water; and 453 gals. lube oil.
MAY 2025
SHIP-ASSIST TUG
Gunderson Marine & Iron/ Diversified Marine Inc.
Shaver Transportation Co., Portland, Ore., is scheduled to take delivery of a new 79'x40'x17' ship-assist and escort tug, Heather S, this summer, bringing more horsepower and capability to the Columbia River.
The Robert Allan Ltd.-designed RApport 2500 tug is being built by a pair of partnering Portland shipyards. Gunderson Marine & Iron constructed the hull and launched it in March, and Diversi ed Marine Inc. (DMI) will complete the vessel, including all out tting.
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The newbuild will be Shaver’s second Tier 4 tug, following the 8,400hp, 112'x45'x21' tractor tug Samantha S, built by DMI in 2018.
The Heather S’s two Caterpillar 3516E main engines will each deliver 3,500 hp at 1,800 rpm, powering Berg MTA 628 azimuth thrusters. The vessel will also feature 2,156-kW John Deere 6068AFM85 auxiliary engines and a Markey DEPC 52 electric hawser winch. The tug is
expected to be able to reach a speed of 12 knots and provide a bollard pull of 100 tons. It will have 20,500 gals. fuel capacity and accommodations for six crew.
Shaver of cials liked the RApport 2500 design after seeing others built by DMI. The rst tug built in the U.S. to this design was constructed for Brusco Tug & Barge Inc., Longview, Wash., and entered service in 2020 under long-term charter to Crowley, Jacksonville, Fla., in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif.
Upon its entry into service this fall, the tug will operate from Astoria, Ore., to Portland, with a focus area from Portland to Longview, Wash.
A lot of effort went into the tug’s crew features with emphasis on making the wheelhouse user-friendly and the interior spaces and berthing areas quiet to reduce fatigue.
NAVY HOVERCRAFT Textron Systems
U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command
The Navy in March accepted delivery of the ship-to-shore connector LCAC 112 (landing craft, air cushion), from Textron Systems, New Orleans.
Delivery of the 91'x47'10" vessel follows the completion of acceptance trials and marks the of cial transfer of the craft from the shipbuilder to the Navy. During these trials, the Navy’s Board
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of Inspection and Survey assessed the craft’s readiness and capability to meet operational requirements.
The LCAC is designed with similar con gurations, dimensions, and clearances to legacy LCACs, designed to ensure compatibility with existing well-deck-equipped amphibious ships, Naval Sea Systems Command reported in a statement announcing the delivery.
The boat, which has a height of 25'10" with its cushion in place, can carry a payload of approximately 60 to 75 tons, transporting weapon systems, equipment, cargo, and assault personnel in various conditions, including over-the-beach operations. (The vessel’s height is 19'2" without the 5' cushion.)
Main propulsion comes from four Vericor Power Systems ETF40B gas turbines, each producing 3,955 hp. The turbines connect to variable pitch props and aerodynamic rudders. The lift system consists of four 63" double-entry, double-discharge centrifugal lift fans.
The propulsion package can carry the vessel at a speed of 50 knots in sea state 2 (wave heights to .5 meters), 35 knots in sea state 3 (wave heights to 1.25 meters), and 25 knots over land. The LCAC has a range of 200 miles at 40 knots.
PEO Ships, one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, manages the development and procurement of destroyers, amphibious ships and craft, auxiliary ships, specialmission ships, sealift ships, and support ships.
The rear deck area measures 67'x27' (1,809 sq. ft.). The design payload weight is 120,000 lbs., overload payload is 150,000 lbs., and the maximum allowable weight of the boat with payload is 389,984 lbs.
Textron is building LCACs 113-125.
“MOSQUITO FLEET” FERRIES
Delta Marine
the patented Artemis eFoiler and EF-24 electric ferry design to develop a new “mosquito” style of smaller, more agile ferries that have recently been advocated as a practical solution to Puget Sound’s ferry congestion.
The term Mosquito Fleet has been used to describe several different otillas. In this case, the reference is to a eet of small steam vessels which
Artemis Technologies and Delta Marine, Seattle, said they will use
The 78.7'x36' EF-24 vessel will carry
Artemis Technologies
BOATBUILDING REVIEW
two hours on a single charge. Those capabilities would align well with existing regional ferry services like those operated by Kitsap Transit and King County Metro, the developers said.
Using Kitsap’s Kingston-Seattle 30-nautical-mile route as an example, the Artemis EF-24 can complete two round trips before requiring a recharge.
With short charges during the morning and afternoon sessions, and a longer midday charge, the EF-24 can run on the current timetable, covering around 180 miles daily.
Artemis’ Megawatt Charging System can charge at a rate of 2.9 MW, up to fully charged in less than an hour. But to meet the example of Kingston to Seattle runs, the vessel would only need to charge at 2 MW during the day, optimizing battery health.
JUNE 2025 INVADER-CLASS TUG REPOWER
Curtin Maritime
Curtin Maritime, Long Beach, Calif., last spring completed a repower of the Lindsay C, an Invaderclass tug built in 1975 by J.R. McDermott & Co., Morgan City, La. Between 1974 and 1977, Crowley Maritime commissioned 25 Invader-class tugs at the McDermott yard, building a eet that would become known for its speed and towing capabilities.
The design was originated by Philip F. Spaulding & Associates, Seattle, a rm that later became Nickum & Spaulding and eventually Elliott Bay
Design Group. The Invader-class shows a distinct West Coast in uence intended for heavy-duty ocean towing operations.
Curtin Maritime purchased the Lindsay C in response to customer demand for faster barge transit times.
Originally out tted with two EMD 20-645-E5 engines producing a total of 7,200 hp, the Invader-class are highspeed tow boats.
Curtin performed the repower inhouse, navigating several complex engineering challenges. The original engines were replaced with new GE 8L250 engines, requiring substantial recon guration of the engine beds, heat rejection, and coupling, ventilation and exhaust systems.
Additionally, cooling system modications were extensive. The old engines required so much cooling capacity that nearly the entire bottom of the boat was taken up by channel coolers. The new Wabtec engines use a separate circuit cooling system with both jacket water and an aftercooling system.
Despite the engines’ smaller frames, inverse weight differences between each engine had to be carefully balanced.
The new engines offer 6,700 hp, roughly 500 hp less than the original EMD engines. Despite this, initial sea trials with the boat have shown no loss in service speed, and a decrease in fuel consumption.
While the Invader-class tugs’ 70 to 75 tons of static bollard pull is not that impressive in relation to other builds, when the tugs are free running with a barge, they can pretty much beat anything. The advantage lies in dynamic bollard pull.
Additional Lindsay C upgrades included reworking the exhaust system to t the new engines, which required fabricating and installing new stacks and insulation to meet emissions and safety requirements. The team also added a Tier 4 winch motor to the refurbished Markey winch and installed new industrial Tier 4 6068 John Deere generators, keeping the original Allison transmission and fabricating an adapter
plate to t. Curtin’s carpenters also completely rebuilt the wheelhouse, including a full rewire with primarily Furuno electronics, Rose Point ECS with Hatteland screens, and a new modern alarm system.
Building an Invader-class design today would ring in around $38 million.
The 136'3"x36'6"x19'2" Lindsay C completed sea trials in late March 2025 and returned to active duty in April.
CALIFORNIA FIREBOAT
Moose Boats
Moose Boats
MooseBoats, Vallejo, Calif., has delivered a M2-36 model catamaran to the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol. The new 36'x13'6" vessel is designed to serve multiple functions, including law enforcement, re response, and emergency medical services, operating throughout Santa Barbara harbor and coastal waters.
The M2-36 is equipped with twin 300-hp Suzuki outboard engines paired with contrarotating dual stainless-steel propellers. The vessel is also outfitted with a Volvo Penta diesel engine powering a firefighting system capable of delivering up to 1,500 gals. per minute through two TFT monitors, handline discharges, and a 5" supply discharge.
The boat cost approximately $900,000. Due to a General Service Administration contract dating three years ago, the vessel’s price was locked in. Today’s newbuild price would have been much higher.
The re ghting system features two remote-controlled re monitors — one on the roof and one on the bow.
Curtin Maritime
This is the rst Moose Boats vessel in the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol eet, which includes a 22' patrol boat, a 32' response boat with re ghting capability, and a rescue in atable.
JULY 2025 ALASKAN PATROL BOAT
Bay
Weld Boats
Bay Weld Boats, Homer, Alaska, has delivered a new aluminum patrol vessel built for the Alaska State Troopers to operate in the waters of Bristol Bay.
Designed and constructed in-house, Bay Weld Boats said the Kellutuq, delivered in March, is purpose-built for law enforcement missions in shallow, remote environments while offering overnight comfort and endurance for extended patrols.
The 36'x11' vessel draws only 22". Propulsion comes from twin Cummins QSB 6.7L diesels, each delivering 425 hp at 3,000 rpm, coupled with MJP twin UJ305 waterjets through ZF 2801 gears with a 1.056:1 ratio.
The boat cruises between 26 and 30 knots, with a top speed of 37 knots. Steering and controls are managed by a Glendenning two-station electronic control system that features joystick control and 4" LCD displays at both helm stations. Redundancy is built into the hydraulic system, with twin Eaton 3.8-cu.-inch pumps tied to live power take-offs on each marine gear.
Kellutuq is equipped for both performance and patrol longevity, accord-
ing to the builder. It carries 500 gals. of fuel, allowing a range of up to 500 nautical miles, and holds 100 gals. fresh water. Sleeping accommodations include three bunks in the berth and a convertible dinette, allowing overnight capacity for up to four troopers. The galley includes a full-featured kitchen, and a head with shower ensures comfort on multiday assignments.
Electronics aboard include a full Garmin navigation suite: three GPSMAP 8616xsv displays (two at the main helm and one aft), Fantom 24 radar, SideVU and traditional transducers, Garmin autopilot, Starlink connectivity, and both police and VHF radios.
The rear cargo deck measures 10'x13' and supports up to 4,000 lbs. of equipment. Additional gear includes a pot puller with davit system, transom boarding door, buoy fendering, diesel heater, and an eight-battery bank system powered by a Fisher Panda 5-kW marine diesel generator.
TEXAS TUG
Master Boat Builders
Towing Corp., New Canaan, Conn., christened its newest tugboat, the 86'x36'x15'8" Mary Jane Moran, in April, at the Port of Beaumont, Texas. The event was attended by namesake Mary Jane Marchisotto and her family, along with Moran leadership, employees, and members of the local port community.
The boat was designed by Crowley Engineering Services, Seattle, and built by Master Boat Builders Inc., Coden, Ala. Mary Jane Moran joins Moran’s growing fleet of tugs tasked with shipassist and escort missions. The new tug
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weighs 192 gross tons and draws 16'.
The tugboat is equipped with twin Caterpillar 3512E engines delivering a combined 5,100 hp and a bollard pull of 67.55 tons. The Cats connect to two Kongsberg US 205 Z-drives, enabling speeds up to 12.5 knots.
Ship’s service power comes from a John Deere 4045 generator. Kongsberg also provided the vessel controls and US205FP thrusters. Additional electronics on board are Furuno. The Mary Jane Moran is classified with ABS for towing service and escort work and carries +A-1 Towing Service and +AMS certi cations.
With accommodations for a crew of six, tankage includes 21,750 gals. of fuel oil; 4,940 gals. water; and 575 gals. lube oil.
EDUCATION VESSEL Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding
The 49'x20'3"x3'8" aluminum hull carries the name Fire y, a catchy title that’s bound to be remembered as the new all-solar-powered vessel maneuvers out of Camden, N.J., and travels the Delaware River for Upstream Alliance, intent on fostering a healthy on-the-water relationship between those who use the rivers and the environment.
Carrying 32 passengers, Fire y will essentially be an education vessel, taking mostly middle school and high school students out to learn about science, technology, engineering, math and the environment.
Fire y won’t be your typical 32-passenger river boat. Operating in the Dela-
Bay Weld Boats
Moran Towing
Gerr Marine Naval Architects and Yacht Designer
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ware Bay area, it will be solar-powered, making 8- to 10-hour cruises most every day, maybe a dinner-time cruise and then plug in and recharge all night.
Designed by Gerr Marine Naval Architects and Yacht Designers, New York, Firefly is being built at LymanMorse Boatbuilding, Thomaston, Maine, with an anticipated launch date at the end of July. Firefly carries several unusual design features to make the boat workable. Start with the 24 solar panels that are some of the most excient solar panels in terms of kilowatts generated per square foot. They are Jinko Solar JINKO JKM430M-72HLM-TV 430W bifacial panels that are stock panels but unusual in a couple of ways. On the Firefly they are bifacial, with solar on the top and the underside of the panel. The undersides will be exposed, facing down to the cockpit. They will receive ambient light energy reflected up from the deck and radiation throughout the air. The top of the panels will provide 80% to 85% of the propulsion work. The underside another 10% to 15% propulsion, of the reflected light.
Firefly will be powered by a pair of QuietTorque 60.0 LC electric motors from Electric Yacht, Golden Valley, Minn. The drives aren’t connected directly to the solar panels but to another of Firefly’s Lithionics lithium-ion batteries, which serve the same function as fuel tanks on a diesel-powered boat. There’s also a lithium-ion battery fire suppression system.
Firefly’s motors and battery technology should give the 49-footer a maximum speed of 11 or 12 knots and a 9-knot cruising speed.
AUGUST 2025
HOUSTON PILOT BOATS
Breaux’s Bay Craft
The Houston Pilots, Deer Park, Texas, is one of the busiest pilotage services in the U.S. Its two new boats — the 80'x21' San Jacinto,
delivered from Breaux’s Bay Craft, Loreauville, La., in May, and sister vessel Juan Sequin, scheduled for delivery later this year — feature several innovative design elements.
Designed by ECS Marine, each boat is powered by three MAN D2862 LE 438 Tier 4 engines supplied by Performance Diesel. The engines are rated at 1,200 hp apiece and paired with Twin Disc MGX-5204 SC gears and triple HamiltonJet HTX47 waterjets. Gulf Coast Filters supplied the fuel polishing system, and Driveline Service of Portland supplied one steel and two composite cardan shafts.
The San Jacinto and Juan Sequin are among the first EPA Tier 4 pilot boats, and the first in the U.S. with the MAN three-engine setup.
Sporting an inverted deep-V hull, the San Jacinto surpasses the contract’s speed requirement, cruising at 32.5 knots at 1,950 rpm and 80% load, with a top speed of 37.5 knots. The boat sips 43 gals. of fuel per hour, per engine, with 2,200 gals. fuel capacity.
The San Jacinto features watercooled exhaust systems on the main engines with selective catalytic reduction systems mounted in the overhead designed by Soundown, and three 145-gal. stainless steel tanks for diesel exhaust fluid. The boat is also equipped with a fixed CO2 system installed in the engine room, including two 100-lb. CO2 bottles with automatic engine shutdown and vent closure, along with a manual pull located in the machinery space that was supplied by Total Safety and installed by Burner Fire Control.
A Seakeeper 40 stabilization system significantly improves the boat’s stabil-
ity and crew comfort, especially when operating slowly or at idle. The vessel is also outfitted with HamiltonJet’s AVX controls.
The San Jacinto has a standard wheel like any other vessel, but its NorSap 1700 captain’s seat by IMTRA has a joystick control on the left armrest.
Additional seating includes nine shock-mitigating NorSap 1600 reclining seats. The boat has sleeping accommodations for four, a galley kitchen, a 100-gal. freshwater tank, and an Ahead Sanitation Systems device. The ceilings are marine-grade plywood covered with black vinyl upholstery by Sterlings Upholstery. The cabin is aluminum covered with marine-grade acoustic plywood and finished with PlasTEAK flooring.
Onboard systems are powered by dual Northern Lights M944T3FG 38-kW three-phase generators. An HVAC system supplied by Advanced A/C & Electric consists of two fourton Dometic chillers (variable speed) and titanium condenser coils with five air-handling units. The engine room overhead, forward bulkhead, and crew quarters were insulated by EEG Marine. Mist eliminators and blowers were furnished by Centek Industries
Electronics were supplied and installed by Rio Marine, including three Delta19 multiple display monitors, Furuno 1518 radar, two Cobham SAILOR 6248 VHF radios, Furuno FA170 AIS transponder, Furuno FE-800 echo sounder, Furuno LH5000 loudhailer, Furuno GP170D DGPS, Furuno SC70 SAT compass, ACR Globalfix V5 EPIRB, and Teledyne FLIR thermal and visible imaging cameras.
According to the builder, the stability of both overhead and forward bow boarding allows for safe transport of maritime pilots to and from ships that they are piloting, as well as a SeaLift rescue system located on the stern of the boat.
The vessel features fritted laminated glass with integrated defrosters installed on the forward three windshields, and the forward two side windows by B&G Glass. Custom
Breaux’s Bay Craft
SeaDeck ooring from Castaway Customs Texas adds traction underfoot and provides a clean aesthetic nish on the walk-around deck and boarding area. All logos, name, and home port were designed and installed on re ective material by Lipari Sporting.
The Houston Pilots hired Valkor, Houston, as a third party to oversee the builds and be a second set of eyes.
With the San Jacinto now in service and the Juan Sequin on the way, the Houston Pilots plan to decommission the 25-year-old Swath design pilot boat Lone Star, while the 15-year-old Yellow Rose will be overhauled and operated as a backup vessel or fth boat in the pilots’ eet.
120' PUSHBOAT
Steiner Construction
LeBeoufBros. Towing, Bourg, La., christened the 120'x34'x11'
pushboat Capt. Mark Delesdernier Jr. in a ceremony that took place on the New Orleans riverfront on June 14. LeBeouf had accepted delivery of the vessel from Steiner Construction, Bayou La Batre, Ala., on May 30.
Designed by Farrell & Norton Naval Architects, Newcastle, Maine, and Fairhaven, Mass., with a 9' draft, the pushboat’s main propulsion comes from two Cummins QSK50M diesels, each producing 1,800 hp at 1,800 rpm and connected to 88"x91", 4-bladed Hung Shen wheels in Harrington Marine -designed Kort nozzles through Reintjes WAF773 marine gears with 7:1 reduction ratios. Cummins Midsouth, Kenner, La., supplied the engines, and Karl Senner, also of Kenner, provided the marine gears and Aventics controls. The steering system was supplied by Gulf Coast Air & Hydraulics Inc., Mobile, Ala.
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Ship’s service power is the responsibility of twin Cummins QSB7-DM gensets, each sparking 125 kW of electrical power.
Tankage includes 60,000 gals. of fuel, 27,000 gals. fresh water, and 2,600 gals. lube oil.
Wheelhouse Electronics, Paradis, La., supplied the electronics suite for the new pushboat, which has accommodations for up to eight.
Reliable Inspection ROV Systems
Hocke
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CORPS SURVEY VESSELS
Silver Ships
Silver Ships Inc., Theodore, Ala., delivered three new survey vessels to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah (Georgia) District, on June 10. The vessels, from Silver Ships’ Freedom and Explorer series, were dedicated and launched in a commissioning ceremony on June 12.
The new boats will support navigation efforts in Georgia waterways, surveying channel conditions, monitoring dredging activities, and detecting underwater obstacles. The vessels will transport staff and equipment to project sites, including Savannah Harbor, Brunswick Harbor, and the 161-mile stretch of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway along Georgia’s coast.
The survey vessels are named in honor of three fallen U.S. Army soldiers — Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright, Sgt. 1st Class John C. Beale, and Sgt. Tyrone Lanard Chisholm.
The Wright will support critical missions, including surveys to assess channel conditions, monitoring of dredging activities, and detection of underwater obstacles. The Freedom 26 vessel is purpose-built to meet the demands of the district’s mission and is outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment.
The Beale will be used to perform hydrographic surveys on waterways where a more compact shallow-draft vessel is required, including in-shore surveys before and after dredging, as well as tasks related to the district’s three dams and lake projects. The Freedom 20 vessel can mount newer technology for multi-beam
and side-scan sonar surveying, which was not possible on the district’s legacy vessel.
The Chisholm is an Explorer 24 vessel designed for surveying and other missions. The 27' boat includes an enclosed center console, a single 250-hp Yamaha outboard and is a landing craft vessel, making it ideal for missions involving bridging land and water. All three vessels will be homeported along the Savannah River at the Coastal Projects Office, Savannah District, South Atlantic Division.
SEPTEMBER 2025
RENEWABLE
FUEL POWERED FERRY
Mavrik Marine
San Francisco Bay Ferry
As San Francisco Bay Ferry awaits the arrival of its zero-emission newbuilds, the agency is ensuring that the final diesel-powered vessels to be built for its fleet are the cleanest in the nation.
In April, SF Bay Ferry took delivery of the high-speed passenger vessel Karl, a 137'x36.45' aluminum catamaran designed by One2three Naval Architects, Pyrmont, Australia, and built by Mavrik Marine Inc., La Conner, Wash., with construction management services provided by Aurora Marine Design, San Diego.
The boat’s EPA Tier 4-compliant propulsion package includes quad MAN D2862LE48B diesels that produce 1,450 hp at 2,100 rpm to power four HamiltonJet HTX-52 waterjets through Reintjes WVS440 DR DL gears. The ferry, which has a 2,000-gal. fuel capacity and runs on R99 renewable diesel, cruises at
40 knots.
Karl features selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, and it is the first passenger ferry in the United States to be equipped with diesel particulate filters (DPF). The vessel’s four MAN DPF units — one for each engine — filter virtually all the soot particulate from engine exhaust, ensuring compliance with California Air Resources Board (CARB) harbor craft emissions regulations.
Karl is the third of four Dorado-class passenger vessels for SF Bay Ferry, following Dorado and Delphinus delivered in 2022 and 2024. However, it is the first to have DPF units on board. The series’ final vessel, Zalophus, which will have an engine and emissions package identical to Karl’s, including SCR and DPF units, is expected to arrive in the Bay Area at the end of the year.
This propulsion arrangement was chosen early in the build program to ensure the Dorado-class design could accommodate the SCR and DPF units once approved.
Industry groups such as the American Waterways Operators have advocated against the mandatory installation of DPFs, citing safety concerns and a lack of suitable marine-certified equipment. The Coast Guard has also expressed concerns about DPF’s fire safety. Nevertheless, CARB moved forward with its mandates, requiring DPFs from Dec 31, 2024.
The new equipment brings updated training protocols for captains and deckhands, but SF Bay Ferry believes running the units will demand minimal operational adjustments.
SF Bay Ferry secured federal funding for DPF technology that included a $1.52 million congressionally directed spending request to purchase DPFs for Karl and Zalophus. The request covered 80% of the cost, with the remaining 20% funded by local bridge toll revenue and state transit assistance.
Manned by a crew of four plus one bartender, the 46 CFR Subchapter K commuter ferry has capacity for 320 passengers and 37 bicycles, with a fully enclosed upper deck area. It can hold
Doug Stewart
500 gals. potable water and 500 gals. sewage.
The new ferry, which began serving the operator’s Vallejo route in May, features HamiltonJet AVX controls, Furuno electronics, MTU NautIQ alarm and monitoring system, and a Humphree trim control system. Service power is provided by a pair of Northern Lights M99C13 gensets.
MARYLAND FIREBOATS
Metal Shark Boats
The Anne Arundel County Fire Department was gearing up to order a new fireboat to replace one of its aging vessels. Then, in 2022, another one of its boats sank. The department, which serves a large area with over 530 miles of Maryland shoreline, suddenly needed to order not one, but two new fireboats.
After considering options from several builders, the department ordered a pair of 50 Defiant NXT monohull pilothouse fireboats from Metal Shark Boats, Jeanerette, La. The all-aluminum Klas-y Lady (Fireboat 19) and Miss Avalon (Fireboat 41) were constructed at Metal Shark’s Franklin, La., shipyard and delivered in August 2024 and April 2025. The price for both vessels was $5.6 million.
A benefit of ordering the two boats simultaneously was that the department was able to get identical vessels.
Designed in-house by Metal Shark’s engineering team, the semicustom fireboats sport deep-V hulls with outer chines and lifting strakes, and at 50'x16', they are larger and heavier than the other vessels in the department’s fleet. Additional stability comes courtesy of
Humphree Interceptors installed on the transom.
Metal Shark, which continues to see its list of fire department customers expand, touts visibility as one of the key advantages of its Defiant-class designs.
Each boat is equipped with a pair of MAN V8-1200 diesels that together deliver 2,400 hp to HamiltonJet HTX 42 waterjets through Twin Disc MGX-5146 gearboxes, enabling a top speed of 44 knots. The boats have an operating range of approximately 250 nautical miles when cruising at 30 knots.
The boats have HamiltonJet AVX digital controls, and a Cummins Onan Marine QD 11.5-kW generator provides service power. Electronics include a Raymarine Zxiom pro package and a ICOM ICM506 VHF radio.
Firefighting duties are the task of twin Darley ZSF self-priming pumps and Elkhart Brass Spitfire electronic monitors. The pumps, which are driven via power takeoff from the main engines, are rated at 3,000 gpm.
From a port helm fire control station, flow is managed via electronically actuated 8" slow-close valves with manual backups. Each vessel is equipped with a remote-operated electric rooftop monitor, two aft-mounted monitors, two aft dual handline outlets, and two 5" Storz hydrant outlets. Dual 55-gallon reservoirs provide a total of 110 gals. of aqueous film-forming foam per vessel.
BATTERY-ELECTRIC YARD TUG
Progressive Industrial Inc.
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has completed the conversion of its diesel-powered yard tug Marco V to full battery-electric propulsion. The retrofit replaces the vessel’s original Tier 3 diesel engines with four electric motors using Torqeedo Deep Blue 100i inboard systems and battery modules, each generating 135 hp at 900 rpm.
The vessel, originally built by Progressive Industrial Inc., Memphis, Fla., was operated briefly with its factory diesel engines before being stripped and converted to electric.
The repower required over 2,000 labor hours and included removing the engines, clearing the engine room, and installing a modular electric drive system and charging infrastructure. The 25'x14'x5' tug operates daily at the yard and charges overnight using 480V shore power through a five-pin Hubbell plug.
The decision to electrify the tug was part of a broader effort to develop a standardized battery-electric propulsion package for small workboats, passenger vessels, and truckable tugs.
The California Air Resources Board’s South Coast Air Quality Management District funded roughly half of the project after MGBW decommissioned an older tug as part of its clean-air compliance.
Additionally, MGBW mounted the battery packs on a removable skid for ease of servicing, and the bolted pilothouse can be removed with a crane for maintenance access.
The Marco V is now outfitted with 28" Michigan Wheel 4-bladed propellers.
It takes roughly eight hours to charge the tug’s batteries from zero to full.
WSF HYBRIDELECTRIC FERRY
Todd Pacific Shipyards/ Vigor Marine
Washington State Ferries’ first plug-in hybrid-electric vessel, Wenatchee, returned to service in July after a challenging and longer-thanexpected conversion process.
The 460'2"x90' Wenatchee, built at Todd Pacific Shipyards, Seattle, in
Anne Arundel County Fire Department
Marine Group Boat Works
Marine Group Boat Works (MGBW), Chula Vista, Calif.,
BOATBUILDING REVIEW
1998, is one of WSF’s three Jumbo Mark II-class vessels — the largest in its fleet, with capacity for 2,499 passengers and 202 vehicles. In 2023, as part of WSF’s $4 billion electrification plan, the Wenatchee entered Vigor Marine’s Seattle shipyard to begin the process of being converted to hybrid-electric propulsion.
Design and integration of the new battery-hybrid system and propulsion controls were led by Siemens Energy, which hired naval architects Glosten for the preliminary, contract, and functional design work.
In the shipyard, two of the ferry’s four EMD L16-710G7A diesel generators were removed, and new battery rooms were constructed on both ends. Siemens Energy supplied 864 Blue Vault energy storage modules that deliver 5,702 kWh in total, a pair of energy storage switchboards, and a 12.47-kV NXPLUS C switchboard for charging. The vessel
also received transformers from TMC as well as thousands of feet of electric and fiber-optic cable.
WSF’s original plan included the conversion of its other Jumbo Mark II-class ferries, Tacoma and Puyallup, but in March, Gov. Bob Ferguson announced those projects would be postponed due to systemwide reliability issues and delays in the Wenatchee conversion program, which extended well beyond its one-year timeline.
WSF had to adapt quickly to meet the
demands of the project, which ultimately proved to be larger than originally anticipated.
Vigor’s $100 million contract covered the conversion of two vessels, with a fixed-price option to convert a third.
WSF now expects the cost to refit the Wenatchee alone to total around $133 million — $96 million for the hybridelectric conversion and $37 million for technology and safety upgrades, along with miscellaneous improvements such as painting and upholstery repair, said Suchan.
The ferry — now the largest hybridelectric passenger vessel in the United States — began sea trials in May, marking the first test of its new propulsion system.
After WSF accepted the vessel, crew training began while a final Coast Guard review was performed, and additional preparations were made at WSF’s Eagle Harbor maintenance facility on Bainbridge Island.
The Wenatchee officially returned to service on July 18, running part-time in the evenings on the Seattle/Bainbridge route before returning to full-time service in the following weeks.
WSF said that terminal charging infrastructure is in the design phase and could be completed as early as 2029.
OCTOBER 2025
Joe Gomez / MBARI
or the team at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
(MBARI), Moss Landing, Calif., the goal is to push the boundaries of oceanographic research.
That mission reflects the vision of the institute’s late founder, David Packard, who encouraged a culture of curiosity and outside-the-box thinking.
Primarily funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the nonprofit oceanographic research center can pursue studies that traditional funding sources might avoid, giving MBARI an independent spirit and the ability to explore less-charted areas of ocean science.
But when it came time to design and build its new state-of-the-art research vessel, MBARI was forced to contend with several constraints, including its small homeport in Moss Landing Harbor, which limited the size of the vessel that could be built.
MBARI engaged naval architecture and marine engineering firm Glosten, Seattle, to design a vessel that would suit its unique needs.
Delivered in March was the David Packard, a 164'x42'x18'6" vessel with a 12' draft — small enough to fit into the harbor yet large enough to pack in the desired cutting-edge scientific instrumentation.
To compensate for the shorter length, the vessel’s height and beam were increased, which impacted stability. This was addressed with a weight-saving aluminum deckhouse for the top two decks and 25 tons of fixed ballast. A stabilization system from Quantun limits roll when the vessel is idle.
Central to the new vessel is the Doc Ricketts, MBARI’s flagship remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) capable of diving to 4,000 meters. There is the need for a hangar to house the vehicle, a launch and recovery system (LARS) to deploy it, a control room for piloting, and a workshop for repairs.
The 10,500-lb. Doc Ricketts is launched through a side door using a MacGregor overhead traveling crane. The door, which has independently operated upper and lower sections, allows the lower half to remain closed during ROV deployment, keeping the hangar
drier and safer during typical 12-hour missions.
The vessel is also configured to support autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) launch and recovery with the ship’s MacGregor KN-75 knuckleboom main crane. A dedicated, alwaysattached docking head with a constanttension winch holds the AUV in place during launch and recovery off the port side. The vessel’s 170º articulating A-frame, CTD (conductivity, temperature, and depth instrumentation) davit, hydrographic winch, and ROV winch are also from MacGregor.
The aft deck is designed to support a wide range of missions, with direct access to the wet lab and hangar. It features standard 2'x2' bolting grid on the working decks, multiple fittings ISO containers, various power receptacles, connections for science seawater, gray-water drains, and other services to support future deployments.
That flexibility extends below deck, too. The wet lab has removable, insulated tables with ambient and cold seawater taps for studying deep-sea creatures, and there’s a cold room for sample storage.
The ship has ample network capacity and redundant power to handle future computational loads. To support the vessel’s advanced computer systems, there are 14 network racks installed onboard and over 30 km of copper and fiber network cables. The vessel achieved DNV (Det Norske Veritas) Cyber Secure Essential (+) notation for all essential equipment, dynamic positioning, and the closed-circuit TV system. The David Packard is the first U.S.-flagged vessel to have this notation.
The hull is designed to house the latest scientific transducers, with reserved space and dedicated cable conduits to the transceiver room for future installations.
Scientific instrumentation includes a Kongsberg EM-304 multibeam survey system, Kongsberg/Simrad EK80, single-beam survey system, Teledyne RD Instruments Ocean Surveyor acoustic doppler current profiler, Kongsberg
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sonar synchronization unit, Sonardyne Ranger 2 ultra-short baseline with HPT 5000 acoustic and telemetry transceiver and 7950 through-hull transceiver deployment machine, Kongsberg Seapath 380 acoustic navigation and tracking system, and Teledyne Benthos UDB 9400 acoustic modem.
Instrumentation significantly influenced the design of the vessel’s hull form.
Bubbles generated on the ocean’s surface and pulled down beneath the ship can wreak havoc on the instrumentation, and the addition of centerboards or gondolas to mitigate this interference was not possible due to the draft restriction.
Because the traction winch system, gym, and computer laboratory below the main deck have a large footprint, the machinery spaces are tight. The layout of equipment and planned removal routes were carefully planned.
When designing the vessel, efficiency was also a priority. The vessel’s diesel-electric propulsion system includes three 629-ekW-rated MAN D2862 LE427 variable-speed generators meeting EPA Tier 4 and IMO Tier III emissions standards. The engines are fitted with waste-heat recovery to provide heat for the accommodations, laboratories, and hangar, as well as for potable water.
The vessel features a pair of Schottel SRP-260 L-drive units, 4-bladed 5'9"-diameter nibral propellers in nozzles, with 530-kW RAMME permanent magnet motors. There is also a single ZF Marine 3000 RT bowthruster with 300-kW motor that, when retracted, operates in a tunnel and, when deployed, operates as a nozzled thruster.
The electrical system consists of ABB Onboard DC Grid operating at 1,000VDC, with ship service power at 480, 208, and 120VAC. Shore power is set up with two 400-Amp service for zero emissions at the home port.
The David Packard has an operational range of 4,000 nm at 10 knots cruising speed, with a top speed of 11.5 knots and a 21-day endurance. The
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vessel has accommodations for 12 crew and 18 scientists, mostly in double staterooms.
TIER 4 TOWBOAT Steiner Shipyard
Steiner Shipyard, Bayou La Batre, Ala., has delivered the 94'x34'x12' retractable pilothouse towboat Gage Golding to Golding Barge Line Inc., Vicksburg, Miss. The new towboat is an addition to the Golding fleet, not a replacement.
Designed by the shipyard and Sterling Marine, Fairhope, Ala., Gage Golding is powered by a pair of Tier 4 Caterpillar 3512 diesel engines from Pucket Machinery, Gulfport, Miss. The Cats produce 2,800 hp overall and are connected to Sound Propeller 88" wheels through Reintjes WAF 773 marine gears from Karl Senner, Kenner, La.
The new boat’s steering system and engine alarms are from Gulf Coast Air & Hydraulics, Mobile, Ala.
Ship’s service power comes from two John Deere-powered 4045 gensets from Stanley Parts and Equipment, Channelview, Texas.
Tankage includes 36,000 gals. of diesel fuel; 5,000 gals. potable water; 800 gals. lube oil; and 2,950 gals. diesel exhaust fluid.
On deck are two Patterson Manufacturing deck winches and one Schoellhorn-Albrecht Machine Co. capstan and around the outside of the hull is Schuyler fendering.
Crew quarters include 10 bunks, two full baths and one half-bath, plus four staterooms for the wheelmen and deck crew.
The electronics suite features two
Furuno radars and a GPS, four ICOM radios and Starlink
Gage Golding was delivered in July and is USCG Subchapter M certified.
ALASKAN
WHALEWATCHING VESSEL
Bay Weld Boats
BayBoats, Homer, Alaska, has delivered a new aluminum catamaran built for Juneau Whale Watch The vessel, designed specifically for whale-watching operations in Southeast Alaska, is the latest addition to the company’s fleet.
The 49'6"x17'6" vessel, Icy Bay, is a single level vessel with capacity for 49 passengers and two crew. Designed in-house, the newbuild marks the fourth Bay Weld vessel delivered to the Alaskan tourism company.
An important factor behind the Icy Bay’s design was not just passenger comfort or performance, but business efficiency. For operators like Juneau Whale Watch, the economics of each passenger seat drive the entire decisionmaking process.
Bay Weld did extensive research into vessel size and propulsion combinations before settling on the 49-passenger model powered by quad Suzuki outboards.
Bay Weld said the main cabin is arranged with forward-facing bench seating and a full-length center aisle, with boarding access provided through fore and aft side doors on both port and starboard. The Icy Bay features a large forward viewing deck and rooftop deck, reached by port-side stairs from aft to maximize passenger visibility.
Bay Weld noted the total 1,200 hp produced by the quad Suzuki 300B outboard package allows the catamaran to cruise at 28 knots. Propulsion is supported by Solas stainless steel propellers and Sea Star electronic power steering. Fuel capacity is 500 gals.
Electronics include dual Garmin GPSMAP 8610xsv displays for chart plotting, depth sounding, and radar; Garmin GMR HD radar dome; dual Garmin VHF radios; Garmin AIS 800 receiver; aft-view video cameras; and an owner-supplied ICOM UHF radio.
The vessel is constructed of 5086 aluminum with ¼" hull plating and 3/16" sides. Bay Weld noted the vessel is designed for passenger visibility and efficiency, including wraparound walkways and a wet bar snack area.
The centered pilothouse offers 360° visibility, a full-width helm with dual navigation screens and control panels, and aft bench seating for crew. Sliding side doors and aft-view cameras provide additional operational awareness, the boatbuilder said. Passenger comfort is supported by dual diesel forced-air furnaces in the main cabin and a dedicated furnace in the wheelhouse. Amenities include an enclosed head on the aft deck.
The Icy Bay was delivered in July.
NOVEMBER 2025
NY DIESEL-ELECTRIC HYBRID FERRY
Conrad Shipyard
Steiner Shipyard
Bay Weld Boats
Weld
half a mile from Lower Manhattan. Once a military outpost, it has been transformed into a vibrant public space offering parks, historic buildings, art installations, and panoramic views of the city.
This summer, the Trust for Governors Island — which manages the island — took delivery of the Harbor Charger, New York’s rst diesel-electric hybrid ferry. Built at Conrad Shipyard, Morgan City, La., and designed by Elliott Bay Design Group, Seattle, the $33 million double-ended car and passenger vessel measures 190'x62'2"x13'3" with an 8'6" draft.
With capacity for 1,200 passengers and 30 vehicles, the Subchapter Kcompliant Harbor Charger replaces the aging Lt. Samuel S. Coursen, a diesel-powered workhorse that’s been in service between Manhattan and Governors Island since 1956. The new ferry offers faster, cleaner, and more efcient service for the nearly one million visitors who make the trip to Governors Island each year.
The Harbor Charger runs on Siemens Energy’s BlueDrive Eco dieselelectric propulsion system, supported by the company’s battery systems and digital control platform.
Equipped with 870 kWh of Siemens Energy BVES-V3X batteries (split evenly between two battery rooms) and
a pair of Cummins QSK 19 diesel generators that provide 656 kWm at 1,800 rpm, the vessel can toggle between three modes of operation: fully batterypowered, hybrid electric with diesel assist, and diesel backup. In hybrid mode alone, it’s expected to cut carbon emissions by nearly 600 tons annually.
The hybrid arrangement allows the generators to run at a constant, optimal load.
Charging infrastructure is in the design phase and is being funded in part by a $7.5 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration. Once completed, emissions could be reduced by an additional 800 tons annually, according to the trust.
Enhanced maneuverability is made possible by two 360° Schottel SRP 210 LEC FP azimuthing thrusters, each driven by a 560-kW motor, allowing for smoother docking and navigation across the busy harbor. Harbor Charger cruises at 10-12 knots, which is up to 66% faster than current ferries.
Onboard equipment includes a Furuno navigation suite, Ultra Fog water mist system, Hiller re detection system, Li-ion Tamer and Consilium gas detection systems, BrightSign informational video alert, and IMS public address/general alarm and closed-circuit television camera systems.
BOATBUILDING REVIEW
HYBRID-ELECTRIC TUG FLEET
Snow & Co.
ArcBoats, Los Angeles, has signed a $160 million contract with Curtin Maritime Corp., Long Beach, Calif., for a eet of eight hybrid-electric ship-assist tugboats. The order is being described as the largest commercial deployment of electric workboats to date.
The tugs will be built in partnership with Snow & Co., Seattle, with the rst four scheduled for delivery by the end of 2027. Each tug will be powered by Arc’s integrated electric propulsion system, producing more than 4,000 hp and supported by a 6-MWh battery buffer. The rst four vessels will measure 80'9"x42'3" with a 12'6" draft, twin 2,000-hp L-Drive thrusters, and a bollard pull of 55 short tons.
Arc Boats
BOATBUILDING REVIEW
SAVE THE DATE
The project is meant to signal a turning point for the tugboat sector and for commercial workboats more broadly. This is not a pilot program or a grantbacked demonstration, but a direct investment in hybrid-electric propulsion as a cost-competitive option.
The private nancing behind the deal demonstrates the strength of the business case. With Arc vertically integrating its powertrain systems, the tugs can match diesel vessels on acquisition cost while delivering savings in fuel, maintenance, and compliance over the long term.
Arc will retain ownership of the tugs, while Curtin will operate them under a bareboat charter arrangement. The largescale order helps avoid the inef ciencies of building vessels one at a time and gives both companies leverage in how the eet is produced.
Arc leaned on Curtin’s operational knowledge and its existing relationship with Snow & Co. and designer Jay Edgar.
Arc has already opened discussions with the Coast Guard to ensure certication moves forward smoothly. The company is sourcing battery technology that’s already validated by the automotive industry, which often meets or exceeds the regulatory thresholds the Coast Guard requires.
Construction is underway, with the rst hull expected to hit the water by late 2026. The rst four vessels will be sisterships, while the next four will likely vary in size but follow the same basic architecture.
CALIFORNIA
RESEARCH VESSEL
All American Marine
AllAmerican Marine (AAM), Bellingham, Wash., has delivered a 78'x27'6" multipurpose research vessel to Cal Poly Humboldt, Arcata, Calif. The semi-displacement aluminum catamaran North Wind was designed by Teknicraft Design, Auckland, New Zealand. Inspected as a USCG Subchapter T vessel, the newbuild will operate in the near-coastal waters of northern California and Oregon.
According to the builder, the hydrofoil-assisted hull provides excellent fuel economy, consuming around the same gallons per nautical mile throughout the estimated cruising speed of 18-24 knots, with a fuel-ef cient survey operation speed of 4-8 knots, fully laden. Its fuel capacity is 1,600 gals. The vessel is capable of fully laden cruising at speeds exceeding 28 knots at 80% engine load.
The boat’s propulsion package includes two xed-pitch propellers powered by twin MAN D2862LE438 EPA Tier 4 engines rated at 1,182 hp at 2,100 rpm and equipped with diesel particulate lters to meet California emissions requirements.
The $8.5 million North Wind was built to replace the university’s existing research vessel, the 90'x22'4" Coral Sea — built in 1974 by Lindwell Boatworks, Santa Barbara, Calif. — which is scheduled to be retired by 2026.
The vessel features large wet and dry lab spaces as well as Okeanus hydraulic deck machinery capable of handling up to 5,000 lbs. of oceanographic equipment and instrumentation. Its deck facilitates divers entering the water from two dive platforms at the stern. The laboratory and pilothouse are equipped with state-of-the-art navigation and oceanographic electronics. North Wind is out tted with a Kongsberg ADCP electronics suite augmented by a xed WASSP multibeam system.
AAM said that the vessel incorporates design elements of two research vessels that it delivered previously: the Shackleford for Geodynamics, Newport, N.C., and the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Imua
Deep Thinking
A new company plans to build underwater habitats to help workers improve efficiency and increase time spent on a job.
By Eric Colby, Correspondent
An underwater construction crew working at a depth of 50 meters (164') for more than a few days will most likely participate in something called “saturation diving.” The divers live in a pressurized habitat on the surface or near the worksite for up to 28 days.
The habitat is pressurized to match the underwater depth so the divers’ bodies become “saturated” with inert gas. The divers use a pressurized diving bell to travel to and from the worksite and avoid the need for daily decompression sessions because their body pressure remains constant. When the work is completed, the divers undergo one slow, controlled decompression in the habitat, which can take several days.
DEEP, an ocean engineering and technology company based in the United Kingdom, has recently expanded into the United States and is building open-ocean subsea habitats for human occupation. The first one, Vanguard, is designed for weeklong missions supporting projects like coral-reef con-
struction, technical diving training, and ocean science.
“If a diver is working at 50 meters on a wind farm, for example, the diver is going to have five to 10 minutes of actual bottom time and then you’re going to spend a disproportionate amount of your time decompressing on that way up,” said Sean Wolpert, a member of the DEEP board of directors and former president of the company.
“This would be a perfect application for Vanguard because you can position the habitat in the middle of that wind farm and go down there and stay at that equilibrium. If you’re down at 50 meters, that’s six atmospheres. Rather than five to 10 minutes, you can go down there and stay for days.”
He said that DEEP focused on the ocean because the overall undersea environment has not received the attention the firm feels it should get. “Bringing the scientific chain down to the seabed, providing that permanent presence, that fluid access to the seabed, was something that was needed and we felt like that would be a game changer for humanity,” said Wolpert.
He continued, “When the international space station went
DEEP
Vanguard is designed to support weeklong underwater missions.
up in November 2000, that drove research, capital expenditure, and innovation. We felt that we could apply our ocean technology and capabilities to create next-generation subsea human habitats.”
Wolpert called the ocean the most complex dynamic ecosystem on the planet but said only 20% of it has been mapped. “We’ve only discovered 15 to 20 percent of the species and organisms we believe to be in the ocean,” he added.
GENERATING INTEREST
Vanguard is being constructed on land in Florida, and DEEP has partnered with Triton Submarines, Sebastian, Fla.; diving and marine services company Unique Group, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; and with engineering rm Bastion Technologies, Houston. DEEP said its expansion into the U.S. represents a $100 million investment. Wolpert said Vanguard is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. It can be deployed at a maximum depth of 164' and house up to four people.
Best described as a portable underwater bunkhouse, Vanguard has an open layout and viewing ports. A larger unit called Sentinel can go down 200 meters (656') and has individual living areas for up to six people.
“It’s not the Four Seasons, but it will be something that doesn’t drain you mentally and physically as if you were in a conventional saturation diving bell system,” said Wolpert.
As people have learned about DEEP’s products, interest has come from unexpected sources, Wolpert added.
“As we explained what Vanguard can do, we found that there was a lot of interest from the academic and science community, even over to the defense sector,” he said.
The habitat consists of three main parts: the foundation, the living chamber, and the wet porch. The foundation and living chambers are self-explanatory while the wet porch is where a diver can enter and exit for daily missions. A submarine will link to the habitat and deliver passengers through a dry passage system. Sentinel is a modular
design, and as long as the maximum depth isn’t exceeded, more sections can be added. Sentinels are designed to be re-deployable, but because of their size, they stay in place for a longer duration.
“With the habitat, you go down once and then you come up once, so it allows you to be productive,” said Wolpert. “You’re getting your work done over a fewer number of days and you’re de-risking the whole decompression of
things.”
In addition to the wind-farm example, Wolpert said that undersea infrastructure like pipelines and data cabling could be ideal uses for DEEP habitats. “Subsea data cables process $10 trillion of transactions every day,” he said. “Pipelines move around 50-plus percent of the natural gas and oil that gets consumed, so saying they’re critical is an understatement.”
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FOCUS Subsea
In September, a cable in the Red Sea was cut, disrupting internet traf c for Asia and the Middle East. Having a surveillance presence could help incidents like this. A DEEP habitat could provide hubs for underwater drones where they could be charged and serviced. “Then what you have is a genuine deterrent,” said Wolpert. “It’s the Hawthorne Effect, when you know that you might be watched, you alter your behavior.”
For research on things like hurricanes and other weather phenomena, the habitat exteriors could be tted with data-acquisition equipment that could be released like the Dorothy device in the movie Twister
SAFETY FOCUS
The habitats are constructed from steel covered in Inconel cladding for added strength. Inconel is made with a family of high-strength nickel-chrome alloys and is used in high-heat and aggressive-chemical environments. DEEP
developed its own 3D printing process for making the habitat components. Originally, the company was going to use conventional processing methods, but the pandemic disrupted supply chains and the geopolitical climate, so DEEP deployed the new technology
called Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing. “It shifted our product development timeline and training timeline too far to the right,” said Wolpert. “There were too many unknowables and conditionalities for us. We wanted to be able to develop this swiftly so we had engineers nd a
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Each Sentinel pod provides subsea individual living areas for up to six people.
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solution.”
Peter Richards, CEO of DEEP Manufacturing, and his team saw an additional commercial opportunity with the new process and the company spun off the business as a wholly owned subsidiary. Vanguard and Sentinel need to be
built to the highest standards to sustain life underwater. DEEP worked closely with international certi cation and classi cation provider DNV for underwater technology.
The Vanguard components have passed a factory acceptance test, the
harbor acceptance test, and sea acceptance test.
“We worked for years on the designs and engineering and manufacturing,” said Wolpert. “We got these components classed to make sure that we’re not marking our own homework, so an independent body who’s skilled in this comes through and says, ‘You have done this in a sound way.’”
While DEEP said it will not tell people how to use the habitats, it will restrict someone that doesn’t have the appropriate training. “If you haven’t SCUBA dived, you’re probably not going to go down there,” said Wolpert. “We have leading naval divers working with us to drive forward excellence from an operations perspective and in terms of better preparing the divers.”
He continued, “The other element is that you can’t just take four people and go down. We will always have a DEEP commander that will be there ... to make sure that safety is paramount.”
Industry Insights
Vanguard construction is underway in Florida, with completion expected in early 2026.
Showtime
The 45th International WorkBoat Show.
The 45th edition of the International WorkBoat Show will take place Dec. 3-5 at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. The event will feature hundreds of exhibitors showcasing thousands of products and services to tens of thousands of maritime professionals.
The conference program — sponsored by MaK — is open to attendees and exhibitors, with both free and paid sessions available. The program will include a range of topical discussions led by WorkBoat editors and industry leaders.
On Wednesday, Dec. 3, sessions will include the “Women in Maritime Summit,” sponsored by Fairwater, and “Answering the Call: Revitalizing U.S. Icebreaking Power for the Arctic Frontier.” WorkBoat ’s 2025 Boat of the Year will also be announced on opening day, at the Significant Boats Happy Hour, sponsored by Travelers.
On Thursday, Dec. 4, the day will begin at 8 a.m. with WorkBoat’s Maritime Breakfast: “U.S. Shipbuilding: Prog-
ress, Workforce, and the Path Ahead,” sponsored by Endress + Hauser. A full slate of conference sessions will follow, including “Navigating the Crosscurrents: The Future of U.S. Dredging,” “What’s Going on with the U.S. WorkBoat Sector?” featuring Sal Mercogliano, and “Uncrewed Surface Vessels for U.S. Defense: Charting the Navy-After-Next.”
On Friday, Dec. 5, attendees can look forward to popular sessions led by representatives from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, and U.S. Coast Guard.
For the third consecutive year, the WorkBoat team — in collaboration with the Association of Diving Contractors International and the ROV Committee of the Marine Technology Society — will host Underwater Intervention alongside the WorkBoat Show. This event will feature its own exhibit space and a multitrack technical conference program focused on underwater technology and innovation.
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• ELECTRICIAN Minimum 5 Yrs Mechanical/ Electrical Experience on all Vessel Types (DP2 & Conventional)
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LOOKS BACK
DECEMBER
1965
• The Maxwell Locks and Dam on the Monongahela River, ve miles above Brownsville, Pa., have completed another step in the modernization of navigation facilities on the river. The recently dedicated high-lift dam raises the upper pool level of the river by 13' and eliminates the obsolete Lock and Dam 6 at Rice’s Landing.
• An additional order for the construction of four 200'x40'x17'9" welded
steel hopper-type coal barges has been placed by Tracy Transportation Corp., one of New York Harbor’s largest bulk carriers, with Todd Shipyards Corp., Houston.
• A 26' crewboat powered by a Chrysler 210 inboard/outboard unit has been delivered from stock to the J.A. Jones Construction Co. by Grafton Boat Co., Grafton, Ill. The boat is presently being used in the construc-
DECEMBER
tion of the new Cannelton Lock & Dam on the Ohio River.
1985
DECEMBER 1975
• Executives at Survey Boats Inc., Patterson, La. looked out over the horizon and saw “no one had a boat to do deepwater survey work,” according to James A. Chance, company vice president. When the demand for precise deepwater survey work in waters over 5,000' arrives, on hand to greet it will be the Seis Surveyor, a 150'x36'x12'6", high-powered, oating seismic laboratory that’s powered by twin Caterpillar
• The second annual meeting of the Inland Rivers Ports and Terminals Inc. will be held Feb. 20, 1976, at the Chase-Park Plaza Hotel, St. Louis. The association was formed in 1974 to promote the use of inland waterways, ports, and terminals and to consider legislation and governmental regulations affecting these facilities.
• Paci c Inland Navigation Co., Seattle, and Crowley Maritime Corp., San Francisco, recently completed the
sale of part of Paci c Inland’s tug and barge eet and its shore-based operations in Western Alaska to Crowley.
• The Russ Mobley, a 62'x23' towboat, is now working for the Bellaire Marine Service Division of Delta Concrete Co., Bellaire, Ohio. Built by Marine Builders Inc., Clarksville, Ind., the boat is powered by Caterpillar TA diesels equipped with Capital gears. Electrical power is supplied by two Cat 3304 generators.
0398 diesels with a total of 1,850 hp through 3.95:1 Cat gears.
• State Boat Corp., Houston, an offshore supply lease company, has begun a new service by offering for charter its eet of at-decked vessels. The boats can often move cargo in less time and at less cost than a seagoing tug and barge. The company has been supplying offshore oil rigs around the world since 1956.
At Twin Disc, we’ve built a legacy of powering the world’s most demanding defense platforms from Navy vessels to NATO patrol fl eets. Our modular, fi eld-proven systems deliver uptime, precision and resilience under pressure, while simplifying maintenance and ensuring fl eet interoperability.
As the nation marks 250 years of Armed Forces service, we’re proud to continue supporting those who power and protect our world every day.
PROPELLING EXCELLENCE
“As we reflect on another outstanding year, we extend great appreciation to our exceptional suppliers, our dedicated team at Karl Senner, LLC, and our valued customers, who all place their trust in us.
For more than 50 years, our loyal customer base has been the greatest testament to what we stand for — maximizing uptime and delivering proven reliability on the water — from concept to end of service life.
We are here to support the marine industry, which we remain 100% dedicated to, and are proud to continue earning your trust, one vessel at a time.”
