The following is the text of a news release from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding (FBS):
(STURGEON BAY, Wis.) — The winter repair season is in full swing at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wis. Sixteen vessels of various sizes from the Great Lakes bulk carrier fleet are in for winter repair, consisting of five 1,000-foot bulk carriers, eight medium-sized ships 600 to 700 feet long, and three tugs.
The scope of the repairs is as wide as the variety of ships at dock and includes vessel repowering from steam propulsion to diesel; steel and piping repairs; bulkhead renewals; machinery inspection and repairs; exhaust scrubber installation; painting, and regulatory inspections. Customer expectations are high as work completion is expected to coincide with the start of shipping season on the Great Lakes.
Fincantieri’s recent three-acre expansion to the now 55-acre shipyard included new manufacturing buildings and additional computer-aided manufacturing equipment. The shipyard is equipped with a 7,000-ton floating dry dock and two graving docks along with lifting capacity.
In addition to the heavy schedule of the winter fleet, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding has six vessels under construction that will operate as articulated tug-barge units (ATBs) scheduled for delivery in 2017 and 2018.
