(NEW ORLEANS) — TAI Engineers LLC has completed the detailed design and construction of Annie Moore, a new vessel for the National Park Service (NPS). The NPS named the all-steel passenger/utility vessel after a 15-year-old Irish girl who was the first to sign the Ellis Island immigrant register.
“TAI has designed and built many boats and ships, but this project is particularly special to me,” said Anil Raj, president of TAI. “My very first arrival to the United States was via New York in 1969. While landing at JFK, the Pan American airline pilot tipped the plane wings and announced a view of the Statue of Liberty from the window. He stated that she was welcoming new immigrants to liberty and justice for all in the U.S. I feel especially privileged that our company was a part of this project.”
The 74-by-24-foot vessel is ready to serve the NPS to transport VIPs, official passengers, supplies and equipment to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park in Manhattan. The vessel has seating for 40 passengers and a galley on the main deck. A knuckle-boom crane is provided for loading and unloading of palletized cargo.
The U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter T vessel was built jointly by TAI and its subcontractor Aluma Marine at its facilities in Harvey, La. It is designed and built to American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) rules. The ice belt and the bow structure of the hull are designed to ABS Ice class C0 rules and the vessel is outfitted with ice-strengthened reduction gears, propulsion shafting, rudders and propellers. The vessel is equipped with twin Caterpillar C18 main engines.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Marine Design Center supported NPS by providing project management, engineering and contract management support for the new vessel.
“With the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must recognize the cooperative hard work of Aluma Marine craftpersons, the USACE’s Marine Design Center, NPS leadership, TAI professionals, ABS, the U.S. Coast Guard surveyors and the project’s subcontractors and suppliers. They selflessly worked together during this challenging period to bring this project to successful fruition,” said Raj.
This is TAI’s fifth vessel design and build contract for the U.S. Army. All were completed within contract schedule and budget.
“We are grateful to the United States government for entrusting our Marine Division (TAI) with this landmark project,” said Daniel Rios, CEO of S&B Infrastructure, which recently acquired TAI. “We are pleased at the successful outcome and hope to perform many more successful projects for the USACE Marine Design Center and National Park Service.”
– S&B Infrastructure
