Eastern lays keel on second Coast Guard OPC
Eastern Shipbuilding held a ceremony recently marking the authentication of the Coast Guard’s second offshore patrol cutter (OPC), USCGC Chase (WMSM-916), that included remarks by Adm. Karl Schultz, the 26th commandant of the Coast Guard.
Eastern is currently building the lead ship in the series, USCGC Argus (WMSM-915), and has a contract to build the third ship, the future USCGC Ingham. The Coast Guard also has authorized Eastern to purchase long-lead materials for a fourth ship.
“Here at Eastern we start each day with the recognition that we are building a new era of cutters for the young women and men of the United States Coast Guard who will sail in them on critical national security missions for decades to come,” ESG President Joey D’Isernia said during the ceremony.
The event commemorated the start of construction on the vessel, which serves as a bridge between the Coast Guard’s oceangoing national security cutters and its near-shore fast response cutters. The ships are equipped with advanced combat systems and can carry an MH-60 or MH-65 helicopter and three “over the horizon” small boats.
The Coast Guard plans to build up to 25 OPCs, which are 360 feet long and capable of 22.5 knots for extended periods. The ships have a 10,200-nautical mile range at 14 knots and a 60-day endurance.
This second ship in the series honors previous vessels named after former U.S. Supreme Court justice, governor and abolitionist Salmon P. Chase, according to a news release.
Moose Boats delivers fireboat to N.Y. department
The Rochester Fire Department in upstate New York has taken delivery of an M2-38 fireboat from Moose Boats of California that improves its firefighting capabilities.
The new craft, Moose’s first delivery on the Great Lakes, has an advanced navigation electronics suite, walk-around cabin with three seats, and integrated deck-level head. Firefighting equipment consists of a rooftop fire monitor, a cockpit monitor, and a 5-inch Storz hose that can pump and discharge more than 1,500 gallons per minute. It also has a push knee at the bow.
“This vessel will enhance the Rochester Fire Department’s response capabilities in providing for the safety of the residents, businesses and boating community in the Charlotte neighborhood and the nearby waterways,” Rochester Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez Jr. said in a statement.
The new vessel will work with existing state and federal marine response organizations, including the Coast Guard, Monroe County Sheriff Marine Unit and N.Y. Department of Environmental Conservation for work in the Genesee River and along the south shore of Lake Ontario.
Brix Marine building water taxi for B.C. First Nation group
Brix Marine has an order for a 32-foot water taxi for Qathen Xwegus Management Corp. (QXMC), the business arm of the Klahoose First Nation, located on Cortes Island, British Columbia.
Brix Marine, the former Armstrong Marine, is building the vessel at its Port Angeles, Wash., shipyard. It will be powered by two Volvo Penta D4 270-hp engines paired with Aquamatic DPI outdrives. The heated interior has a head and seating for 12 people.
The QXMC has numerous businesses, including those in forestry, aquaculture and tourism. The new vessel will be used to sustain its own transportation operation, according to the corporation’s CEO Bruno Pereira.
“After a thorough due diligence, taking into consideration the future expansion of our own companies, we decided to give this project a go,” he said in a statement. “Claiming ownership of our own water taxi operation will allow us to keep all of our budgets internal, and will also empower us to build more flexibility, control and capacity for future generations.”
Delivery is slated for fall 2021.
Halter wins contract for Navy survey vessel
The U.S. Navy has awarded a contract worth nearly $150 million to Halter Marine for the design and construction of the oceanographic survey ship.
Halter plans to perform most of the work on the new vessel, known now as T-AGS 67, at its Pascagoula, Miss., shipyard. Other work will be done in Harahan, La., Belle Chasse, La., Alpharetta, Ga., and other locations across the United States.
The new ship is a sister to the Pathfinder class USNS Maury (T-AGS 66) built by Halter and delivered in 2016. The 353-foot ship has a 300-square-foot moon pool to deploy autonomous underwater vehicles.
Additional details on the new contract were not available.