Elliott Bay designs new Beaver Island Ferry
Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) has won a contract to design a new 150-foot steel ferry for the Beaver Island Transportation Authority.
The 150-passenger, 24-vehicle ferry will be operated by the Beaver Island Boat Company and will replace a 50-year-old vessel serving the small island in northern Lake Michigan. The new ferry will be powered by two diesel engines of approximately 1,500 hp each with fixed-pitch propellers.
“We are very lucky to have Elliott Bay on this project. We are trying to go as green as possible with our new design by increasing fuel efficiency with a narrower beam and newer engines,” said Barbara Schwartzfisher, executive director of the Beaver Island Transportation Authority.
The vessel will have a design speed of 13.5 knots, a beam of 42 feet and a hull depth of 15 feet.
In addition to reducing the service’s environmental footprint, the transportation authority is looking to design a better experience for passengers on the 2.5-hour crossing by offering Wi-Fi and making the boat quieter and more comfortable. The design will meet accessibility guidelines for passenger vessels and feature an enclosed car deck arranged to handle loose cargo such as dry goods, groceries and other necessities for daily life on the island.
“We are very pleased to be working with the Beaver Island Authority and the Beaver Island Boat Company on this project,” said John Waterhouse, project manager and chief concept engineer at EBDG.
Austal’s next littoral combat ship named for Gabrielle Giffords
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus formally announced in February the name for Austal’s next littoral combat ship (LCS) of the 10-ship contract awarded to Austal in December 2010. LCS 10 will be named USS Gabrielle Giffords, after the former Congresswoman from Tucson, Ariz.
This will be the third ship awarded under Austal’s current U.S. Navy contract for construction of up to an additional 10 littoral combat ships with a total value in excess of $3.5 billion. Once commissioned, these 10 ships will join the Austal-built USS Independence (LCS 2), which was commissioned in January 2010. Coronado (LCS 4) was recently christened at Austal and is currently being prepared to undergo builder’s trials.
This 10-ship LCS contract and the 10-ship Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) award, of which seven are under contract and three are under construction in Austal’s Mobile, Ala., shipyard will require Austal to more than double its workforce to over 4,000 employees.
Joseph Rella, president of Austal USA, said, “We are honored to have the opportunity to build a ship that will play such an important role in naval history. As only the 17th ship to be named for a woman and the 13th ship to be named for a living person since 1850, this ship will become a part of the shipbuilding legacy that Mobile, Ala., has become known for.”
Lake Havasu catamaran contract awarded to Kvichak
Kvichak Marine Industries, of Seattle, has been awarded a contract to build a 65-foot passenger catamaran for the Chemehuevi Transit Authority of Lake Havasu, Calif.
The vessel will operate as a ferry on Lake Havasu, with ports of call at Lake Havasu City on the Arizona side and at Havasu Landing on the California side. This project will be partially funded by a U.S. Department of Transportation award.
Designed by Kvichak Marine, the 150-passenger cat is powered by twin MTU series 60 diesel engines, rated for 600 hp at 2,100 rpm, and fitted to ZF 550 marine gears. The vessel will have a service speed of 20-plus knots and will be capable of operating with a crew of three. Delivery is scheduled for October 2012.
Electric Boat gets modification of submarine contract
General Dynamics/Electric Boat has been awarded an $8.3 million contract modification by the U.S. Navy to procure components for Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines. The modification was awarded in late February.
Under the contract modification, Electric Boat will procure material for the construction of advanced integrated low-pressure electrolyzers used on Virginia-class submarines. The lead-yard services contract being modified has a potential cumulative value of $881 million through 2014 if all options are exercised and funded.
Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics.
Ingalls Shipbuilding Wins $70 million Navy deal
Ingalls Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, has been awarded a $70 million contract modification from the U.S. Navy to provide materials for LPD 27, the 11th amphibious transport dock of the USS San Antonio (LPD 17) class. The funds awarded to Ingalls will be used to purchase materials and major equipment in support of the new ship, including main engines and diesel generators and other equipment such as electrical switchboards, deck equipment and fire extinguishing systems. The work will be performed at the company's Pascagoula, Miss., facility.
This is the fourth advance procurement contract for LPD 27. The first contract was awarded in October 2010.
“We’re building successes in the LPD program, and this award continues our momentum in establishing necessary prep work for the construction of LPD 27,” said Doug Lounsberry, vice president and program manager of the LPD program at Ingalls Shipbuilding. “The award allows our supply chain management to purchase essential equipment so our shipbuilders will be ready to effectively meet our schedule commitments with our Navy customer.”
The 11 ships of the LPD 17 class are a key element of the Navy’s ability to project power ashore. Collectively they functionally replace more than 41 ships (the LPD 4, LSD 36, LKA 113 and LST 1179 classes of amphibious ships), providing the Navy and Marine Corps with modern, sea-based platforms that are networked, survivable and built to operate with 21st century platforms, such as the MV-22 Osprey and amphibious assault vessels.
Quantum wins Coast Guard ship stability contract
Quantum Stabilizers has been awarded a contract for the refit and upgrade of the hydraulic stabilizer systems for the U.S. Coast Guard’s next four WMEC 270 medium endurance cutters. After development and delivery of the first system that was installed on the Coast Guard’s medium endurance cutter Tampa, the option for the next four cutters was exercised. The entire contract is for 13 vessels. The first vessel was Tampa and the remaining 12 vessels are split into a four-year option.
“With the new stabilizer and control systems installed, the crew will have a more comfortable ride,” said John Allen, president of Quantum.
Quantum is also the supplier for the fin stabilizers for the FRC – Sentinel-class (Fast Response Cutters) program, which consists of 36 new vessels that will eventually replace the older 110-foot Island-class vessels. An important part of the hydraulic stabilizer refit and update for the WMEC270’s is that the system Powerpack and control is identical to the one used on the new Coast Guard FRC vessels and therefore helps the Coast Guard to maximize their efficiency when it comes to servicing and maintaining the parts inventory. It also assists with fleet integration through cross over in training and operation.
