Autonomous retrofit planned for hybrid cargo vessel
First Harvest Navigation is partnering with Sea Machines Robotics on an autonomous control package for the 63-foot hybrid cargo vessel Captain Ben Moore.
Sea Machines, a Boston-based maritime technology company, will outfit the aluminum catamaran with its SM300 autonomous command and control system with a remote helm. The installation is scheduled to take place later this month.
“Once complete, the vessel’s intelligent capabilities will offer First Harvest Navigation redundancy and flexibility for crew shifts, with the capability to autonomously command Captain Ben Moore from the company’s land-based control station,” Sea Machines said in a news release. “In addition to autonomous control and remote vessel monitoring tools, the SM300 system also features obstacle detection and collision avoidance technology for added operational safety.”
Captain Ben Moore will connect farms on New York’s Long Island with urban and suburban neighborhoods along the busy Interstate 95 corridor. It will carry produce between Huntington, N.Y., and Norwalk, Conn., a round trip that takes about 40 minutes across Long Island Sound. A similar transit by highway can take many hours depending on traffic. The vessel can hold about 28 pallets, of which 10 are fully refrigerated.
Captain Ben Moore is one of the first commercial hybrid vessels operating in the United States. It is powered by twin Cummins QSB6.7 diesels and lithium batteries connected to a pair of BAE Systems HybriDrive electric motors.
C&C Marine delivers first of three towboats to Hines Furlong Line
Hines Furlong Line has taken delivery of a 6,600-hp towboat built by C&C Marine and Repair of Belle Chasse, La.
The 170-foot triple-screw Scarlett Rose Furlong is the first in a series of three towboats planned for the Nashville, Tenn., towing company. CT Marine of Portland, Maine designed the vessels.
Propulsion on Scarlett Rose Furlong comes from three Cummins QSK60-M engines paired with Reintjes WAF 1173 reduction gears turning 100-inch-diameter, stainless-steel fixed-pitch propellers. Electrical power comes from three Cummins QSM11-DM gensets producing 275 kW each. EMI Marine supplied the steering system.
Scarlett Rose Furlong’s superstructure sits atop a bed of springs to reduce vibration and noise in the crew spaces. The vessel has accommodations for 11 crew and one guest.
Armstrong delivers catamaran pilot boat for Alaska service
The National Park Service has taken delivery of an aluminum-hull catamaran that will be used to transport crews, cargo and pilots in Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Armstrong Marine USA of Port Angeles, Wash., built the 45-foot Serac based on plans from Jutson Marine Design of Vancouver, British Columbia.
The vessel is powered by twin 200-hp John Deere engines paired with ZF gears and nibral propellers. Optimus supplied the steering system, and the wheelhouse is equipped with a suite of Furuno electronics. The fuel tanks can hold 300 gallons.
Serac has two Bentley’s Mariner shock-mitigating seats for the crew and bench seating for 12 passengers. There is a head with hot water and a dinette that converts into a double berth. On deck, there are 10 recessed cargo tie-downs, while rubber fendering protects the hull.
Glacier Bay is one of the most remote national parks in the United States. It is located in southeastern Alaska, a region comprising narrow inlets and numerous islands. Juneau, Alaska’s capital, is roughly 60 miles away as the crow flies.
Vigor delivers pair of launches to Los Angeles pilots
Vigor Industrial has delivered two custom 56-foot Camarc Design vessels to the Los Angeles Pilot Service. Angels Pilot and Angels Navigator, built at Vigor’s Vancouver, Wash., facility on the Columbia River, left the shipyard in October.
Mackay Marine supplied electronics for both vessels. Each is equipped with a Furuno NavNet 3D TZT2 multifunction display system, along with GPS and AIS. Mackay also provided FLIR thermal cameras, Icom radios and other components. Details on the propulsion system were not available.
Camarc Design, based in the United Kingdom, has designed numerous pilot boats deployed in the United States, Europe, Australia and South America. Angels Pilot and Angels Navigator feature a double-chine hull form that allows for excellent seakeeping in rough weather. The stern of each is equipped with an articulated davit system for man-overboard rescues.
Derecktor gets federal approval for megayacht haul-out basin
Derecktor Fort Pierce (Florida) has received approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct a megayacht haul-out basin. The project still needs final approval from local building regulators.
The proposed basin would be 220 feet long and 50 feet wide. Uplands would be excavated for 288 auger cast piles needed to support a relieving platform surrounding the outer perimeter of the basin.
“Securing a permit from the U.S. Army Corps was no easy feat, especially during a global pandemic, as it required review from several different departments,” said Justin Beard, marketing manager for Derecktor Shipyards. “The haul-out basin is a critical piece of infrastructure at Derecktor Fort Pierce and it will allow us to lift vessels up to 250 feet in length with our 1,500-ton mobile boat hoist.”
The hoist will arrive in Port Everglades, Fla., later this year from northern Italy. It will be 85 feet tall, 75 feet wide and 120 feet long. Assembly of the massive piece of equipment will take up to eight weeks.
Silver Ships wins NAVSEA contract for new patrol boats
Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) has awarded a $6.12 million contract to Silver Ships for the construction of six riverine patrol boats (RPBs). The vessels will be used by an unnamed U.S. ally in the Pacific.
“We are excited to be able to provide additional RPBs to the Navy’s Foreign Military Sales program,” said Shawn Lobree, federal contracts manager for the Theodore, Ala.-based shipbuilder. “Silver Ships has maintained a consistent commitment to excellence by providing top quality and highly durable aluminum workboats to the U.S. and foreign militaries for more than two decades.”
The 40-foot center console vessels will be powered by twin 440-hp Yanmar engines and waterjets. The patrol boats will be armored and equipped with weapons. They can carry up to 20 people and will operate with a six-person crew.
