Workboat News Roundup | February 4 – Belgian operator's pilotage mothership, US and Chinese research vessels and more
Orders have been placed for a new harbour workboat, a research vessel that can deploy unmanned vehicles, and a large pilot boat for operation in the North Sea. Construction meanwhile continues on a large training vessel with a secondary disaster response capability.
Egypt's Damietta Port Authority orders new workboat
The Damietta Port Authority of Egypt has selected Suez Canal Authority affiliate Timsah Shipbuilding for the construction of a new multi-purpose workboat.
The boat will have a length of 18 metres, a beam of 6.5 metres, a draught of 2.5 metres, a bollard pull of 20 tonnes, and a top speed of 10 knots. Its duties will include cargo transport, towing, resupply, hydrographic surveys, dive support, and search and rescue (SAR).
Chinese firm selected for design work on new research vessel
China's Wuhan Ship Design and Research Institute has won the tender for the design of a new research vessel.
The completed vessel will have an LOA of approximately 50 metres, a beam of nine metres, and a maximum speed of 18 knots. It will be equipped with a DP1 system and facilities for the deployment and recovery of underwater sensors and remotely operated vehicles.
Scripps Institution issues request for proposals for new research vessel
UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography has issued a request for proposals (RFP) to select a shipyard to perform the final design and assembly of the university’s new Coastal-class research vessel (CCRV), which Scripps claims is the first-ever research vessel that will run primarily on renewable fuels.
The vessel will be a dual-powered hydrogen fuel cell/diesel electric hybrid oceanographic research vessel that will be able to conduct 75 per cent of its missions using only liquid hydrogen fuel.
Cal Poly Humboldt's new research vessel floated out
A new research vessel ordered by California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt (Cal Poly Humboldt) was recently launched into the water for the first time.
North Wind will soon begin undergoing sea trials. Its delivery is scheduled for later this year.
US Maritime Administration's fourth National Security Multimission Vessel hits the water
Hanwha Philly Shipyard (formerly Philly Shipyard) in Pennsylvania has launched the fourth National Security Multimission Vessel (NSMV) ordered by the US Maritime Administration (MARAD).
The future Lone Star State will be operated by the Texas A&M Maritime Academy on behalf of MARAD. As an NSMV, the vessel belongs to a class of training ships that will also be available to support US federal government efforts in response to national and international disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes.
Nordic Yards JV wins $115m contract for 80-metre pilot boat mothership
Nordic Yards Group, a joint venture between Estonian shipyard Baltic Workboats (BWB) and Finland's Uudenkaupungin Työvene, has signed a contract with the Belgian state enterprise DAB Vloot to design and build an environmentally friendly 80-metre pilot boat mothership.
The price for one vessel is 54.4 million euros (US$57 million), but the project includes an option for a second equivalent vessel, bringing the total transaction volume up to 110 million euros.
