Shipbuilding News, October 2013

Jensen awarded construction management contract for Jones Act tankers

Jensen Maritime Consultants of Seattle has been awarded a new construction management contract for four new 330,000-barrel, Jones Act product tankers, to be built by Aker Philadelphia Shipyard Inc.

Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2014. Jensen is already establishing on-site offices and personnel at the Philadelphia shipyard. Delivery of the new Veteran-class tankers is expected in 2015 and 2016.

The project is the second major construction management project that Jensen has signed since it officially announced the launch of its new, in-house construction management program. The team first managed the construction of two new fireboats for the Port of Long Beach. But long before the program was formally established, Jensen construction management professionals were already at work managing multiple high-profile projects, including the construction and deliveries of all four Crowley high-bollard-pull Ocean-class tugboats and 17 articulated tug-barges (ATBs).

 

Navy awards modification and dry docking contracts

Ocean Ships Inc. of Houston is being awarded a contract modification for the modification and maintenance of eight roll-on/roll-off ships. The $32,383,461 contract modification falls under a previously awarded contract for the operation and maintenance of eight Watson-class large, medium-speed ro-ro ships. This modification extends the contract for a period not to exceed six months, in accordance with FAR 52.217-8. The ships are employed in the worldwide prepositioning of government-owned cargo, including hazardous materials such as explosives and ammunition, and vehicular, bulk and general cargoes. Work will be performed at sea worldwide. Completion is expected by March 31, 2014.

In another award, Colonna's Shipyard Inc., Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $13,619,216 firm-fixed-price contract for Docking Phased Maintenance Availability to include dry docking, hull plating replacement, propulsion engine removal and habitability on board USS Shamal (PC 13). Work will be performed in Norfolk and is expected to be completed by August 2014.

 

Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards to build another 10 non-combat vessels

Canadian officials announced Oct. 7 that Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards will build an additional 10 non-combat vessels for the Canadian Coast Guard.

The new ships increase Seaspan’s non-combat build package to 17 ships from the seven originally announced in 2011. These additional ships include five Medium Endurance Multi-Tasked Vessels (MEMTVs) and five Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs).

 

BAE Systems to build subsea support vessel

Oceaneering International Inc., a global oilfield provider of engineered services and products, has selected BAE Systems to build a subsea support vessel for offshore drilling. The vessel will be used to augment Oceaneering’s ability to provide subsea intervention services in the ultra-deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Construction will take place at the company’s Mobile, Ala., shipyard, and, when complete, the U.S.-flagged vessel will measure 353 feet long with a 72-foot-long beam.

 

GE supplies turbines for two U.S. Navy destroyers

GE Marine will provide eight LM2500 marine gas turbines to power the U.S. Navy’s DDG 117 and DDG 118 destroyers, to be named USS Paul Ignatius and USS Daniel Inouye respectively.

Each of the LM2500s will feature engine improvements made through GE’s common engine program, including parts upgrade of the compressor rotor, the turbine mid-frame, the compressor rear frame and the power turbine. By adopting the LM2500 common engine program, the Navy can leverage the LM2500 industrial volume to control cost, and improve manufacturing and durability, as well as spare parts lead times. Common engine changes are contained within the gas turbine, so as to not impact ship interfaces or on-ship maintenance activities.

The eight LM2500 gas turbines — four per ship — will be manufactured at GE’s Evendale, Ohio, facility and will be delivered to shipyards General Dynamics/Bath Iron Works, in Bath, Maine, and Huntington Ingalls Industries, of Pascagoula, Miss., in 2014. “With more than 250 units produced for new projects this year, Navy and commercial customers plan large projects knowing that there will be long-term engine and services support from GE,” said Brien Bolsinger, vice president, marine operations, GE Marine, Evendale. To date, the U.S. Navy has taken delivery of more than 700 LM2500 gas turbines operating aboard surface combatants such as frigates and destroyers.

 

A new shallow draft barge for McKeil Marine

A new shallow draft barge designed to overcome lower water levels in the Great Lakes was christened in the Port of Windsor, Ontario, on Oct. 4.

Built in Mexico and owned by McKeil Marine Ltd., Huron Spirit will be used to deliver stone and aggregate used in area construction projects.

“Barges have been less affected by lower water levels in the Great Lakes as they sit higher in the water. But this new design allows us to carry considerably more or heavier cargo at our normal 19 feet draft,” said Steve Fletcher, president of McKeil Marine. “This will not only allow us to expand trade patterns for some of our customers but we will also be targeting shallower docks and ports that are typically less accessible.

“This could help companies get their cargo closer to the end destination, thereby reducing the amount of required trucking,” said Fletcher.

Huron Spirit will be mainly used to carry construction-related bulk materials and heavier bulk such as steel coils throughout Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron and Lake Erie. It’s designed with a strengthened deck to allow it to carry varied cargoes in a smaller deck footprint.

It is fitted with a 150-foot self-unloading boom, which allows transfer of cargo such as stone to shore terminals without need for dock operators or cranes.

It will make regular runs with calls including Windsor, Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, Chicago, Burns Harbour, Marblehead, Cedarville, Rodger City, Kingsville and Sault Ste. Marie.

 

Aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford receives new props at Newport News Shipbuilding

Huntington Ingalls Industries announced Oct. 3 that the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) has put on significant weight in the dry dock at its Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division with the installation of four 30-ton bronze propellers. Each propeller is 21 feet in diameter.

“Installation of the propellers culminates more than 10 months of focused work by numerous trades in support of installing the underwater shafting,” said Rolf Bartschi, NNS’s vice president, (CVN 78) carrier construction. “The configuration of the blades, the weight of the propellers and the extremely tight tolerances required make this a challenging installation.”

Gerald R. Ford’s primary hull structure reached 100 percent structural completion in May, bringing more than three years of structural erection work to a close. Work continues on the ship, including the piping and electrical systems and the habitability areas such as the galley and mess spaces. The ship’s christening is scheduled for Nov. 9.

By Professional Mariner Staff