Huntington Ingalls to explore opportunities for Avondale redevelopment
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced in April that it will conduct a study with Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP to explore redeveloping Huntington Ingalls' Avondale shipyard in Louisiana.
Since announcing its plans to close Avondale in 2010, HII has sought a solution to redevelop the facility. This study will explore and evaluate best-use opportunities for the facility. Once the study is completed and a determination has been made for an economically viable, best use of the facility, HII and Kinder Morgan may pursue the formation of a joint venture to repurpose the Avondale site.
U.S. Navy awards ‘largest shipbuilding contract’ in service history
U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command awarded a $17.8 billion contract for 10 Block IV Virginia-class attack submarines (SSN-774) to General Dynamics Electric Boat in the largest single shipbuilding contract in the Navy’s history, according to Vice Adm. David Johnson, U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) executive officer for submarines. As a comparison, Johnson noted that the Navy’s total shipbuilding budget request for Fiscal Year 2015 was $14.4 billion.
According to NAVSEA, the multi-year procurement contract continues the two-a-year build rate through 2018 and saves over $2 billion across government- and contractor-furnished equipment, effectively getting 10 ships for the price of nine. The Block IV contract is the culmination of 20 months of work between the Navy and shipbuilders, according to the NAVSEA statement.
Electric Boat builds the submarine along with Huntington Ingalls’ Newport News Shipbuilding.
The ships follow a contract for eight Block III Virginia ships which have incorporated a so-called design for affordability scheme that seeks to reduce the cost of the submarines by building in efficiencies into the construction process as well as the operation and maintenance of the boats.
The cost per Block IV Virginia is about $1.78 billion over the contract, compared to $2.6 billion for the first Block III boat.
Block III boats changed 40 percent of the bow to include two Multiple All Up Round Canisters (MAC) ahead of the boat’s sail that hold 12 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles apiece as well as a Large Aperture Bow (LAB) array that requires fewer parts and less maintenance than previous Virginia sonars.
Block IV boats will build on the improvements to allow the boats to spend less time in the yard — from four major maintenance periods to three — and to squeeze an extra deployment out of the design.
The Virginia-class program has been the most stable shipbuilding program in the U.S. Navy for the last decade, with cost and schedule per submarine consistently coming down over the program.
BAE Systems receives multi-ship, multi-option (MSMO) contract from U.S. Navy
A five-year contract was awarded by the Naval Sea Systems Command to BAE Systems in late April. The contract includes modernization, maintenance and repair work for USS Chafee, USS John Paul Jones, USS Chung-Hoon, USS Hopper, USS Michael Murphy, USS O’Kane, USS Halsey, USS Milius, and USS Preble. This award marks a continuation of work BAE Systems has been performing on the same type of ships in Hawaii under a previous seven-year contract.
“Our sustained, outstanding performance on the first MSMO award paved the way for this follow-on contract,” said Bill Clifford, president of ship repair at BAE Systems. “The Navy clearly recognizes our achievements and success in maintaining and modernizing these ships to ensure the readiness of the fleet. This award speaks volumes about the dedication and commitment of our highly skilled workforce, as well as our island suppliers and small businesses.”
“The new contract — coupled with similar MSMO contracts in Norfolk, Virginia; Mayport, Florida; and San Diego, California — reinforces the company’s trusted partnership with the Navy. BAE Systems has successfully completed more than 300 cruiser and destroyer availabilities over the last 20 years,“ BAE Systems said.
SSV Oliver Hazard Perry hauled at Newport Shipyard
Rhode Island’s SSV Oliver Hazard Perry was hauled at Newport Shipyard on April 24. The ship will have exterior work below its waterline completed. This work will include installation of thru-hull penetrations for seawater intakes, replacement of zinc anodes, painting the bottom and topsides and inspection of propellers and shafts.
Over the last year, while Oliver Hazard Perry was at Senesco Marine in North Kingstown, R.I., extensive work was completed on its interior, including plumbing, electrical wiring, insulation, machinery installation and welding. On the exterior, cap rails have been added, the anchor hawse pipes and spurling pipes have been built, the bowsprit extended and a deck doubler for the anchor windlass has been built. Various ventilation pipes have been installed on deck.
The spars for the rig were built at The Spar Shop at Grays Harbor Seaport in Washington state and trucked cross-country to Portsmouth, R.I., where Perry’s crew of riggers are completing the standing rigging. Hood Sailmakers in Middletown, R.I., is completing construction of the ship’s sails.
Named for Newport's naval hero in the War of 1812, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the vessel is Rhode Island's own tall ship, providing the smallest state in the country with the largest ship of its kind to have been built in this country in the last 100 years. The three-masted square rigged sailing vessel will provide education-at-sea programs to youth of all ages while proudly advancing the Ocean State's rich maritime heritage. It will join the select fleet of Class-A size tall ships hosted by the nations of the world.
(If you’re interested in the education-at-sea programs, join our sister magazine Ocean Navigator on a trip aboard Oliver Hazard Perry this fall. For more information: www.oceannavigator.com/Web-Exclusives-2014/Seminars-at-sea-on-Oliver-Hazard-Perry/)
Crew supply vessel John Jacob delivered to Halimar Shipyard
Incat Crowther announced on April 28 the delivery of John Jacob, a 205-foot aluminum monohull crew supply vessel, for Barry Graham Oil Service (BGOS) of Bayou La Batre, Ala. The vessel has a beam of 32 feet and a draft of 15 feet.
The ship has an aft cargo deck of nearly 3,640 square feet and can carry loads up to 450 long tons.
The main deck cabin houses 72 passenger seats, passenger shower and toilet, stores and a dedicated DP equipment room. A deck locker, accessed from the cargo deck, is provided for storage of deck cargo securing equipment and other safety gear. The wheelhouse features both forward and aft-facing control stations.
Below decks, accommodations for crew include six twin cabins. Adjacent to these is a crew galley and mess area, as well as a large pantry.
The vessel carries 15,296 gallons of fuel and an additional 17,484 gallons of transferable fuel. There are also tanks capable of transporting 42,588 gallons of rig water or ballast.
The vessel is powered by four Cummins QSK 50 engines, rated at 1,800 hp each. These drive through Twin Disc MGX 6848 gearboxes to four Hamilton HM811 waterjets via shaft assemblies from Driveline Service of Portland, Ore. Top speed during sea trials was 32 knots.
Three Thrustmaster 150-hp tunnel bow thrusters combine with the four jets and a Beier Radio DP-2 control system to give the vessel superior maneuverability. Electric power is generated from three Cummins 6CTA gensets rated at 185 kW.
Additionally, a FiFi-1 firefighting system is installed for the purpose of combating off-ship fires. The system includes two FFS engine-driven pumps, each with 5,300 gpm capacity, with integral clutch assemblies and remote controlled monitors.
