Page 52: of Marine News Magazine (January 2011)

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52 MN January 2011

Second Research Vessel at

Great Lakes Shipyard

Great Lakes Shipyard will perform repairs, haul out and drydocking, as necessary, to the U.S. Geological

Survey Research Vessel Sturgeon. The work is part of a fleet maintenance contract with the Great Lakes Science

Center, Ann Arbor, Mich. of the U.S.

Geological Survey, Department of the

Interior. The 105-ft R/V Sturgeon was built in 1974 and is home-ported in Cheboygan, Mich.

Blount Boats Wins 4-Boat Deal

Blount Boats, Inc. received Notice of Award to design and construct four 75-ft passenger vessels for the U.S.

Army Kwajalein Atoll in the South

Pacific. The vessels will be built to meet the USCG Subchapter T for operation between the Marshall

Islands of Kwajalein, Rio-Namur and

Ennubirr Island on a Protected

Waters Route for the Kwajalein

Range Service, LLC. The 150-passen- ger mono hull boat will be construct- ed of welded Corten steel with an alu- minum superstructure. The ferries will be powered by twin Detroit

Series 60 diesel engines, rated at 475 hp at 1,800 rpm, coupled to ZF 550 1.833:1 ratio gears. The fire and bilge pumps will be PTO driven off both mains and the steering will be operat- ed by a cable-type steering system.

JonRie’s New Towing System

JonRie commissioned its new Series 500 Towing System on the 1,200 kW tug Crystal Cutler built for Poling and Cutler Marine Transportation,

Freehold, N.J. The winch features

JonRie's independent drive level wind and an independent drive gypsy head.

The winch has a line pull of 25 tons, a line speed of 18 M/m and drum brake with the capacity of 125 tons.

The capacity of the drum is 500 M of 38mm wire. JonRie also designed and supplied the boat deck console, con- trol system, HPU and pilot house drum slip alarm and abort system.

The tug will tow its new 30,000 bb barge in New York’s shallow harbors, rivers and water ways.

Rapp Hydema Winches for USGS

Research Vessels

Great Lakes Shipyard awarded

Rapp Hydema NW the deck machin- ery packages for two U.S. Geological

Survey research vessels now under construction. Rapp’s award includes a pair of trawl winches, a centerline winch, side-sampling winches port and starboard, and a dual net reel, for each vessel. Rapp will be providing its

PTS Pentagon Canbus system for winch control and monitoring, as well a Rapp Syd gillnet lifter for each boat. The centerline and side-sam- pling winches will be slip-ring capa- ble.

Austal Multi-Vessel LCS Contract

The USA division of Australian- headquartered Austal has been award- ed a U.S. Navy contract to construct one Independence Class Littoral

Combat Ship (LCS). The total value

PEOPLE & COMPANY NEWS

MRG Acquires Cook Inlet Tug & Barge

Marine Resources Group (MRG), a family of companies that operate tug and barge fleets throughout the U.S., is expanding into the Alaska harbor services business. MRG acquired the assets of Cook Inlet Tug & Barge, based in Anchorage, which operates as an independent subsidiary. The family-owned Alaska company, which traces its history to 1923, has 10 employees and operates three tugs and one barge. Steve Scalzo, MRG chief operating officer, said Capt. Carl Anderson, the previous owner, will remain at Cook Inlet Tug & Barge in a consulting capacity to support the business during the transition. All other employees are expected to stay with the company, including Capt. Brad Kroon, who will have overall management responsibility, and Capt. Katrina Anderson, Carl’s daughter, who will provide operational, administrative and safety-related support.

Also with the company is Carl’s son Garrett, who works on the tugs. The

Anchorage company’s fleet includes two ice-class ASD tractor tugs at 3,500 hp and 2,200 hp, and a 1,000 hp pusher tug. Carl Anderson’s grand- father, Norwegian-born Jack Anderson, started Cook Inlet Tug & Barge in 1923.

Photo courtesy Austal