Page 29: of Marine News Magazine (October 2014)

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SECURITY WORKBOATS

In June 2012, MetalCraft Marine U.S. was awarded a $9.8 million contract for the design and production of up to ten new-generation Long Range Interceptor IIs--eight for the U.S. Coast Guard and two for other government agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Navy. These boats will be used for National

Security Cutter operations, such as interdiction and inter- cepting illegal migrants, the USCG said.

The company’s Patrol series are high-speed, small craft for navies, coast guards and police agencies. Built in partnership with Brunswick Commercial and Government Products in

Edgewater, Fla., they’re maneuverable, rugged and suited to search and rescue, monitoring and special operations. “The biggest new technologies we’ve adopted are energy saving,” Clark said. “We built a new 50-foot aluminum patrol boat for the Massachusetts Environmental Police, delivered on June 27, with a Volvo Penta Inboard Propul- sion System. It allows 30 percent fuel savings and a 30 percent reduction in carbon emissions, compared with straight shaft props and rudders, according to Volvo Pen- ta’s numbers.” The boat is the fi rst commercial vessel in

North America to be powered by IPS propulsion. “This

IPS, which provides greater cruising range and higher speed, while reducing noise, is so amazing it can even make recreational boaters look like rock stars,” Clark said.

All in all, Metal Craft Marine remains busy. As for back orders, “we have 5-year contracts for salvage boats with the

U.S. Navy and 5-year contracts for LRIs with the USCG, along with a multi-year foreign fi reboat contract,” Clark said. The Navy contract is for eight U.S. Navy Superinten- dent of Salvage or Supsalv boats.

Tampa Yacht Builds Mission-Specifi c Craft

This year and next, Tampa Yacht Manufacturing LLC in

Pinellas Park, Fla. will deliver ten 36’ RHIB craft for spe- cial ops forces to a foreign navy; four 50’ fast attack craft to a foreign government’s border-security forces; and ten 44’

Fast Coastal Interceptors to foreign coast guard forces, the company’s CEO Bob Stevens said last month. The orders, impressive enough by themselves, also showcase the ability of U.S. yards – in certain niche areas – to compete in the export boatbuilding game. “We’re delivering 24 vessels in 2014 and 2015, and right now we have on the books another 19 vessels for delivery in 2016,” Stevens said. “All craft are custom confi gured for mission-specifi c requirements, and all our sales are to foreign governments. But I’m not at liberty to identify them or the territories we’re selling into.” Tampa Yacht also remains busy into the foreseeable future. Stevens said the company’s security vessels are on back order for two or more years.

Brunswick Delivers Patrol Vessels Worldwide “This year alone, we plan to deliver security patrol vessels to Central and South America, as well as the Middle East, and to the northeastern United States and Gulf states,” Jer- emy Davis, sales director at Brunswick Commercial and

Government Products in Edgewater, Fla., said last month. “One of our main business segments is maritime security.

Brunswick for over fi fty years has produced commercial- grade Boston Whaler fi berglass boats for law enforcement agencies in coastal regions worldwide.”

Brunswick recently expanded its product line to include

Brunswick Commercial’s IMPACT 850 model www.marinelink.com MN 29

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