Page 18: of Marine News Magazine (April 2018)

Boatbuilding, Construction & Repair

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INSIGHTS it comes to China. Understand that we are talking about a path forward in coastal shipping and a domestic building speci? c man/hour cost for a shipyard trade as “labor” has plan. The world looks to the United States as a technology many components – one of which is the actual total man- leader. And that is not a quick off-the-cuff statement as hours required to deliver the vessel at completion. On av- AMTECH has reached into our own pockets to build for erage Hyundai contracts and delivers a standard design in own account. With this project, AMTECH and Harbor about nine months. The U.S shipyard’s build period for a Harvest are now owners and that is a big step for both similar size vessel is closer to 18 months. Unfortunately some the Marine Highway and us. The project research supports of the latest domestic projects have taken longer than that. many of the questions we have answered here.

We again attribute the difference to project management Historically, we have looked to reducing energy con- and the ability to build from a completed design package. sumption as a means to reach environmental compliance and sustainability. The internal combustion engine drove

Marad is backing a plan to replace the aging state that thought process in all transportation sectors. The maritime academy training ships. That might take the quantum leap in battery technology and energy storage form of a newbuild program of the so-called NSMV’s. has changed that path. In the future will be creating as

Or, it could mean the refurbishment of a laid up com- much power as possible through alternative energy sources mercial hull or two. What’s the best way to go about and storing that energy. Solar, wind and Fuel cell cannot this (if at all)?

be turned on and off like an internal combustion engine.

We need to decide if leading as a maritime nation is in our

Storage is the key and we believe it will work towards re- future. We have a new Maritime Administrator with a Navy background and a new Secretary of Transportation with a inventing the marine propulsion markets. The BAE Hy- family commercial shipping background. What better time briDrive system works towards that end.

Our Harbor Harvest Hybrid project has been submitted to make that decision? With ? ve very successful State Mari- to the Secretary of Transportation after meeting Maritime time Academies in operation, we owe it to these students to provide a platform that teaches them the latest technology Administration approval in the Marine Highway program.

The application relieves congestion on our local highways in navigation and propulsion. That platform should also be capable of teaching them sustainability and environmental and moves this freight without emission or environmental compliance. New construction is the path that can make impact. You only need to drive on the U.S. Interstate high- ways to understand why we believe the Marine Highway’s that platform possible. Now ask who is actually being sup- time has come.

ported with that decision. Are we supporting the youth that

How does it affect domestic shipbuilding? The project has determined that a career at sea or in the maritime trades re? ects our vertical integration model. The propulsion is the direction they have chosen? Do we continue as a Na- tion to build a commercial ? eet that supports that career? system and hull is U.S built at BAE Hybrid and Dereck- tor Shipyards – U.S manufacturers. The design and pro-

Or do we limit the design and construction for these train- duction drawings are complete and have resulted in two ing ships to only U.S shipyards that will result in a cost that successful builds with the same hull form and as a result, is not economically feasible? We tried U.S built cruise ships before and it wasn’t pretty. Is the construction of a training a reduction in price to build. We have built the Harbor

Harvest Ecosystem around the transportation platform ship platform gathering all of the latest technology to edu- cate seafaring students a Jones Act required build? Can we with agriculture distribution centers and retail spaces sup- work with a favored nation as a partner in Europe or Korea porting the move away from historical diesel trucking. It is to make that build happen? Answer those questions and in our long-term goal to take this short haul model in larger

RO/RO vessels and apply it to coastal itineraries in other my opinion we can look at either raising the level of interest ports once we prove it economically successful. This ? rst at Marad or determining [if] the cost is prohibitive. phase will trade Long Island Sound and the Hudson River supporting local farmers and artisan chefs. Our Dereck-

You are building an exciting new hull up on the U.S. tor contract is ‘one plus one’ and a second hull is in the

East Coast. The Harbor Harvest program could well works. We have extended plans to deliver up to ten vessels become a designated Federal Marine Highway project. and the community and cargo support is there to make

Why is this important and what are you trying to ac- complish in this corridor. Any plans for a second hull?

that happen. Look ahead to the ? rst Naming and Delivery

We believe new alternative marine technologies are the ceremony in March of 2019. We’ll get you an invitation.

April 2018 18 MN

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Marine News

Marine News is the premier magazine of the North American Inland, coastal and Offshore workboat markets.