Page 39: of Marine News Magazine (September 2022)

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Tacoma, Wash.-based Silverback currently underway. Silverback has worked with EBDG

Marine is a relatively new name in In July 2022, Silverback began on a number of other projects, includ- boatbuilding, formed with the tall building what it calls a STS CTV, a ing a truckable tug, a compact (25’ 10 ambition to “change the way the crew transfer vessel for ship-to-shore ?” length, 14’ 6” beam 3’ 4” draft) world thinks about workboats”. applications. Scheduled for delivery tugboat that can be transported to job “We started Silverback with the in 2023, the 35’ 5” vessel will be op- sites by truck over the road. Available vision of essentially bringing, what I erated by Portland, Ore.-based Shaver with either electric, hybrid or out- would call, the big boat experience to Transportation on the Columbia board propulsion options with up to smaller workboats. Enabling people River. “It’s not a crew transfer vessel 500 horsepower, the tug will produce to get a smaller workboat, but also in the sense of offshore wind. This a bollard pull over 12,500 pounds and have a real naval architect and engi- vessel is designed to bring crew and has a still water range of 60 nautical neer go through it—give them ren- items from various places onshore out miles pushing approximately 10,000 derings, give them that tailored expe- to larger vessels. For example, if they pounds at 4.1 knots. The vessel can rience that you would normally only need groceries delivered to a bigger be operated with a one-person crew ? nd if you’re getting a much larger ship, or simply need to get a number and does not require compliance with vessel,” the company’s founder, Ian of personnel from one vessel to an- USCG Subchapter M regulations.

Gracey, said. other quickly, then this boat will allow

Silverback Marine is among a num- them to do that,” Gracey said.

ber of U.S. builders aiming to accel- The vessel will have full fendering, erate delivery times by keeping an enabling it to sidle up to a larger ship, inventory of stock vessels—which is and push knees for utility work mov- especially bene? cial given the current ing ? oats or any kind of maintenance supply chain issues that are plaguing around the harbor. The wheelhouse newbuild projects. “The way the in- will seat up to six people, including pi- dustry is now, the lead time can be lot and co-pilot plus four crew. It will anywhere from six to 24 months if feature windows and a wheelhouse you want to get even a basic workboat door from Diamond Sea Glaze and because most people build to order,” will be powered by twin 300-horse-

Gracey said. “For our Grizzly, which power OXE Diesel outboards. Among is kind of like the F-150 of workboats, other innovations, the ? at deck sheds we premanufacture in production all water overboard, thus eliminating runs of 10 at a time and have them sit- the need for auto bailers.

ting either fully or partially complete. The initial design for the vessel was

If a customer needs a boat quickly, based on Silverback’s standard Griz- they can have it in as little as one to zly, which is a 21-footer. “Essentially, two days.” Shaver gave us a list of the things that

Silverback’s customers range from they wanted to be able to do, and ports and municipalities to oil re- some rough ideas of the weight, and sponse and tug and barge companies, size, and length that they were aiming “anyone who’s in the market for a to keep within. From there, we draft- workboat between 21 and 60 feet,” ed up a rough concept. Once that was

Gracey said. The company is now in approved, we contracted Elliot Bay its third year of business, and to date, Design Group to ? ush out the whole it has built 51 vessels with four builds gamut,” Gracey said.

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