First Crab Boat Built By Halter Marine, The 150-Foot Alaskan Enterprise, To Operate In Bering Sea For Francis Miller

What is one of the largest vessels ever designed for the Alaskan crab fishery, with an estimated capacity of 450,000 pounds of live king crabs, was recently completed at Halter Marine, Inc., Moss Point, Miss., shipyard.

The $2-million-plus Alaskan Enterprise, which was delivered on Labor Day in Seattle, Wash., to its owner Francis L. Miller, also represents a number of firsts for its New Orleans, La.-based builder — it is Halter's first crab vessel, it is Halter's first boat for the Alaskan fisheries, and it is Halter's largest fishing vessel.

Halter Marine owns and operates 10 shipyards in the Southeastern U.S., and is the world's largest builder of supply boats for the offshore oil and gas industry.

The company builds more than 30 different types of steel, aluminum and fiberglass vessels.

The seine-style Alaskan Enterprise measures 150 feet 6 inches by 38 feet by 16 feet, and is powered by twin GMC V16-149 engines developing 1,940 horsepower.

Among its innovations are two 12-ton cranes supplied by Slattery Equipment of Olympia, Wash., and a 350-horsepower Omnithruster JT-700 with thrust directors located in the bow. This will be one of the first vessels in Alaska with the Omnithruster, which is designed for slow-speed propulsion which improves maneuverability dramatically. Unique to Omnithruster, it can be controlled by the vessel's autopilot and thereby permits the vessel to hold its position even with the helm unattended.

The vessel has floodable circulating seawater crab tanks with a 16,800 cubic foot capacity.

The owner of the Alaskan En Enterprise, Francis L. Miller, is a highly regarded veteran highliner of the Alaskan crab fishery.

Mr. Miller also owns an interest in another new crab vessel slated f o r delivery in time for this month's opening of the Alaskan king crab fishing season. The two new ultramodern vessels are replacing four smaller crab catchers which Mr. Miller has owned prior to these acquisitions.

The Alaskan Enterprise has been financed by Mr. Miller with a loan from the General Electric Credit Corporation (GECC). The transaction was handled by GECC marine financing representative Jim Shoults of Seattle.

The General Electric Company financial subsidiary is one of the major lenders in the commercial marine industry, having arranged financing in recent years for over $750,000,000 tankers, freighters, workboats and fishing vessels.

Maritime Reporter Magazine, page 16, Sep 15, 1978

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Maritime Reporter

First published in 1881 Maritime Reporter is the world's largest audited circulation publication serving the global maritime industry.