Page 43: of Marine News Magazine (May 2015)

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SPILL RESPONSE

The Ever-Evolving Rapid

Response Skimmer

Kvichak’s Rapid Response Skimmers (RRS) are perhaps best known for their use by the U.S. Navy, but the design of these robust and well-designed units has evolved over time and today boasts placement in virtually every major spill organization.

By Joseph Keefe hen, just this past October, Kvichak Marine building skimmer boats since 1995 and has contracted won a U.S. Navy contract for 12 30-foot Rap- for 100 to the U.S. Navy. But, the boats are anything but id Response Skimmers (RRS) for delivery over cookie cutter hulls and equipment. Responding to cus-

W the next 18 months, with options for up to 30 additional tomer inquiries and requests, the RRS has evolved many skimmers to be delivered through 2019, that wasn’t nec- times to arrive at what it looks like today. Looking deeper, essarily earthshaking news. That’s because the aluminum the reasons for those changes become much more evident.

Kvichak RRS is already the Navy’s tier one response asset.

The new craft will supplement the Navy’s current