Page 28: of Marine News Magazine (October 2015)

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BOATBUILDING

Kvichak

Demand for Demand for

Maritime Security Vessels Maritime Security Vessels

Keeps U.S. Builders Busy

Export hulls – through the FMS Program, as well as Direct Sales – are a key piece of the business model.

By Susan Buchanan ven as the crash in energy prices feeds the oversup- sistance helps builders do business overseas. Some companies ply of offshore support vessels – a key staple of U.S. have expanded their order books through that channel, while

Eboatbuilding diets – and the dwindling backlogs of still others have made direct sales to foreign governments.

some so-called ‘second tier’ yards, a number of U.S. boat On this side of the pond, counties and local munici- builders are still seeing robust demand for security vessels. palities are using their taut funds, along with grants and

Separately, tightening federal, state, municipal and over- matched grants, to pay for security vessels. Last month, seas budgets are being trumped by the increased need for MarineNews spoke with six representative U.S. builders security craft that can perform more than one function. who have delivered security boats in this calendar year.

And, a big part of that metric turns out to be export hulls. It turns out that U.S. boat builders are alive and well in

As maritime defenses are bolstered in several regions, partic- an increasingly dif? cult market. In the fourth quarter of ularly the Middle East, U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) as- 2015, maritime security also means job security.

Tampa Yacht

October 2015

MN 28

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