Page 39: of Marine News Magazine (June 2016)

38 40

skimmer markets, Pilot Boats have also been delivered to the Middle

East (Oman), Survey Vessels to South

America and Commercial Fishing

Vessels to Russia.

While Vigor’s efforts in the Middle

East have not yet yielded as many sales as we would like, we have learned a lot.

For example, the time frame and costs of doing business in the overseas are about three times what they are here in the US. If you are going to play in this market, you better have a lot of patience and signi? cant money to invest.” He added, “Some of our prod- ucts can be sold now, but it will be an- other year or so for others to come to fruition because the U.S. Navy is our number one customer and absolute priority. When they’re happy, then we will deliver to other customers.”

Back at Home

Vigor’s Kvichak / OIW business plan calls for spreading the busi- ness around; with the Vigor/Kvichak model calling for 50% military and 50% commercial production, while the Vigor/OIW model produces 85% military and 15% commercial hulls. The individual markets served are many, including Patrol Vessels,

Oil Spill Response vessels, Excursion

Vessels, Fast Ferry Boats, Pilot Boats,

Hovercrafts and Survey Vessels. “With that business plan,” says Whittemore, “We like to operate in 6 or 7 market places, foreign and domestic, using the same style of engineering.”

On another front, also contracting to the U.S. Navy, Vigor/OIW’s Sealion project is highly secretive, but in a nut- shell, the Sealion Craft is a 71’ all- aluminum, high-speed planning vessel for littoral operation. Unique features include advanced geometry and preci- sion boundaries for low signature oper- ation. Vigor/OIW has so far delivered two Sealions to the U.S. Navy.

39 www.marinelink.com MN

MN June16 Layout 32-49.indd 39 5/17/2016 10:42:57 AM