Page 11: of Marine News Magazine (November 2024)

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Q&A comes down to good design, service and execution, and in each case looking after our customers’ best interest.

A big part of our success is that we have long-term partnerships with designers Ray Hunt Design for our pi- lot boats and Incat Crowther for ferries. We have a full in-house engineering and naval architecture staff, but it’s invaluable to bring in the expertise of both of these de- sign ? rms. And it’s also invaluable to have done so many projects together. This long-term relationship has allowed us to develop standard designs that can be customized for different customer requirements. Building small “custom” commercial vessels is very dif? cult. The expectation is that it will be perfect, and we only get one shot at it. This is not mass production like automobiles or airplanes where they build prototypes prior to production. We have to look for every opportunity to create ? exible, standardize design de- tails that we can use in many applications. Using standard design details, materials and components gives us con? - dence in performance, reliability, cost, weight, etc. In cus- tom boat building there is always a balance between giv- ing the customer what they want, developing new ideas/ products and using tried and true details you can rely on.

As far as CTVs go, I would not say we or any other builder at this point is a clear leader. It’s such a new market.

Photo: Greg Trauthwein

We’ve only delivered one CTV; and while we are con? dent it will prove itself in time, it’s still early days.

Will you please give an overview of recently

What are the biggest challenges currently fac- completed, active and upcoming projects, in- ing Gladding-Hearn (or the U.S. shipbuilding cluding both newbuild and repair?

We try to maintain a good mix of new construction and industry in general), and how is your company re? t/repair work. We’ve been able to do this in the past addressing them?

The past four years have been extremely challenging. We three years. On the new build side, we are fortunate to have several pilot boats to build ranging in size from 40 to successfully managed our way through COVID, when we were hit by in? ation of material, labor and overhead costs. 70 feet for repeat customers. We also have a 35-meter cata- maran ferry starting soon. We recently delivered our ? rst We are able to mitigate some of the effects of in? ation be- crew transfer vessel (CTV) to the offshore wind market. cause we have ? exible, standardized design details. We also

On the re? t side, we did a major overhaul on a 38-year-old have a talented workforce.

In? ation has been real challenge. Consider that we are steel ferry and two 19-year-old pilot boats. just now ? nishing boats that we priced two years ago. We are able to mitigate some of the effects of in? ation because

Gladding-Hearn is known for its expertise in pi- we have ? exible, standardized design details. We order the lot boat, passenger vessel and now CTV con- major equipment much earlier in a project than before struction. How did the company become a lead- er in these sectors? What are the hallmarks of a and we need to consider the cost of shipping when making purchases much more than ever before.

Gladding-Hearn-built vessel?

In addition, like many businesses, we have not been able

Regardless of the type of boat we are building, I think it www.marinelink.com MN 11|