Page 31: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (April 1995)

fide Buys Seven >ew Utility Vessels |For Offshore Service

Hvide Marine Inc. continued the expansion of its offshore energy ser- ices division with the purchase of seven crew utility vessels, saidErik

J. Hvide, the company's chairman id CEO.

Four 135-ft. (41-m) vessels, and one each of 100 ft. (30.5 m), 110 ft. |(33.5 m) and 120 ft. (36.6 m), were purchased from Crewboats, Inc. of ^halmette, La. Five of the crewboats srere built by Breaux Bay Craft. "These are seven excellent, high- duality vessels, bringing our Seabulk

Offshore Ltd. fleet to 42 vessels,"

Hvide said. The newly ac- quired vessels and their crew mem- srs will immediately join the other

Seabulk vessels servicing oil rigs id platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.

Late last year, Hvide Marine more |than doubled its offshore energy services fleet with the acquisition of 20 crewboats, three supply vessels id a utility boat from other compa- ies. "This latest purchase is part of aur long-term acquisition plan aimed at expanding all four of our divi- sions, including offshore energy ser- vices, harbor and coastal towing services, chemical transportation services and fuel transportation ser- vices," Mr. Hvide said.

Hvide Marine, headquartered in

Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is a diversi- fied maritime transportation com- pany which owns, operates and manages 77 vessels. Its global op- erations cover all three U.S. coasts, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

Players Gets OK 1o Acquire

Showboat Star

Players International, Inc. an- nounced it had received approval from the Louisiana State Police,

Riverboat Gaming Enforcement Di- vision, to acquire theShowboat Star

Riverboat Casino and move it to

Players' riverboat site in Lake

Charles, La. Players received the necessary approvals from the Loui- siana Gaming Commission Feb. 8.

Players International, Inc. is a developer and operator of casinos in new gaming markets. The company owns and operates gaming and en- tertainment facilities on the Ohio

River in Metropolis, 111. and Lake

Charles, La. lac Navy Order (Continued from previous page)

America can build nuclear-pow- ered aircraft carriers, but the mar- ket for the construction of vessels such as luxury liners has been domi- lated by overseas designers and luilders.

Now that the military market is liminishing, Mr. Pope feels lerica needs to decide whether it ; going to be satisfied building low- ech vessels, or modernize its prac- ices. Modernization means re-edu- cation of shipowners, shipyards, tradespeople, engineers and archi-

Itects. "We are trying to encourage yards take the leap. I don't think our lture is in low-tech ships in the ammercial world. I think we have do the clever ships," said Mr. 'ope. "It comes back to investment in people ... and trying to look beyond the conventional — trying to do new things and taking some technical isks, because that is the only way you will get the leadership back in the end."

Mr. Pope acknowledged that

Imany of America's small yards are •producing unique, high-tech boats,

Ibut he thinks large ships will domi- |nate the market.

The U.S. branch of Cegelec says lit is committed to bringing expertise

Iback to American shores. Cegelec's •involvement with Avondale on the iCoast Guard icebreaker, and their (newest alliance with Martin [Marietta on the Integrated Power

I System project for the Navy, dem-

I onstrates its commitment to the U.S.

I shipbuilding industry.

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