Page 80: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (July 1997)

Lead

Fast ferry Sassacus, the first craft built by the Pequot River Shipworks, owned by the

Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, was launched into the Thames River in New

London, Conn., on June 11. The new vessel, powered by twin gas turbines coupled to water- jets, is reportedly capable of carrying 302 pas- sengers while cruising at 47 knots. Sassacus is the

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U.S., and the first U.S. vessel to meet the IMO's International High-

Speed Code. The 147-ft. (45-m) ves- sel, built to a design by FBM

Marine Group, has been under con- struction at the tribe's shipyard fol- lowing its keel laying ceremony last

July.

In its first year of opera- tion, the Shipworks reported- ly pumped $6 million into

Connecticut's economy, buy- ing $4 million in goods and services from Connecticut vendors. The shipyard reports an annual payroll in excess of $2 million. "This event marks nothing less than a new era in the history of transportation in the United States," said tribal

Chairman Richard A. Hayward. "This is the first of what we feel will be a large number of fast ferries built for the marine superhighway of the next centu- ry. The tribe is committed to alternative means of transportation and the

Sassacus is an example of that commit- ment."

At the time of its launching, Sassacus was 90 percent complete. Following the outfitting phase of the project, the vessel was to undergo four weeks of dockside testing and sea trials before entering service between New York and southern

Connecticut later this year, carrying customers from Pequot-owned Foxwoods

Resort Casino, as well as commuters to

Pequot Shipworks Launches First Vessel; Wins first Costract

Circle 325 on Reader Service Card and from New York.

Upon entering service, Sassacus will be the eighth ship of the TriCat design in operation.

The other seven carry passengers between

Hong Kong and Macao in the South China Sea.

With a crew of 10, Sassacus is expected to make the trip from New York City to the mouth of the

Thames River in less than 2.5 hrs. Hornblower

Marine Services has been contracted to operate the vessel.

In addition, the Pequot River Shipworks has also signed a contract with Buquebubus, Inc. for the construction and purchase of one of its

TriCat fast ferries. The contract marks the first time the tribe has sold one of its new fer- ries to an outside buyer. The new vessel will carry passengers between Key West and Fort

Myers, Fla.

For more information on Pequot River Shipworks

Circle 14 on Reader Service Card

Circle 221 on Reader Service Card arine esign of tware 82 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News

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