Page 17: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (January 2, 2005)

January 2005 17

Profile

Among the recent new hires are James (Jay) A. Harkness as Vice President and CFO; Richard M. Currence, Vice

President, Operations; and Thomas

Sweeney as Marine Superintendent.

Harkness is responsible for the finan- cial management of the company, including fiscal controls, insurance placement and claims management and financial reporting. Harkness has been involved in the marine services industry for over 14 years, and spent the last seven, prior to joining Rigdon Maine, as the Financial Controller for Europe and

Africa for a major offshore energy sup- port company.

As Vice President, Operations,

Currence is responsible for the compa- ny's vessel operations, vessel construc- tion, conversions, repair and mainte- nance, purchasing, and sub-contract management. He has more than 14 years of experience in the offshore marine services, offshore drilling, and ship- building industries.

Sweeney, along with Ken Dawson, will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of Rigdon Marine's vessels and crews, tasked to ensure crew safety, vessel staffing schedules, operational performance, in-field customer service, environmental responsibility, ship inspections, ship-to-shore communica- tions, and safety meetings.

The GPA 640

The GPA 640 Platform Offshore

Supply boats are 210 x 54 x 19-ft. diesel-electric PSVs with a dynamic positioning class 2 (DP-2) certification and a modern streamline hull designed for fuel efficiency with top speeds of 13 knots fully loaded and 15 knots in light conditions.

The Guido Perla and Associates designed (GPA 640) vessels are equipped with two stern-mounted

Steerprop SP 20 azimuthing Z-drive units that are driven by two Alconza 2,100-hp variable-frequency AC electric motors, which provide the main propul- sion. A further enhancement to the diesel- electric drives is the technologi- cally advanced dynamic positioning sys- tem and vessel management system from Alstom Power Conversion that provides the total system redundancy required for the DP-2 certification.

The cargo capacity is increased due to the space saving diesel-electric engine room which hosts two 1,825kw (2,500 hp) generators driven by Cummins QSK 60 engines and a third 910kW (1,200 hp) generator driven by a Cummins

KTA 38 engine. The fuel burn of the sys- tem has been rated at 230 gph at 13 knots when fully loaded, and only 88 gph at 10 knots.

The vessels can carry 7,133 cu. ft. of bulk material and 5,100 barrels of liquid mud in self-cleaning oval tanks. The vessels' two Mission Magnum 5-in. x 4- in. x 14-ft. pumps deliver mud to a height of 196 ft. above water. The two 80-PSI air compressors can also deliver 50 metric tons of dry cement or barite per hour to the same height.

A successful shipowner bases his business on accurate calculations where unforeseen elements are minimized. Safe returns are assured by maximizing cargo space, minimizing fuel costs and operational expenses, exploiting the most economical port and channel charges. Profits are maximized to the last penny by utilizing the finest electric azimuthing propulsion technology in terms of lifecycle economy and reliability. Quite simple. Are you ready for safe returns? www.abb.com/marine

The secret of prosperity. Safe returns.

Circle 200 on Reader Service Card

Christening of Iberville.

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