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July 2012www.marinelink.com 27ects, but Foti said, ?There are also new opportunities. The exploration of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas is very good for our business and ferries have also been a significant opportunity for Vigor.? Todd Pacific was already working on the 64-car ferry contract with Washing- ton State Ferries (WSF) when it was pur- chased by Vigor Industrial. In fall 2011 Vigor delivered the final 64-car ferry three months ahead of schedule and $7munder budget. Vigor?s newbuild and fab- rication subsidiary, US Fab, is now at work in the Seattle facility on another contract with WSF, the first of up to four 144-car ferries. Washington State legisla- ture recently funded a second 144-carferry with construction scheduled tobegin in December. The construction cost for both vessels is $225m and it?s esti- mated that the contracts will producemore than 500 family-wage jobs at ship- yards in the region. WSF?s contract with US Fab is for up to four 144-car ferries, contingent on funding.In April 2012 ASD signed a contract to partner with the State of Alaska on a de- sign for the new Alaska class ferry, a project for which the state has appropri-ated $120m. The contract designates the shipyard as the construction manager and general contractor for the design phase ofthe project. It doesn?t guarantee that the shipyard will build the ferry, however ASD will be able to make a guaranteed maximum price proposal for the con-struction contract as the design nearscompletion. According to Foti, ?Alaska is set to start building ferries in the next two years.? An aerial view of Vigor?s Seattle shipyard, for- merly Todd Pacific Ship- yards, on Harbor Island in Seattle, Wash. (Photo courtesy Vigor Industrial) MR#7 (26-33):MR Template 7/9/2012 9:40 AM Page 27