Page 37: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (January 2019)

Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding Metal Shark 2019 is booked out already.” North River is adding “2018 was a reasonably good year for Fincantieri Rapid expansion as a diversi? ed shipbuilder contin- a new 750-sq. ft. building in 2019 to complement its

Bay,” said Todd Thayse. ‘We were a bit down for 2015, ued in 2018, with Metal Shark building and delivering Workskiff fabrication line. “A small portion is dedi- 2016 and 2017. We continue working our backlog over 200 vessels, including two signi? cant U.S. Navy cated to fabrication training,” said Blocher, adding “We down and delivered a set of ATBs in 2018.” The yard contracts, in addition to six, 45-foot patrol boats for are recruiting 35 employees. We’re adding a fourth signed contract for a 740-ft. self-unloading bulk barge. Vietnam Coast Guard and four units for a 12-boat, 38- paint booth. We will have extra capacity for 2020 and “2019 looks as though will be a reasonably average foot patrol boat order for the Dutch Caribbean Coast are set up for a ? ve-year growth pattern.” year,” he said. Guard. Metal Shark built more than 17 passenger fer- ries for New Orleans, New York, and Washington DC. St. John’s Shipbuilding

Fraser Shipyards For the pilot boat market, Metal Shark’s new De? ant St. John’s Shipbuilding has several vessels in produc-

Steel-builder Fraser Shipyards and its sister compa- line delivered a new 45-ft. pilot boat to the Virgin Is- tion. “This was a very busy year in 2018,” said Bobby ny, aluminum-fabricator Lake Assault Boats both had lands Port Authority and with a contract for a 64-ft. Bar? eld. “2019 will be just as busy.” Projects include good years, according to Dave Steininger, delivering pilot boat for Brazos Pilots, a similar design to the 64 four, 152-ft. aluminum car ferries, a 100-ft. aluminum 20 aluminum boats in 2018, with a car ferry in produc- hydrographic survey vessel delivered to Army Corps hull passenger ferry, 150 x 54-ft. ABS deck barge for tion. “Aluminum will be up quite a bit next year,” said of Engineers. In June, Metal Shark acquired Horizon Mobro Marine, and a dozen 30 x 75 ft. barges for an

Steininger. “Nice backlog,” he said. “In the repair busi- Shipbuilding, signi? cantly expanding the company’s amusement park in central Florida. “We are building ness, last year was nice and this year is great. We’re op- steel shipbuilding capabilities and capacity. In Novem- two, 25-ft. truckable tugs and multiple sectional barges timistic about next season, primarily ore and coal bulk ber, Metal Shark announced a multi-boat order of 120 are here for dock repair,” said Bar? eld. “We also had carriers, 600-1,000T class vessels.” x 35 four-decked steel towboats for Florida Marine an ATB conversion and a 100-ft., 200-hp offshore tug.”

Transporters. With the addition of Horizon’s 35-acre

Malin International Ship Repair & Drydock yard and 660-ton Marine Travelift, Metal Shark ex- VT Halter 2018 was a slow year for Malin, but David Dudley panded into the re? t and conversion sector with several 2019 is going to be an active year for both govern- is optimistic looking ahead. “It seems like industry projects underway. Metal Shark debuted its ? rst Shark- ment and commercial activities and VT Halter. “We is starting to pick up and 2019 looks promising,” said tech autonomous vessel at MACC. were awarded APL Barrcks program (barge) for USN,”

Dudley. “A lot of bids out that we’re waiting on. We are said Robert Socha. “We have two vessels with options a one-stop-shop, with a repair facility, full fabrication North River Boats of $244 million.” A highlight is the yard’s commercial shop, machine shop, joinery shop and sand blasting for 2018 was a good year for North River Boats, with activity is building 4000 cu. m. LNG ATB bunkering barges, tugs, ferries, oil platforms and research vessels. growth on its recreational business. “About 60 - 65-per- unit. “This is America’s ? rst, offshore LNG Articulated

We have 1,100-ft. of bulkhead with a 27-ft. draft. We cent of our business is recreational production,” said Tug and Barge operated in the Jones Act trade. We also will take any kind of boat.” Mike Blocher. “It’s a very strong market. We’re rough- delivered commercial ATB tugs for Bouchard Trans- ly about a year out and the majority of product line for portation.”

VT Halter/Q-LNG 4000 Colonna Shipyard/Caisson for USN graving Dock

Photo courtesy Colonna

All American Marine/Enhydra Fraser Shipyards/Marine 24 VT Halter/Q-LNG 4000

Photo courtesy VT Halter

Photo courtesy All American Marine

Photo courtesy Fraser Photo courtesy Metal Shark www.marinelink.com 37

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