VESSELS
Louisiana-based boatbuilder Metal Shark announced
several new contracts with Latin American and Caribbean
operators, further expanding the company’s presence in the
region. At a recent ceremony in San Juan, the Puerto Rico
Police Department (PRPD) offi cially commissioned its fi rst
three Metal Shark 36-foot Fearless-class center console patrol
boats. The welded-aluminum offshore center console vessels
have been designed to operate at speed in the large ocean
swells prevalent off the Puerto Rican coastline. Featuring
high performance ventilated stepped-bottom running sur-
faces and powered by triple 300-horsepower Mercury Verado
engines, the PRPD’s new patrol boats achieve speeds up to
55 knots. Additional vessels for the PRPD are currently in
production at Metal Shark’s Jeanerette, Louisiana production
facility. Metal Shark has also announced the Colombian Na-
tional Police (CNP) as a new customer. After working closely
with the agency through an extensive standardization process
earlier this year, Metal Shark recently delivered the CNP its
fi rst new 33-foot Relentless-class patrol boat. Special features
of this welded aluminum center console vessel include a
urethane-sheathed closed-cell foam Wing collar, Shockwave
S2-Corbin high-backed shock-mitigating seating for fi ve,
and additional fold-away crew seating in the bow. The highly
maneuverable patrol craft is powered by twin 300-horsepow-
er Evinrude E-TEC G2 engines, which propel it to speeds
in excess of 50 knots. In addition, Metal Shark announced
that it has been awarded a contract to produce twelve 38-foot
Defi ant-class pilothouse patrol boats for the Dutch Carib-
bean Coast Guard. The production of these vessels will begin
in early 2017, with deliveries commencing later in the year.Metal Shark Expands International Reach with Latin American, Caribbean DeliveriesGulf Island Shipyards recently launched the M/V HOS
Warhorse at their Jennings, LA facility.
The HOS Warhorse is 365 feet long and will be out-
fi tted with two (2) large, heave-compensated cranes, 2 x
ROV’s, large moonpool, accommodations for 102 indi-
viduals, and includes various ABS Class notations. The
vessel will be certifi ed for worldwide operations. The HOS
Warhorse has been relocated to Gulf Island Shipyard’s
Houma location for fi nal outfi tting, testing, commission-ing and delivery, and is scheduled for delivery during the
fi rst quarter of 2018. This is the fi rst of a two vessel con-
tract for Hornbeck.In December, Marquette Transportation Co. took de-
livery of a new 2,000-hp Z-drive towboat from Master
Marine of Bayou La Batre, Alabama. The St. Matthias was
designed by Entech Designs, La. for Marquette’s river di-
vision, based in Paducah, KY. The delivery caps a highly
successful 11 towboat order for this client. This vessel will
also have the increased crew capacity of 9 personnel in 5
staterooms with 3 ½ bathrooms. A celebration was held
in Bayou LaBatre on December 15, to acknowledge the
completion of this contract with Marquette.Gulf Island Shipyard Launches Hornbeck MPSV
Last Marquette Z-drive towboat from Master Marine
The steel-hulled St. Matthias at a glance:
Engines: (2) Caterpillar C32 Tier 3 Total HP: 2,000 Running Speed: 10 knots
Z-Drives: ZF AT 5111WM-FP Depth: 11 feet Deck Winches: Patterson 40-ton
Propellers: (65") 4-bladed in nozzles Loaded Draft: 8 Feet Fuel Oil: 24,000 gallons
Generators: John Deere 045AFM85 Tier 3 LOA: 78 feet Potable Water: 6,550 gallons
Rubber Bumpers: Schuyler Companies Beam: 34 feet Ballast Capacity: 17,560 gallons