In September, Bordelon Marine, Lockport, La., launched the Shelia Bordelon, the second vessel in the company’s Stingray series. A year ago, Bordelon took delivery of the Connor Bordelon, the first of three new 255'×52'×18' Stingray-class DP-2 multipurpose platform supply vessels. It was the first vessel built at the company’s new shipyard, Bordelon Marine Shipbuilders in Houma, La. The shipyard was built and designed specifically to build Stingray-class vessels. The Sheila is different from the Connor. It has a 50-ton AHC crane and will have generators installed below deck to support the crane and two ROVs. The Sheila is being configured to be delivered as a subsea vessel (ultra light intervention vessel). The vessel is currently being outfitted dockside at the shipyard in Houma and is scheduled for delivery in mid-February.
In September in New York, in conjunction with their 150th anniversary, McAllister Towing and Transportation christened the 5,150-hp, Z-drive tug Buckley McAllister. Built by Senesco Marine, North Kingston, R.I., the 98'×36'×14'9" tug’s propulsion package features a pair of Schottel SRP 1215FB Z-drives with 4-bladed nibral wheels in nozzles powered by two Caterpillar 3516 Tier 3 diesels rated at 2,575 hp at 1,600 rpm. For firefighting, an FFS SFP pump is powered by a Cat C32 Tier 3 engine. That gives the firefighting system an 11,600-gpm capacity through two FFS 1200LB remotely controlled monitors. For towing, the Buckley has a JonRie InterTech 250 series escort winch with 600,000 lbs. brake holding force and a line pull of 180,000 lbs. forward. Aft there is a JonRie 512 series tow winch with 2,100' of 2 1/4" wire. The tug’s bollard pull is 66 tons.
Naiad Inflatables, Newport, R.I., recently delivered a 10-meter search-and-rescue vessel to Charles County Dive Rescue of Pomfret, Md. Powered by twin 300-hp Mercury Verado outboards, it hit speeds of 44 knots during sea trials in Narragansett Bay. The 250-gal. fuel tank provides a range of over 200 nautical miles at 35 knots. The cabin is configured for all-weather operations with a diesel Webasto heating/defrost system and a rooftop air conditioning unit powered by a Westerbeke 3.5-kW gasoline marine generator. The vessel has Shockwave G-flip seating. Diamond Sea Glaze side and aft doors offer convenient access to the working decks.
The Maine Port Authority and McAllister Towing, with the support of the Maritime Administration, have released preliminary vessel and service designs for a coastal shipping service to operate between the Port of Portland, Maine, and the Port of New York/New Jersey. The proposed service will operate on a fixed weekly schedule between Portland and Brooklyn, N.Y. The service will transport containers, including a number of refrigerated containers between the ports. The proposed vessel is an articulated tug-barge designed by Ocean Tug and Barge Engineering, Milford, Mass.
