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The Workboat Annual Crew Boats A Bright Spot in Oil Patch Vessel Construction By Larry Pearson After a comprehensive tour of ship- yards building crew/supply boats, it is clear the construction of these speedy aluminum vessels is the one bright spot in the offshore vessel building market. Other than the work at Bender Shipbuilding in Mobile. Ala., on the Rigdon Marine order of 10 supply boats, the building of large supply boats by Edison Chouest Offshore for contract to Shell and some construction at Master Marine in Bayou La Batre. Ala., the building of steel hulled supply boats has been slower in 2004. In some respects, crew/supply boats are doing some the work that used to be reserved strictly for supply boats. The emphasis has definitely been on the sup- ply side of the crew/supply boat equa- tion. Many operators now call their crew/supply boats "Fast Supply Boats" to point out the importance of delivering deck cargos and drilling liquids quickly. While the deadweight tonnage is still much greater with a conventional steel- hulled supply boat, the aluminum-hulled vessels are very popular with boat oper- ators and their oil company and drilling organizations customers. As a result, the four crew/supply boat builders in Louisiana on Bayou Teche as well as C & G Boatworks in Mobile. Ala., and newcomer Conrad Aluminum in Morgan City. La., are enjoying a very good 2004. "The last four boats I have started were on spec." said Roy Breaux, Jr. president of Breaux's Bay Craft, one of the three crew/supply boat builders in Loreauville. La. "The longest any of the four was on the market was three months," Breaux exclaimed. "I will be starting another one in November, hopefully with the same results." Breaux added. All of Breaux's Bay Craft's recent vessels are 162 ft. long typically with four Caterpillar 3512 engines. "The 162 ft. vessel we build has been very popular." said Hub Allums. director of engineering for the company. The advanced equipment now going on crew/supply boats is similar to that on supply vessels. For example. Gulf Craft. Inc.. Patterson. La., has put both drop down and tunnel bow thrusters on its 175-ft. by 30-ft. water jet-powered crew boats for Seacor Marine. Houston. Texas. "We have built three of these ves- sels for Seacor in the last 15 months and all three are rated at DP-1," said Scottv Tibbs. comptroller of Gulf Craft. Gulf Craft also has the distinction of building one of the longest crew/supplv boats in 2004. the 175-ft. Joyce McCall. named for the wife of the head of Seacor's Small Boat Division. Norman McCall. McCall Boat Rentals was pur- chased by Seacor three years ago. The vessel was delivered in September. A series of 175-ft. crew/supply vessels for Tidewater. Inc.. under construction at C & G Boat Works, Mobile. Ala., can really claim the title of fast supply ves- sels because they have the ability to carry up to 1.000 barrels of liquid mud. The first series of four were delivered in 2003 and C & G is working on the sec- ond quartet recognizing the relative importance of deck cargo and drilling liquids over passengers, these vessels hold 38 passengers, rather than the usual 70-90. The 2004 crew/supply boat deliveries by the six yards specializing in these vessels show some interesting trends. The first of which is that these yards will continue to build additional vessels into 2005 and beyond. For example. Breaux Brothers Enterprises, Loreauville, La. has had a good year with a banner year set for 2005. They started the year with the 155-ft. Ms. Nancy for Joey Arceneaux at Gulf Logistics, the operating division for C&G Boats of Galliano, La. Next came the 160-ft. Ridge Runner for Shane Pescay, Crew Boats, Inc.. (CBI) Chalmette, La. CB1 is in the process of rebuilding their fleet of large crew/supply vessels with multiple ves- sels being built at Breaux Brothers Enterprises and Breaux's Bay Craft. All of the crew/supply vessel ship- yards pride themselves on orders from repeat customers Breaux Brothers Enterprises will deliver five 160-ft. vessels in 2005. Both CBI and Gulf Logistics will take delivery of their vessels in the first half of the year. That will be followed by three vessels of a four-vessel order from Edison Chouest Offshore. Chouest has built 13 crew/supply vessels at Breaux Brothers Enterprises and two of the three vessels set for 2005 delivery are under construction now (Mid October). Delivery dates are July, September and December of 2005 with the fourth vessel set for March of 2006. All are powered by four Caterpillar 3512B engines with a pair of Cat 3054 engines connected to generators rated at 72 kW each. The main deck passenger cabin had seats for 80 passengers and the rear cargo deck is 98-ft. long. These vessels have a light ship speed of 28.5 knots and 27 knots with 130 tons of cargo. "Speed, economy of operation and 385 tons of deadweight cargo capac- ity make these vessels popular with our Gulf Craft is building a 180-ft vessel for Seacor Marine for a January delivery. 26 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News
