COMMUTER CAT HONORS VICTIM OF WTC ATTACKS
Publicly traded Lighthouse Fast Ferry has bought an 86 ft x 26 ft passenger catamaran being built at Austal USA’s shipyard facilities in Mobile, Ala.

The 189-passenger bow-loading catamaran will be operated by New York Fast Ferry, a wholly owned subsidiary of LHFF, on a route between Keyport and Manhattan, with weekend charters, including trips to Yankee Stadium. The large increase in demand for the service is the result of the disruption of PATH train service to lower Manhattan in the wake of 9/11.

The vessel will be named in honor of Lighthouse Fast Ferry vice president Tony Colasanti’s son, Christopher, who died in the World Trade Center attacks.

Designed by Austal Ships to meet USCG Subchapter K regulations (46 CFR) and ADA, the Christopher Colasanti will have a service speed of 27 knots. The propulsion is supplied by two Detroit Diesel 16V 2000 series engines, rated at 1,285 bhp at 2,100 rev/min driving two fixed pitch propellers via Twin Disc MG 6619 gears. Fuel Consumption will be 130 gal/hr with an operating range of about 350 nautical miles.

This is Austal’s first sale of a high-speed ferry in the U.S. market since it opened its Mobile, Ala., facility in 1999. In Jan., it delivered two 150 ft crew/supply vessels to Otto Candies LLC. It’s currently constructing a 111 ft dinner cruise boat for Island Queen Cruises, Miami, for delivery in Nov.

RENAMING AN ARMY TUG
Names for Army vessels usually memorialize those that have distinguished themselves by acts of valor or service, or significant battles or campaigns. The small Army tug ST 911 was no different. It was slated to be christened the Vicennes in recognition of the treaty. That was until 9/11.

“This vessel carries a unique call number,” said Col. James E. Veditz, 7th Transportation Group commander, at an acceptance ceremony for the tug on May 16, at Third Port, Pier 16, Fort Eustis, Va. “9-11 will forever hold a very special significance to all Americans in the days following the terrorist attacks on the nation.”

Continued Colonel Verditz: “In recognition of these historic times, and because of her unique call number, members of the 10th Transportation Battalion sent up an exception to policy and requested special naming consideration for the vessel.”

The request for the name change to Enduring Freedom was endorsed by Maj. Gen. Robert T. Dail, Fort Eustis commanding general, less than two weeks before the ceremony and sent to the Pentagon for approval. Veditz said anyone who is familiar with the Pentagon could probably guess the odds for success on such short notice.

“But, in what may constitute a new world record for moving a piece of paper through the Army staff, we received official notification yesterday (May 15) just in time for this ceremony, that the Pentagon acted favorably on our request,” Veditz said. “There are many folks responsible for making it happen, but the real bureaucratic battering ram in this process was Lieutenant Colonel Tom Roxberry and his staff at OCOT (Office of Chief of Transportation).”

Built by Orange Shipbuilding Co., Inc., Orange, Texas, a unit of Conrad Industries, the Enduring Freedom is 59 ft 8 in x 22 ft x 8 ft and has two Cummins KT19 main engines, rated at 640 hp each at 1,800 rev/min and a service speed of 10 knots. It has a bollard pull of 37,000 lb ahead and 27,000 lb astern. The Enduring Freedom is one of 12 ST 900 Series Pusher Tugs built by Orange Shipbuilding, according to shipyard general manager John Gifford. Gifford says the yard is building hulls ST 913 and ST 914 and he expects the options for two others will be exercised in Oct.

The ST 911 has twice the towing capacity as the previous class of small tugs. It is designed for a wide range of towing missions and its compact size allows it to be easily and rapidly transported into theater. It can be carried as deck cargo and offloaded with ship cranes.
“From the combat developers to the acquisition managers to the professionals at Orange Shipbuilding—the results of their dedication and professional excellence have produced a vessel of unprecedented capability. “She is 60 feet of pure muscle,” Veditz said.

“She punches well above her weight class,” Veditz said. In spite of its precision engineering, superior craftsmanship and proven reliability, there was one final piece needed to complete the equation, he said.

“Without a world class crew to fall in on this world class piece of equipment, she is no more than so many tons of useless steel and electronics,” Veditz said.

Besides building pusher tugs for the Army, Conrad Industries’ Orange Shipbuilding is well into the construction of the first two of four 75 ft x 30 ft, 1,700 hp towboats for Conoco. Conoco holds options for two more of the 1,700-hp towboats.

CHALLENGING CONVERSION
One of the most technically challenging tasks handled by Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co., Mobile, Ala., has been the conversion of a former gas turbine-powered Soviet military cargo ship into the Maritime Prepositioning Force (Enhanced) vessel USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat (T-AK 3016) for the Miltary Sealift Command.

The original contract, awarded in 1998, was restructured after the original contractor dropped out. The project is the largest ever undertaken by Bender. The total contract value is about $170 million. Additional work at Norshipco will push the cost of the refit over $200 million.

The extensive laundry list of work included: the fabrication and insertion of a 118 ft midbody; installation of cargo lashing systems; complete refurbishment and HVAC of the interior cargo space, with extensive joiner work for crew accommodations; overall of the existing Sulzer diesel gensets; installation of new Cat auxiliary and emergency diesel generators; addition of a helo deck at the stern; lengthening and strengthening of articulated stern ramp to handle the offloading of amphibious vehicles, blasting and coating the ship.

Complicating the task was that all the technical details for the ship were in Russian. Bender vice president Bob Beckmann said AMSEC “handled the lion’s share of the translation of the technical manuals and drawings.”

One of the more interesting aspects of the ship is its direct reversing 25,000 hp per shaft gas turbines, which drive fixed pitch propellers via marine gears, are manufactured by Zoria of the Ukraine. It will have a service speed of 22 knots.

The 118 ft midbody was inserted at sister yard, Tampa Shipbuilding, Tampa.

The 863 ft 2 in x 98 ft 5 in x 35 ft USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat (T-AK 3016) was recently towed to Norshipco, Norfolk, Va., for a post delivery availability. Keystone Shipping will operate the ship under a five-year contract. Upon delivery, USNS Wheat will be prepositioned in the Western Pacific Ocean.

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