Kvichak to build more skimmers for U.S. Navy

OCTOBER 25, 2014—Kvichak Marine, Industries, Inc., Seattle, WA, was recently awarded a contract by the U.S. Navy to build twelve 30 ft Rapid Response Skimmers (RRS) for delivery over the next 18 months. The contract has options for up to 30 additional skimmers that would be delivered through 2019.

The Kvichak RRS is Navy’s tier one response asset, and these craft will supplement the Navy’s current fleet of over 85 units in operation in Navy ports worldwide. With over 20 years of continuous production and development, the Kvichak RRS is an extraordinarily well-proven technology with an exceptional record for safety, performance and durability.

The rapid-response, shallow-water capable craft is used on oil spills in waterways, bays and harbors.  This all-aluminum vessel is 30 feet 3 inches long, with a beam of 9 feet 8 inches, a draft of 2 feet 6 inches, and is easily trailerable.  Powered by two 90 hp outboards, the RRS has a response speed of up to 17 knots and features an enclosed two-person pilothouse for operator comfort. 

Adaptable to a variety of marine spill scenarios, the Kvichak RRS works well in many recovery configurations, from free skimming through towed-boom applications, and is able to recover a very wide range of spills from light sheens to very viscous weathered oil products.  The skimmer’s oil recovery system includes a KVICHAK/MARCO Cl-1 Filterbelt oil skimming module, a KVICHAK/MARCO U-040 Capsulpump offload system with 50’ hose, and a recovered oil capacity of over 1,200 gallons.  The recovered oil tank configuration allows segregation of small volume spills to simplify post-spill decontamination.  Onboard hydraulic power is supplied by an under-deck diesel HPU.