Breakthrough for MJP waterjets in U.S. Gulf

AUGUST 11, 2014—Successful sea trials of Rodi Marine’s newest crewboat the M/V Riley Claire have provided waterjet manufacturer Marine Jet Power a breakthrough in the fiercely competitive Gulf of Mexico crewboat market.

Four MJP 650 CSU waterjets power the new 175 ft DP2 crewboat built for Rodi Marine in Lafayette, LA by Swiftships LLC in Morgan City, LA. During sea trials in June, the M/V Riley Claire reached a top speed of 30.3 knots in lightship condition and 24.0 knots fully laden. The vessel’s MJP waterjets are powered by four Cummins QSK 50 engines each producing 1,800 hp at 1,900 rev/min and connected through Twin Disc MGX 6848 gearboxes at a 2.03:1 Ratio. 

M/V Riley Claire, a USCG Subchapter T and ABS-classed all aluminum fast crew boat is 175 ft x 25 ft x13 ft 6 in.  While working in the Gulf of Mexico and servicing the offshore oil and gas market, the crewboat carries a total of 34,500 gallons of diesel and 20,500 gallons of water for operating and an additional 6,700 gallons of diesel and 1,230 gallons of freshwater for the rigs.  She is certified to carry 70 passengers and 10 crewmembers.

Riley Claire and her sister vessel, due for delivery shortly, will be the largest and fastest vessels in Rodi Marine’s seven vessel fleet and represent an important achievement for MJP as the first Dynamic Positioning 2 (DP2) rated vessels.  They are the first vessels with MJP waterjets operating in the Gulf of Mexico.

“We are starting to enter the Gulf market. We’ve wanted to be there for a long time,” said Jordan Tilton of Marine Jet Power Inc.. The two vessels also marked a return to the commercial sector for Swiftships being the first vessels built after a five-year period concentrating on military production.