Bollinger awarded contract on concept study of light amphibious warship

Ben Bordelon, CEO and President of Bollinger Shipyards: “As we grow and expand, it’s important that the leadership team grow and reflect the organization – both where it is today and where we’re heading in the future.”

Lockport, La., headquartered Bollinger Shipyards reports that it has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command to conduct a concept study and the preliminary design of the U.S. Navy’s Light Amphibious Warship (LAW).

“Bollinger Shipyards is honored and excited to continue participating in the LAW program,” said Bollinger President & CEO Ben Bordelon. “We’re confident that we have the experience and expertise necessary to develop a concept study and preliminary design for an advanced warship that meets the complex needs of a modern fleet.”

The LAW program envisions procuring a class of 28 to 30 new amphibious ships to support the Marine Corps, particularly in implementing a new Marine Corps operational concept called Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO). The Navy envisions the first LAW being procured in FY2023.

A Congressional Research Service report updated June 7 notes that the Navy’s proposed FY2022 budget requests $13.2 million in research and development funding for the program.

“As conceived by the Navy and Marine Corps,” says the CRS report, “LAWs would be much smaller and individually much less expensive to procure and operate than the Navy’s current amphibious ships. The Navy wants LAWs to be 200 to 400 feet in length, and to have a unit procurement cost of $100 million to $150 million.”

Bollinger notes that it is fully certified with MSRA and ABR agreements with the U.S. Navy, and is currently building the Navy’s Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ships (T-ATS). In addition to construction of the TAT-S, Bollinger is under contract to construct an Ocean Transport Barge and Floating Dry Dock for General Dynamics Electric Boat Division in support of the construction and maintenance of the nation’s new Columbia Class of ballistic-missile submarines.

Bollinger is also participating in industry studies for the U.S. Navy’s Common Hull Auxiliary Multi-Mission Platform (CHAMP) program, the U.S. Navy’s Auxiliary General Ocean Surveillance (T-AGOS(X)) program and the U.S. Navy’s Large Unmanned Surface Vehicle (LUSV) program.

Bollinger, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, is the largest is the largest privately owned and operated shipbuilder in the United States with 11 shipyards. The most recent shipyard, Bollinger Houma, was added just last month with the acquisition of Gulf Island Fabrication Inc.’s Terrebonne Parish shipyard facilities.