They are. They are supposed to be under a100 tons but they are going to crew them like the larger osvs so when they move them over seas they don’t have to scramble to find crews for them.
Yea, saw they brought the other ones that are just like them back from overseas recently.
The Columbus and the cabral. They are stretching one of them 20 feet as we speak not sure why.
It should be mentioned but all four of the SEACOR R-class boats are ex ECO vessels which I was told Gary sold to Fabrikant in 1999 when Chouest’s cash flow was negative and the company was selling off vessels just to meet payroll.
Interesting how the tables turned!
[QUOTE=“Jemplayer;108146”]They are. They are supposed to be under a100 tons but they are going to crew them like the larger osvs so when they move them over seas they don’t have to scramble to find crews for them.[/QUOTE]
I had been told those boats being built at master will be 1600 ton. Which don’t make since to have a 200 foot 1600 ton boat these days.
They will be over 1000 GT, but under 100 GRT.
[QUOTE=c.captain;108251]It should be mentioned but all four of the SEACOR R-class boats are ex ECO vessels which I was told Gary sold to Fabrikant in 1999 when Chouest’s cash flow was negative and the company was selling off vessels just to meet payroll.
Interesting how the tables turned![/QUOTE]
Chouest never had a cash flow problem, but there was a rumor that started when they moved to “deposit only” pay roll years back and checks were late by nearly a week during that transition…then the rumors started flying.
[QUOTE=anchorman;108326]Chouest never had a cash flow problem, but there was a rumor that started when they moved to “deposit only” pay roll years back and checks were late by nearly a week during that transition…then the rumors started flying.[/QUOTE]
so why did Gary sell boats to the competition and why right at the time that this supposed rumor of cash crisis occurring? He never sells his new boats!
Did Gary actually own those boats or where they actually owned by Rowan and just built, managed, and crewed by Chouest? So when the contract expired they sold them because they are smaller boats then the other anchor handlers then the rest of the ones that he owes. And they where not new they where like 10 years old.
[QUOTE=Jemplayer;108331]Did Gary actually own those boats or where they actually owned by Rowan and just built, managed, and crewed by Chouest? So when the contract expired they sold them because they are smaller boats then the other anchor handlers then the rest of the ones that he owes. And they where not new they where like 10 years old.[/QUOTE]
OK, then why did Rowan end up with North American built boats? NA does not build for clients other than ECO.
Also, if I am not mistaken Tidewater also has at least one NA built vessel too.
Mind also, that my information about Chouest’s cash crisis came from industry insiders and not boat crews. These people told me that Gary was very tight and missing payroll was very close at the time which is not surprising because this was the moment when oil was down to below $11/bbl. Lots of companies crashed and burned in 1999…R&B/Falcon being the biggest to fall from great heights to abysmal depths. TO won that one and walked away laughing their asses off!
I guess its like the Aviq, they built it for a customer to their specs with the understanding that it will have a long term contract. Contract ended Seacor offered Gary a great price for them. They are still managed and crewed by Chouest so he is still making money off of them.
I think they where also sold because they didn’t fit the vision that Gary has for his anchor boats. The Rowan boats do look like the mud boats with winches thrown on the back.
And I think your confused on your time line. I remember when they still had Rowan in the name and I started out here in 2003, so Seacor took them over in like 2004 or 05. So I was wrong thinking it was 2009 when they were sold.
[QUOTE=c.captain;108332]OK, then why did Rowan end up with North American built boats? NA does not build for clients other than ECO.
Also, if I am not mistaken Tidewater also has at least one NA built vessel too.
Mind also, that my information about Chouest’s cash crisis came from industry insiders and not boat crews. These people told me that Gary was very tight and missing payroll was very close at the time which is not surprising because this was the moment when oil was down to below $11/bbl. Lots of companies crashed and burned in 1999…R&B/Falcon being the biggest to fall from great heights to abysmal depths. TO won that one and walked away laughing their asses off![/QUOTE]
Define industry insiders. I believe it is the “boat crews” that actually draw the pay checks and can speak better than an indistry insider - if they were getting paid or not. I can speak to that as the most valid person that will visit these pages. Just a few things that are facts. The Rowan boats were build with contracts with the option to buy at the end of the term. Rowan was interested in having their own vessels, because they were tired of very high hourly rates on tugs that could not even supply them. Rowan looked at some vessels with RW, and Rowan decided a good business model would be to bid their jack-ups with the boats in the same package, but they did not have the people to crew them. That is basically how it started. At the end of the term, Rowan did not buy them, but Secor approached ECO to take the option. This also started the relationship on the Cal Dive Aker Dove, which Secor also owns a percentage of to this day.
Also, to facilitate the Transocean purchace of R&B falcon, ECO stepped in with $80 Million for R&B’s tug fleet so the sale could be finalized, around the time you say they were going broke (see indutry insider magazine MARINE LOG, around 2000, or any other) as TO could not buy a Jone’s Act fleet as a foreign company. I believe Transocean held 25% minority interest of that for a few months before ECO took the rest and renamed the fleet Delta Towing.
Hell, I don’t remember everything without really trying to jot shit down and start thinking about it, but I do know your assumption is dead wrong without too much effort.
[QUOTE=anchorman;108343]Define industry insiders. [/QUOTE]
a very well connected gentleman who has been in New Orleans for at least 30 years who have have worked for previously and who deals heavily with tugs and offshore vessels. He doesn’t sing the Chouest National Anthem or salute the ECO Flag or recite the Mister Gary Pledge of Allegiance every morning. Btw, his blood is not orange either!
[QUOTE=c.captain;108344]a very well connected gentleman who has been in New Orleans for at least 30 years who have have worked for previously and who deals heavily with tugs and offshore vessels. He doesn’t sing the Chouest National Anthem or salute the ECO Flag or recite the Mister Gary Pledge of Allegiance every morning. Btw, his blood is not orange either![/QUOTE]
Having disdain does not increase credibility. It just gives another reason to validate your first thought of something being full of shit to begin with.
[QUOTE=anchorman;108349]Having disdain does not increase credibility. It just gives another reason to validate your first thought of something being full of shit to begin with.[/QUOTE]
you’d be surprised how many people in South Louisiana DON’T love Gary Chouest. Much as he might want to believe himself to be a reincarnation of the “Kingfish”…he ain’t! Although maybe a Republican version of Edwin Edwards?
.
[QUOTE=c.captain;108350]you’d be surprised how many people in South Louisiana DON’T love Gary Chouest. Much as he might what to believe himself to be a reincarnation of the “Kingfish”…he ain’t! Maybe Edwin Edwards?[/QUOTE]
I don’t know about that; doubt it would be any surprise, and could care less to be honest. I just know if something is full of shit or not - if I happen to know what the facts are - regardless of what it is.
[QUOTE=c.captain;108332][QUOTE]OK, then why did Rowan end up with North American built boats? NA does not build for clients other than ECO.
Also, if I am not mistaken Tidewater also has at least one NA built vessel too.
Mind also, that my information about Chouest’s cash crisis came from industry insiders and not boat crews. These people told me that Gary was very tight and missing payroll was very close at the time which is not surprising because this was the moment when oil was down to below $11/bbl. Lots of companies crashed and burned in 1999…R&B/Falcon being the biggest to fall from great heights to abysmal depths. TO won that one and walked away laughing their asses off!
[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]
There was an article in one of the industry mags years ago speaking on this subject. Rowan had ECO build the boats and had a 5 year lease on them with the option to purchase at the end of the lease. When the lease ended they exercised the option to purchase and then sold them to Seacor.
Wasn’t there in this instance, but have seen similar things happen elsewhere when “tough times” coincide with a good market to get rid of extra equipment at a good price, next thing you know galley talk goes through the roof! Being sold! Bought! Out of business! Broke!
Well, I am not going to say anything for fact, but at that time ECO was very heavily extended in a speculative newbuild program (remember they made that big mistake of contracting Ingallsto build more than a dozen vessels for them) and the price of oil crashed. Lots and lots of pain for the companies then and being so far out I can certainly see Chouest being cash strapped. Happens to many companies and all that matters is those who get past the cash crunch and those who can’t. Yes, I have no love for ECO but then again, I have no love for any of the OMSA companies. Their business practices are draconian, they strongarm the government to sway the regs in their favor and their treatment of their mariners is good (excepting HGIM…dig!), but can be much better (pensions/true longevity bonuses & real travel paid ie. company provided air tickets for out of area mariners). All this has been discussed at nauseum before tho adn we don’t have to go through all that again unless someone feels they must.
Please let’s not…at least until my popcorn is ready.