Way to go to SEACOR...two more Jones Act tankers ordered!

Thanks for keeping the US coastwise merchant marine alive and kicking. You, Crowley, Saltchuk and Pasha are showing that unlimited tonnage ships still can be built and operated in the USA under the US flag. No thanks to the Congress or Administration but as long as the Jones Act remains the law of the land we will survive!

[B]Seabulk Tankers Orders Two LNG-Ready Product Tankers from NASSCO[/B]
By Mike Schuler On September 11, 2013


Image credit: General Dynamics NASSCO

San Diego shipyard General Dynamics NASSCO has entered into a contract with Seabulk Tankers, a wholly owned subsidiary of SEACOR (NYSE: CKH), for the design and construction of two LNG-ready product tankers to operate in the Jones Act market.

The two 50,000 dwt LNG-conversion-ready MR tankers will each have a 330,000 barrel cargo capacity. Construction of the first tanker is scheduled to begin in late 2014 at the NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, with deliveries scheduled for the second quarter of 2016 and first quarter of 2017.

These new 610-foot-long tankers are a continuation of the ECO tanker design, offering improved fuel efficiency and environmental protection features including a Ballast Water Treatment System, NASSCO says.

With this order, NASSCO is now under contract for the design and construction of six ECO MR tankers. In May, NASSCO was contracted by an affiliate of American Petroleum Tankers (APT) to build four vessels of the same design.

The ships will be designed by DSEC, a subsidiary of South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME). DSEC’s ECO design includes a G-series MAN ME slow-speed main engine and an optimized hull form for improved fuel efficiency. The tankers will have conversion capable dual-fuel-capable auxiliary engines and the ability to accommodate the future installation of an LNG fuel-gas system and Type C LNG tanks. This contract will be the fourth commercial collaboration between NASSCO and DSEC.

The construction and operation of the new vessels meet Jones Act requirements that ships carrying cargo between U.S. ports be built in U.S. shipyards.

Fred Harris, president of General Dynamics NASSCO, said, “This contract is an indication that NASSCO remains fully committed to continuing to bring the most economical and environmentally sound technology to Jones Act owners and operators. We are very pleased to begin a new partnership with SEACOR and look forward to delivering two high-quality vessels that will serve SEACOR in the Jones Act tanker market for decades.”

Charles Fabrikant, executive chairman of SEACOR Holdings, said, “Our decision to build these two new tankers is a clear demonstration of our continued commitment to the Jones Act. We are very excited that we will be able to offer this new ECO friendly design to charterers.”

In addition to the six MR product tankers mentioned here, NASSCO has worked with DSEC on the design and construction of two (up to five) 3,100 TEU LNG-powered containerships for TOTE. The 764-foot-long ships will be the first-ever containerships and the largest ships to be primarily powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).

For all grief we take in this industry things actually aren’t looking as bad as they usually do. We still don’t have any friends in Washington, and the teamsters still want to kill us all, and the coast guard thinks we’re all a bunch of idiots who can’t do our jobs, but hey, likewise! Whatever the odds against us may be we’re still doing business and we’re still building ships! Ooh-rah for the USMM.

Good news and all…but who released the image/drawing of an oil spill?

[QUOTE=SomalianRoadCorporation;120192]Good news and all…but who released the image/drawing of an oil spill?[/QUOTE]

you have to admit, that sheen really does help give a full profile reflection of the ship.

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ahhhhh yes, and how low will that AMO manned tanker w/an LNG plant being paying its mariners who will have to go to classes out the ying yang to be qualified to work on it. especially the engineers?!

score another strike for the low paying US flag fleet at dog turd wages for the full-on accountability of being a tanker mate in an oil hating America that is blind to its need of and love for oil (except the GOM, at least they know who butters their bread). you’re still better off on containerships, MODUs, or OSVs. more money, less headaches.

The pay on amo tankers is plenty enough for a comfortable living. But I guess I’m not spoiled from that offshore oil money

Any news of shuttle tankers for FPSO’s in the GOM?

[QUOTE=mddeckie;120314]The pay on amo tankers is plenty enough for a comfortable living. But I guess I’m not spoiled from that offshore oil money[/QUOTE]

neither am I, b/c I don’t work there.

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[QUOTE=boatengineer;120325]Any news of shuttle tankers for FPSO’s in the GOM?[/QUOTE]

http://www.osg.com/index.cfm?pageid=74&itemid=65

this is the only thing i know of. haven’t heard of any other tankers or ATBs being built in US yards for this purpose, but doesn’t mean they can’t be adapted/converted.

OSG has two. . Only one of which is actually operating as a shuttle tanker (OS Chinook). Apparently the plan is to convert the OS Tampa in the near future.

[QUOTE=Hawespiper;120351]OSG has two. . Only one of which is actually operating as a shuttle tanker (OS Chinook). Apparently the plan is to convert the OS Tampa in the near future.[/QUOTE]

You know that Shell is going with an FPSO for their Stones field in the GoM so it appears the trend is developing here which I am all in favor of. More FPSOs means more shuttle tankers which means jobs for shipyards and mariners.

So who can tell us about the BG PIONEER’s operation? How well is it working out there? What is their production rate? How many days for the OSG CHINOOK to turn around? Where is it going to offload? Did the shuttle tankers get DP installed?

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[QUOTE=“c.captain;120354”]

You know that Shell is going with an FPSO for their Stones field in the GoM so it appears the trend is developing here which I am all in favor of. More FPSOs means more shuttle tankers which means jobs for shipyards and mariners.

So who can tell us about the BG PIONEER’s operation? How well is it working out there? What is their production rate? How many days for the OS CHINOOK to turn around? Where is it going to offload? Did the shuttle tankers get DP installed?[/QUOTE]

I am on the Cascade (the other OSG shuttle tanker). Both us and the Chinook are on contract with Petrobras. Only the Chinook is working with the FPSO right now due to less than full production rate. I’m not sure about their turnaround rate but I know they spend most of their time at anchor at the mouth of the Sabine River. We are not DP classed. We have a variable pitch propeller and a 3516 Cat powered bow thruster. At the FPSO, a tug hooks to a large bollard on our stern and between the tug, the CPP, and the bow thruster we stay in position while we load via the bow loading system.

Petrobras contracted both of us because supposedly once the FPSO is at full production, we will both be running nonstop between the FPSO and somewhere up the Sabine River.

I took the Cascade out of Detyens. We delivered it then sat at anchor before laying her up it Orange. First time I ever took a new ship from a yard and laid it up a month later.

[QUOTE=Hawespiper;120381]I am on the Cascade (the other OSG shuttle tanker). Both us and the Chinook are on contract with Petrobras. Only the Chinook is working with the FPSO right now due to less than full production rate. I’m not sure about their turnaround rate but I know they spend most of their time at anchor at the mouth of the Sabine River. We are not DP classed. We have a variable pitch propeller and a 3516 Cat powered bow thruster. At the FPSO, a tug hooks to a large bollard on our stern and between the tug, the CPP, and the bow thruster we stay in position while we load via the bow loading system.

Petrobras contracted both of us because supposedly once the FPSO is at full production, we will both be running nonstop between the FPSO and somewhere up the Sabine River.[/QUOTE]

sitting on anchor you say! it is unbelievable that a US flag Jones Act qualified tanker isn’t at least being rechartered to the spot market to move product coastwise…EFFING STOOPID BRAZILIAN LIZARDS!

anyway, tell me what the schedule for he CHINOOK is? Do they take one load a week from the PIONEER?

Hats off to Seacor for building them in the USA.

Well most of it anyway…