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Kvichak Marine News

05 May 2022

MJP Taps Kirby to Lead Americas Sales

Kevin Kirby (Photo: MJP)

Waterjet propulsion systems supplier Marine Jet Power (MJP) announced it has appointed Kevin Kirby as president of MJP, Inc. and regional sales director of MJP in the Americas region. He will be responsible for business development, strategic market analysis and customer relations in addition to operations.Kirby brings more than 30 years of marine industry expertise, including marine design and engineering, program management and new product development. Most recently he acted as director of marine sales for a propulsion system integrator.

22 Apr 2020

Autonomy on Trial

(Image: Wartsila)

When discussing the arrival of autonomous workboats, many – especially those developing the technologies that enable them – say it’s is not a matter of if, but when. In fact, autonomous harbor tugs are already being put to the test in Singapore, where authorities hope to establish the technological infrastructure to enable fully autonomous ship operations. In the U.S., an autonomous vessel was shown to be able to respond to marine oil spills.But is autonomy really the future?

21 Aug 2019

Sea Machines Demonstrates Autonomous Spill-Response Vessel

As a part of its cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD), Boston-based Sea Machines Robotics announces that it has successfully demonstrated its autonomous systems in action on board a Kvichak Marco skimmer boat during events held along the Portland harbor earlier today.Sea Machines’ technology opens a new era of capability for the marine industry, and today the company demonstrated its ability to increase the safety, productivity and predictability of response for marine oil-spill operations.

24 Jul 2019

Sea Machines to Demo Autonomy for MarAd

Photo: Sea Machines

Sea Machines Robotics has been a progressive leader in advancing autonomy in the maritime space, and today it announced a deal with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MarAd) to demonstrate the value of Sea Machines’ autonomous technology in marine oil-spill response ops. The scope of the deal has Sea Machines installing its SM300 autonomous-command system aboard a Marine Spill Response Corp. (MSRC)-owned MARCO skimming vessel and will train MSRC personnel to operate the system.

06 Jul 2017

Vigor Begins Building NYPD Response Boat

(Image: Vigor)

U.S. shipbuilder Vigor said it has begun constructing a fifth 45’ Response Boat - Medium C (RB-M C) for its long-time customer, the New York Police Department (NYPD) Harbor Unit. The vessel will be fabricated at Vigor Ballard (formerly Kvichak Marine) in the Seattle metro area with delivery expected in November. It will be the seventh RB-M C built for three different police departments. The RB-M C is the commercial variant of the Response Boat - Medium (RB-M) designed by Vigor in partnership with Camarc Design for high speed and high performance…

07 Feb 2017

North American Ferries: Faster, Greener & Safer

(Photo: BC Ferries)

Domestic ferries adjust their business models to met regulatory pressures and exceed environmental standards with an eye towards improved service. And, not a minute too soon. In North America, stalwarts in the ferry business continue to shorten journey times compared to surface alternatives, while at the same time, bring accessibility to barrier and coastal islands that would otherwise be impossible to reach. Established stakeholders continually fine-tune their operations in a…

31 Jan 2017

Two New Response Boats for Jordan

This award brings the total number of RB-M’s to 176 built by Team RB-M. (Photo: Fincantieri Marinette Marine)

Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) said it has been awarded a U.S. Coast Guard contract for two additional Response Boats–Medium (RB-Ms) vessels as part of a Foreign Military Sale to The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. This award brings the total number of RB-Ms to 176 built by Team RB-M, originally formed by FMM and Kvichak Marine. FMM will act as the prime contractor and program manager, and the vessels will be built by Vigor at its Ballard, Wash. facility (formerly Kvichak Marine).

15 Sep 2016

Vigor Delivers Two Pilot boats to M.E.

Vigor expanded its growing portfolio of international sales with the delivery of two, 19m all-weather pilot boats to The Port of Duqm Company (PDC), SAOC, Sultanate of Oman. The Port has been undergoing a major multiphase expansion and the new pilot boats will play a key role in ensuring the safety of vessels calling on the port. “This is an important delivery for us,” said Keith Whittemore, Vigor Executive Vice President of Business Development. “PDC is a world class, state-of-the-art Port with a major commitment to quality and safety. Designed by Camarc Design, Ltd., UK, and built at Vigor’s Ballard facility (formerly Kvichak Marine), the vessels not only function as pilot boats but also as search and rescue and oil spill recovery vessels.

17 Aug 2016

Shipbuilding: P3 Projects (with a Twist)

Credit: Vigor

Private partnerships, executed perfectly – that’s West Coast boatbuilding in today’s challenging business climates. P3 Partnerships: no, we’re not talking about infrastructure funding. But, in our P3 version, boatbuilding in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska is alive and well, because of it. Long-standing enterprises and relative newcomers are all experiencing an uptick in projects. Here, as part of our annual MN100 top company profiles, we take a look at how three organizations have either merged and/or partnered with complementary companies to expand skills…

31 May 2016

Kvichak Delivers for the NYPD

Photo: Kvichak Marine Industries

Kvichak, a Vigor company, delivered a fourth, 45-foot Response Boat - Medium C (RB-M C) to its longtime customer, the New York Police Department Harbor Unit. The Kvichak RB-M C is the commercial variant of the Response Boat - Medium (RB-M), purpose built for the U.S. Coast Guard. To date, 174 RB-Ms have been delivered to the Coast Guard. The vessel was designed by Kvichak in partnership with Camarc Design for high speed and high performance, including tactical handling and specialized mission capabilities, the shipbuilder said.

26 Oct 2015

Maritime Security Demand Keeps US Builders Busy

Photo: Kvichak

Export hulls – through the FMS Program, as well as Direct Sales – are a key piece of the business model. Even as the crash in energy prices feeds the oversupply of offshore support vessels – a key staple of U.S. boatbuilding diets – and the dwindling backlogs of some so-called ‘second tier’ yards,  a number of U.S. boat builders are still seeing robust demand for security vessels. Separately, tightening federal, state, municipal and overseas budgets are being trumped by the increased need for security craft that can perform more than one function.

09 Oct 2015

HMS Announces Management Hires

Steve Carlson (Photo: Harley Marine Services)

Marine services company Harley Marine Services (HMS) has expanded its management team, naming Don Martin as Vice President and General Counsel and Steve Carlson as Vice President of Engineering, the company announced today. Prior to joining Harley Marine, Martin was the Vice President and General Counsel for Delta Western and Hawaii Petroleum where he oversaw all aspects of safety, risk management and regulatory compliance for the fuel distribution companies. Prior to Delta Western, Martin served as the Director of U.S.

03 Sep 2015

MN 100: Dometic Marine

President/CEO: Frank Marciano

Dometic Marine is an engineering leader of innovative products for the global marine industry and offers a large worldwide sales and service network. Products include air conditioning, refrigeration, ship-wide ventilation, air purification, water purification, and sanitation. Dometic, Condaria, Marine Air Systems, and Cruisair air conditioning systems offer a wide range of compact, modular, and shell-and-tube chiller systems that provide ideal climate control with capacities up to 2.4 million BTUs.

18 Aug 2015

Kvichak Building 4th Response Boat for NYPD

Photo: John Fleck Photography

Kvichak Marine Industries, a Vigor Company, is currently constructing the fourth 44.5-foot Response Boat Medium – C (RB-M C) for the New York Police Department (NYPD) Harbor Unit. The first three vessels were delivered in April 2010, August 2012 and April 2013. The RB-M C’s have been providing maritime security and law enforcement along with search and rescue in the New York metropolitan area. “The RB-M C has proven itself in the most challenging missions,” said Art Parker, Vigor sales manager. These all-aluminum vessels are designed by Camarc Design, U.K.

22 Jun 2015

Kvichak to Build 48 ft. Foil Research Cat

Photo: Kvichak Marine

Kvichak Marine Industries, a Vigor Company, was recently awarded a contract to design and build a 48’ all-aluminum foil assisted research catamaran for the King County Environmental Laboratory. The vessel will operate in Puget Sound, the Straits of Juan de Fuca and adjoining inland waterways. The vessel will be conducting water sampling research along with marine buoy calibration, maintenance and retrieval, tours and shoreline surveys, dive and ROV operations. This will be the thirteenth foil assisted catamaran Kvichak has built since 2000.

02 Jun 2015

The Ever-Evolving Rapid Response Skimmer

Kvichak’s Rapid Response Skimmers (RRS) are perhaps best known for their use by the U.S. Navy, but the design of these robust and well-designed units has evolved over time and today boasts placement in virtually every major spill organization. When, just this past October, Kvichak Marine won a U.S. Navy contract for 12 30-foot Rapid Response Skimmers (RRS) for delivery over the next 18 months, with options for up to 30 additional skimmers to be delivered through 2019, that wasn’t necessarily earthshaking news. That’s because the aluminum Kvichak RRS is already the Navy’s tier one response asset. The new craft will supplement the Navy’s current fleet of over 85 units in operation in Navy ports worldwide since 1994.

18 May 2015

Incat Crowther Designing San Francisco Ferries

Incat Crowther is designing a pair of 41m catamaran passenger ferries for WETA of San Francisco. The design of the vessels, which will be built by Kvichak Marine Industries, showcase Incat Crowther’s ability to analyze, dissect and meet a set of requirements. The vessel features an isolated cabin, to be built under subcontract by Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, and carries 400 passengers. The layout of the cabin responds to stringent requirements for seating configuration, with a mix of forward facing and booth seats, with and without tables. The elevated wheelhouse offers excellent visibility, meeting operational requirements. In responding to the tender, the team worked hard to offer improvements is passenger flow, snack bar functionality and utility space.

17 Apr 2015

Kvichak Wins Contract to Build Two Ferries

Image courtesy of Incat Crowther

Kvichak Marine Industries, a Vigor Industrial Company, was awarded a contract by the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), San Francisco, Calif. for the design and construction of two all-aluminum 400 passenger-only ferries. The new vessels will replace two of WETA’s 12-vessel fleet that are approaching the end of their expected life. Designed by Incat Crowther, Australia, the 135’ x 38’ all-aluminum catamarans will feature MTU 12V4000 M64+ EPA Tier III engines rated 1,950 BHP at 1,830 RPM coupled with ZF7600 reduction gears as the propulsion system.

15 Apr 2015

Kvichak Delivers Bristol Bay Gillnetter

Photo courtesy of Kvichak

Kvichak Marine Industries, Inc, a Vigor Industrial Company, delivered the first of three new Bristol Bay boats. The new, top house design all-aluminum 32’ x 16’ jet propelled gillnetter is a product of the Kvichak design team and is powered by twin Volvo D11 EVEC-E engines rated for 510 BHP coupled to ZF 305-3 marine gears and  Hamilton HJ364 water jets providing a top speed of 35 knots. This new Kvichak design combines shallow draft capability with short transit times to the line, and the ability to maintain planning speed when partially loaded.

08 Apr 2015

USCG Makes Headway in Challenging Waters

A patrol boat manned by members of Port Security Unit 311 deployed to Joint Task Force-Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, escorts the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf as it sails into Naval Base Guantanamo Bay.  The Coast Guard Cutter Waesche conducts at-sea refueling operations.  The Alameda-based cutter is named in honor of former Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Russell Waesche.  (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Roache)

Day after day, the U.S. Coast Guard continues to conduct its 11 statutory missions with its limited resources. It is challenged to Invest in long-term operational capacity while continuing to carry out its daily missions. “We’re a small service, but as always, we do punch above our weight class,” said Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft during the 2015 Surface Navy Association symposium in Arlington, Virginia. While the Coast Guard may have drifted off course with its ambitious and holistic Deepwater recapitalization effort…

25 Mar 2015

Kvichak to Build Catamaran Research Vessel

Photo courtesy of Kvichak Marine

Kvichak Marine Industries, Inc. was recently awarded a contract for construction of a 60’ aluminum catamaran research vessel for the California Department of Water Resources designed by Incat Crowther, Australia with design guidance and customer representation by Jensen Maritime Consultants. The vessel’s primary application will be monitoring water quality, phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthic macro-invertebrates. The vessel will be operating in the San Francisco Bay Estuary, San Pablo Bay Estuary and the Pacific Ocean within five miles of shore and the adjoining inland waterways.

04 Mar 2015

Kvichak, Vigor Announce Merger

Merger positions combined company to play a dominant role in recapitalization of North Pacific fishing fleet and emerging Arctic oil gas operations. Kvichak Marine Industries and Vigor Industrial today announced the companies are merging to unite their strengths in the design and fabrication of aluminum workboats, shipbuilding, and boat building. Under the terms of the merger, Kvichak will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Vigor. Kvichak’s current owners (Jim Meckley, Brian Thomas and Keith Whittemore) will join Vigor as shareholders and as members of the leadership team. “My partners and I are very excited to be joining Vigor. Sharing best ideas and practices across companies will make us even more competitive and create a more stable business base for our workers…

13 Feb 2015

Kvichak Delivers 2 Boats to West Coast Launch

Photo: Capt. Doug Davis of West Coast Launch Ltd.

Kvichak Marine delivered two all-aluminum 36.6’ crew/pilot boats to West Coast Launch, Ltd. (WCL), which operates year-round as a water transportation company in Prince Rupert, B.C., Canada. The new vessels, Lelu and Kitson, will join the five vessels already operating in the West Coast Launch fleet, as the company prepares for the growth of Prince Rupert and the demands for transportation with the LNG industry. Lelu and Kitson are powered by twin Volvo D11 diesel engines rated for 510 bhp and ZF 205 marine gears. The engines are coupled to Hamilton 322 waterjets providing a speed of 35 knots.

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