MN 100: Blount Boats, Inc.
The Company:
Over time, the Blount shipyard has built 363 vessels, including such iconic designs as the 130-foot, 600-passenger Miss Liberty. Built in 1952, the vessel is believed to have carried more total passengers than any other vessel in the world. Hull number 93, built in 1955, the “Blount 65’ made its debut and was an immediate success with ferry, commuter and excursion operators. Just under 65’ long, it was an important “break point” in Coast Guard regulations. During the late 1950s, Blount designed the Botruc for the offshore oil and gas industry. This design was elongated into the current OSV configuration. Today, Blount Boats’ clients that include Fire Island Ferries, Casco Bay Island Transit District, Puerto Rico and Municipal Islands Maritime Authority, Spirit Cruises, Circle Line Statue of Liberty (Hornblower), South Ferry on Shelter Island, Long Island, and the Kwajalein Army Base on the Marshall Islands.
The Case:
Blount has been building high quality, innovative shallow draft designs for 66 years. Blount’s designs have created new industries such as dinner boats and mini-cruise vessels and also improved efficiency in the fishing and oil and gas industry. In March 2015, Blount signed a contract with Rhode Island Fast Ferries to build a 21-meter aluminum catamaran for the Deepwater Wind Farm off Block Island, RI. The vessel will be the first wind farm service vessel built in the United States. Over the past two years Blount has delivered 27 vessels, including a series of 16-meter aluminum crew boats, built under license with Damen. Currently under construction is a 78-foot double-hull bunkering tanker, due to be delivered in August 2015.
(As published in the August 2015 edition of Marine News - http://magazines.marinelink.com/Magazines/MaritimeNews)