Bollinger Locks Up Key Contracts

Bollinger Shipyards, Lockport, La. has added a 220 class offshore supply vessel (OSV) to the company's continually growing series of OSV's that provide cargo capacities of much larger vessels while lowering operating costs. Scott Theriot, executive vice president, New Construction said, "Just as our 145 and 166-ft. class boats have capacities of larger OSV's, this new 220 class has the cargo and drilling muds capacities of vessels up to 240-ft. MNM Boats of Golden Meadow, La., a subsidiary of C&G Boats, has signed a contract for the first of two new 220 designs and will take delivery of the first boat in October 2002 and the second vessel in January 2003.

Theriot said: "Our success with the first two advanced designs prompted customers to ask for similar space and operational advantages in a larger OSV. We have achieved this goal with this new design. Its liquid and mud tanks will be able to carry more than 6,000 barrels of drilling mud and its dry bulk tanks will be able to carry more than 6,000 cu. Ft. of material. The MNM boats will each have three separate pump systems that can handle three different liquid mud products without danger of contamination. All pump systems valves can be operated through a central control system in the pilot house that will also control the boats' ABS class DP1 dynamic positioning system."

Propulsion power for the MNM 207 x 53 x 19-ft. hull will be provided by two Caterpillar 3516D diesel engines developing 2,000 hp through Reintjes reduction gears with a ratio of 6.44:1. They will drive Bollinger 102 in. propellers and independent rudders. Electrical power will be produced by two Caterpillar 3408 diesels generating 370 kW each.

According to Theriot, the MNM boats would be able to sustain 11 knots of speed; most other OSV's with similar capacities can only sustain 10 knots fully loaded. He attributed the extra speed to a new hull design and reduced roll with bilge keels. Brunivol 700 hp and 400 hp bow thruster and stern thrusters, respectively will ease the vessels' maneuverability; bow thruster noise will be reduced by a Sound Down noise damping system. The pilot house will be located further forward and will feature 360-degree visibility free from interference by stacks and will include touch screen computer displays for the boast' dynamic positioning and other control systems. Living quarters with reduced noise and vibration for 22 are included and each boat will have a galley and dining facilities for 10.

The vessels, which meet SOLAS requirements, will be classed by ABS as offshore supply vessel Maltese Cross A1, AMS and DP-1 certificates, as well as certification by the U.S. Coast Guard under Subchapter L requirements. In a separate contract, Bollinger has agreed to construct two 6,000 hp tugs, and two double-hull, clean product ocean-going barges that meet the requirements of OPA '90. While terms of the contract were not disclosed, one vessel will have a 110,000-barrel capacity, the other will be able to carry 135,000 barrels. The tugs will be built at Bollinger's Lockport, La. division, and the barges will be constructed at Bollinger-Gretna in Harvey, La. Delivery of the first ATB unit is scheduled for the second quarter of 2003 and the delivery of the second unit is planned for the second quarter of 2004. Guarino & Cox, naval architects, marine designers and consultants of Slidell, La., designed both ATB units. Modules for the first two barges will be fabricated at Bollinger's Lockport New Construction division and shipped to Gretna where they will be joined to other components produced there, where final assembly and installation of other piping systems will be completed.