Coast Guard Cutter Completed at Marinette
The Manitowoc Company's Marinette Marine subsidiary launched the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Maple on December 16, 2000. Maple is the seventh ship in a series of 16 seagoing buoy tenders being built by Marinette. The launch ceremony, which was attended by a number of dignitaries, included Fran Ulmer, the Lieutenant Governor of Alaska, who gave the keynote speech and formally christened Maple, as well as Rear Admiral Thomas J. Barrett, commander of the 17th Coast Guard District.
"The launching of a seagoing vessel is a spectacular sight," said Terry D. Growcock, Manitowoc's president and chief executive officer. "The launch of Maple is particularly exciting for us as it represents Marinette's first launch as a part of The Manitowoc Company. Maple exemplifies Marinette's well-deserved reputation for manufacturing the highest-quality vessels using the industry's most innovative and efficient ship construction technologies. We look forward to the successful launch of many cutters and other ships for the U.S. Coast Guard in the future."
On November 20, 2000, Manitowoc completed the purchase of Marinette, Wisconsin-based Marinette Marine Corporation. Located just across Green Bay from Manitowoc's Bay Shipbuilding facility, Marinette Marine operates one of the largest shipyards on the U.S. Great Lakes. Manitowoc also operates Bay Shipbuilding Co. in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin; Toledo Shiprepair Co. in Toledo, Ohio; and Cleveland Shiprepair Co. in Cleveland, Ohio.
The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Maple is a 225-ft. seagoing buoy tender that will be home-ported in Sitka, Alaska. The cutter will sail under the command of Lieutenant Commander Matt Creelman and carry a complement of six officers and 34 enlisted personnel. Maple will join a new fleet of the most technically advanced and highly capable buoy tenders ever operated by the U.S. Coast Guard. Maple is equipped to perform search and rescue, law enforcement, pollution response and domestic icebreaking missions as well as servicing aids to navigation.
Throughout its 58-year history, Marinette Marine, a member of the Manitowoc Marine Group, has constructed more than 1,300 ships including landing craft, barracks barges, work boats, tugs, and mine countermeasure vessels for the U. S. Navy, and tugs, ferries, and research vessels for commercial customers.
