Eastern Shipbuilding partners with Royal IHC for new hopper dredge

new hopper dredge

Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc. (ESG) and Royal IHC have formed a strategic partnership to design and construct a highly automated medium-class hopper dredge for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) that will replace the now 57-year-old dredge McFarland. Slated for delivery in 2027, the new hopper dredge will be constructed at ESG’s Allanton and Port St. Joe, Florida shipyards.

Building on a history of successful collaboration, ESG and Royal IHC aim to deliver an unparalleled dredging...

https://www.marinelog.com/inland-coastal/eastern-shipbuilding-partners-with-royal-ihc-for-new-hopper-dredge/

GAO Report on Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter

The following is the June 20, 2023, Government Accountability Office, U.S. Coast Guard Acquisitions: Offshore Patrol Cutter Program Needs to Mature Technology and Design.

From the report

What GAO Found

In October 2020, GAO found that the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) program started construction on the lead ship with an unstable design. In this report, GAO found that the Coast Guard continues its approach of progressing through the technology development, design, and construction phases...

https://news.usni.org/2023/06/22/gao-report-on-coast-guard-offshore-patrol-cutter

Report to Congress on Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutters

The following is the March 23, 2023, Congressional Research Service In Focus report: Coast Guard Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) Program: Background and Issues for Congress.

From the report

The Coast Guard’s Waterways Commerce Cutter (WCC) program envisages procuring 30 replacements for the Coast Guard’s 35 aging river buoy tenders (WLRs), inland construction tenders (WLICs), and inland buoy tenders (WLIs). The Coast Guard wants to have the first new WCC be in service by 2025. On October 5, 2022,...

https://news.usni.org/2023/03/24/report-to-congress-on-coast-guard-waterways-commerce-cutters

Eastern Shipbuilding Withdraws Coast Guard OPC GAO Protest, Will Pursue ‘Different Legal Pathway’

USCGC Argus (WMSM-915). Eastern Shipbuilding Group Photo

Eastern Shipbuilding Group withdrew a protest to a June Coast Guard contract award for the second phase of the service’s Offshore Patrol Cutter program on Tuesday in preparation for a different challenge in federal court, USNI News has learned.

On Tuesday, Eastern withdrew its protest to the Government Accountability Office for the Coast Guard’s $208.26 million award to Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., for the second phase of the Heritage-class...

https://news.usni.org/2022/10/05/eastern-shipbuilding-withdraws-coast-guard-opc-gao-protest-will-pursue-different-legal-pathway

Eastern Shipbuilding Protests Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter Award to Austal USA

Heritage-class cutter under construction. Eastern Shipbuilding Group Photo

The shipyard first tapped to build what the Coast Guard considers its most important shipbuilding program is contesting the service’s decision to change yards with a formal protest to the Government Accountability Office, company officials told USNI News.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group filed the GAO protest following the late June $208.26 million award to Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., to build the future Heritage-class Offshore...

https://news.usni.org/2022/07/21/eastern-shipbuilding-protests-coast-guard-offshore-patrol-cutter-award-to-austal-usa

Coast Guard Issues Austal USA Contract Worth up to $3.3B for Offshore Patrol Cutter

An artist’s conception of Eastern Shipbuilding’s Offshore Patrol Cutter design.

The Coast Guard has issued Austal USA contract work up to $3.3 billion to build the service’s Offshore Patrol Cutter, the company announced on Thursday.While the initial award is for $208.26 million, the contract has options for as many as 11 OPCs that Austal will build at its Mobile, Ala., shipyard’s new steel production line.

“Austal USA will construct the OPC using its proven ship manufacturing processes and...

https://news.usni.org/2022/07/01/coast-guard-issues-austal-usa-contract-worth-up-to-3-3b-for-offshore-patrol-cutter