Coast Guard Seeks To Bring New Bidders Onto Modified Offshore Patrol Cutter Contract

Rendering of Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter. Eastern Shipbuilding Image

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A year after Hurricane Michael hit Florida’s panhandle, labor shortages in the region are causing the Coast Guard’s $10.5-billion high-priority Offshore Patrol Cutter program to fall 12 months behind schedule and be at risk of running over budget.

The Coast Guard’s solution is to modify the original contract. Eastern Shipbuilding Group, the prime contractor, will build the first four OPCs while the...

https://news.usni.org/2019/10/15/coast-guard-seeks-to-bring-new-bidders-onto-modified-offshore-patrol-cutter-contract

Report to Congress on Coast Guard Cutter Procurement

The following is the Aug. 7, 2019 Congressional Research Service report, Coast Guard Cutter Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress.

From the report

The Coast Guard’s program of record (POR) calls for procuring 8 National Security Cutters (NSCs), 25 Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs), and 58 Fast Response Cutters (FRCs) as replacements for 90 aging Coast Guard high-endurance cutters, medium-endurance cutters, and patrol craft. The Coast Guard’s proposed FY2020 budget requests a total of $657...

https://news.usni.org/2019/08/08/report-to-congress-on-coast-guard-cutter-procurement

Eastern Shipbuilding launches fourth McAllister Tier 4 tug

The tug is currently under construction at Eastern’s Allanton facility and is scheduled to deliver later this year. Eastern Shipbuilding Group photo

Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc., Panama City, Fla., launched the 100’x40’x16’4″ escort/rescue Z-drive tug Capt. Jim McAllister for McAllister Towing on March 19, 2019. The tug is currently under construction at Eastern’s Allanton facility and is scheduled to deliver later this year.

Main propulsion for the Capt. Jim McAllister will come from twin Caterpillar 3516E, Tier 4 diesel engines producing 3,386 hp at 1,800 rpm each. The Cats connect to Schottel SRP-4000 fixed pitch Z-drives in drop-in...

https://www.workboat.com/news/shipbuilding/eastern-shipbuilding-launches-fourth-mcallister-tier-4-tug/

Coast Guard, Shipbuilder Assessing Hurricane Damage to Yard Building Offshore Patrol Cutter

Eastern Shipbuilding Florida shipyard. Google Image

U.S. Coast Guard officials and Eastern Shipbuilding Group are still assessing the damage caused by deadly category 4 Hurricane Michael to the Panama City, Fla.-based yard contracted to build the new class of Offshore Patrol Cutters.

On September 28, the Coast Guard awarded Eastern Shipbuilding a contract to build the future USCGC Argus (WMSM-915), the first offshore patrol cutter (OPC). The yard was also set to build a second OPC, the future...

https://news.usni.org/2018/10/22/coast-guard-and-manufacturer-accessing-damage-to-yard-building-offshore-patrol-cutter