USA: Great Lakes Shipyard Starts Construction on New Milwaukee Port Work Boat

At Great Lakes Shipyard, Cleveland, OH, the laying of the keel marks the start of construction on a 60-foot work boat for the Port of Milwaukee. The city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin awarded the contract in June 2011. The vessel is scheduled for completion by the end of this year.

Designed by Jensen Maritime Consultants, Seattle, WA, the vessel’s capabilities will include general harbor work, icebreaking, salvage and dive operations. The stem and hull shape will be strengthened to optimize performance in ice. Powered by a single 405 HP Cummins QSK11 Tier II diesel engine, it will have a maximum speed of 10 knots.

Great Lakes Shipyard, a division of The Great Lakes Towing Company, operates a full-service shipyard specializing in new construction, repairs, and modifications of all types of workboats and barges. A major Shipyard expansion project at its Cleveland location is now well-underway and includes a new state-ofthe-art 770-ton Marine Travelift; the largest on the Great Lakes, second largest in the Western Hemisphere, and the third largest in the World.

Current projects include the dry docking of Erie’s flagship, the US Brig Niagara and contracts with SEACOR Holdings, Inc. to build two tugs for operations at the Hovensa Oil Refinery in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. The Great Lakes Towing Company also operates the largest fleet of tugs on the Great Lakes serving 40 ports and has been in continuous business since 1899.