Eastern Shipbuilding selected to build USCG offshore patrol cutters
After conducting a thorough evaluation of proposals submitted by competing shipyards, the U.S. Coast Guard has awarded the largest vessel procurement contract in Coast Guard history to Eastern Shipbuilding Group in Panama City, Florida, the shipbuilding company said in a press release.
Eastern Shipbuilding Group was selected to finalize its design and construct the first series of Nine Offshore Patrol Cutters to replace the Medium Endurance Cutters currently in service. The contract is initially for Nine vessels with options for Two additional vessels. The Coast Guard program goal is to build Twenty Five Offshore Patrol Cutters having a potential total contract value in excess of Ten billion dollars. Initially, Eastern has been awarded the detail design effort with a value of approximately One Hundred Ten million dollars.
Construction of the first vessel is expected to commence in 2018.
Eastern Shipbuilding is a family held shipbuilding company located in Panama City, Florida. A long time employer in Bay County for over 40 years, Eastern currently provides jobs for more than 1500 employees. Since 2008, Eastern has spent more than Seventy Five Million dollars in upgrading and expanding its facilities and shipbuilding capabilities to continue growing and meeting the needs of its commercial and Government customers. At the full ramp up of the OPC contract Eastern anticipates expanding its workforce with additional craftsmen and additional engineering and administration staff to fulfill the contract requirements. Eastern will also continue to provide quality vessels for commercial customers, maintaining its success and providing numerous jobs in the competitive, cost-conscious commercial shipbuilding market.
Securing this contract was based on Eastern’s reputation as an industry leader in the construction of mid-range tonnage commercial ships. With a record of delivering 149 out of 150 ships on time and on budget since 2002, Eastern’s performance record is unmatched. Over the past 10 years, Eastern has delivered vessels, ranging from 80 feet to 433 feet in length, many with complexity comparable to the Offshore Patrol Cutter. Efficient, commercially based production processes ensure affordability in the construction of these Coast Guard vessels.
The Coast Guard’s Program of Record, calls for procuring a total of Twenty Five Offshore Patrol Cutters as replacements for the Twenty Nine Medium Endurance Cutters currently in service. Eight shipbuilders originally provided draft designs for the cutters. The Coast Guard down selected to five shipbuilders to refine designs. In 2014, the U.S. Coast Guard awarded firm fixed-price contracts to Three shipyards to develop preliminary and contract design proposals for the project.
The Coast Guard conducted a thorough evaluation of the three proposals based on technical, management, producibility, and price factors. Eastern Shipbuilding’s proposal was selected for the contract award.
Eastern’s design includes the following features:
Length 360 Feet; Width 54 Feet; Speed in excess of 22 knots; Capable of carrying an MH-60R or MH-65 Helicopter; Capable of carrying Three OTH small boats. The vessel also includes a highly sophisticated combat system and C4ISR communication suite which will allow the Coast Guard to continue to support and execute the Coast Guard’s missions.
Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. has two new construction and repair facilities in Panama City, Florida and has been in business since 1976 building new, converting and repairing vessels in steel and aluminum of all types including: offshore and harbor tugs, offshore/platform supply vessels, multi-purpose construction vessels, research vessels, firefighting vessels, barges, ferries, passenger vessels, fishing vessels and inland towboats. Over the years, the Group has constructed and delivered twenty-eight Z-drive tugs of similar size and complexity for several customers in the United States. With these Z-Tech series tugs, Eastern maintains its reputation as one of the largest Z-drive tug new construction shipyards in North America.
