GC shipyards make 2018 maritime list

The Gulf Coast’s Metal Shark of Jeanerette/Franklin, La., Eastern Shipbuilding of Panama City, Fla., and VT Halter Marine of Pascagoula, Miss., were among Maritime Professional’s top compelling maritime storylines of 2018. There were several compelling story threads played out that impacted North America’s waterfronts - each in their own unique way, according to Joseph Keefe, lead commentator for Maritime Professional and Marine News. Metal Shark delivered more than 14 ferries in less than 18 months. Metal Shark has shipyards in Jeanerette and Franklin, La. Metal Shark also began to implement its methodologies, production and project management systems at its newly-purchased Alabama facility (formerly Horizon Shipbuilding). MS-Alabama supported aluminum and steel shipbuilding for vessels up to 300 feet and 1,500 tons launch weight. A partnership with autonomous technology provider ASV global – an L3 Technologies-owned firm - rounded out an extraordinary year. Metal Shark was “clearly one of the big success stories of 2018 and the firm continues its growth as one of the most diversified shipbuilders in the business,” wrote Keefe. Eastern Shipbuilding Group resumed operations at both of its shipbuilding facilities within two weeks of Hurricane Michael’s devastation of Panama City, and surrounding area. Within the gates of ESG’s production facilities, the damage was unparalleled. Eastern first took a “family” approach to recovery, stressing basic needs of its workers and picking up the pieces. The second part yielded fruit and today, the majority of ESG’s workforce has returned to work, as well as all of its Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Craft-building staff. Carnival Corp. contracted with Shell to fuel LNG-powered cruise ships in North America. Carnival will also fuel its vessels via Shell’s LNG Bunker Barge. The Articulated Tug Barge (ATB), a first of its kind in North America, will allow ships to refuel with LNG at East Coast ports. The ATB is being built at the VT Halter Marine of Pascagoula on behalf of Quality Liquefied Natural Gas Transport LLC (Q-LNG) of New Orleans. (Source: Maritime Professional 12/09/18)