APRIL 12, 2013 — Leevac Shipyards Jennings LLC, Jennings, LA, reports that it has signed contracts with Tidewater Marine, LLC, New Orleans, to build two 300 ft x 62 ft x 24 ft diesel electric platform supply vessels. The contract includes options for two additional vessels.

The vessels will be built to Leevac Design Services LDS 300 DE design.

The vessels will each have a deadweight capacity of 5,400 long tons and will carry over 17,600 barrels of liquid mud.

They will be powered by four Caterpillar Model 3516C Tier 3 IMO II Marine variable speed diesel propulsion generator sets rated at 2,100 kW each. The propulsion drives and thrusters are being provided by Schottel. Tidewater chose Siemens as the vendor for the Integrated Electrical System.

These will be the first U.S. built PSVs to be outfitted with Siemens' Bluedrive Plus C systems. The Bluedrive Plus C system will be used to control the power management, vessel control, machinery, alarms, power and propulsion systems.

Marine Interior Systems was selected for the joiner work and Kongsberg will be providing the DP-2 system. The vessel will be built to ABS and USGC classifications.

Additionally, Tidewater has chosen to class this vessel HAB (WB) and the vessel will be ABS Classed with the A1 Offshore Support Vessel (FFV-1) notation for offship firefighting capabilities.

"I have worked with the the team at Tidewater for years", said Mike Jannise, Engineering Manager at Leevac. "These guys know what they want and it makes designing a vessel of this quality level a very exciting project for us."

"Tidewater is pleased again to have the opportunity to work with the Leevac design and new construction teams," said Billy Brown, Tidewater's Vice President for Engineering and Technical Services. "Tidewater has added more than 200 new ships to its global fleet over the last 10 years, with vessels built in both U.S. and international shipyards. We have consistently found that Leevac designs and builds a fine ship, and we look forward to the delivery of two, and possibly four, world class LDS 300 DE PSVs."

"We are very excited to have another opportunity to build for Tidewater,"  said Christian Vaccari, President of Leevac."This marks the seventh and eighth Leevac designed vessels to be built for them. We have worked very closely with the entire engineering team at Tidewater on several designs. At the end of the day Tidewater asked us to give them an exceptional vessel that would meet all of their Jones Act and international requirements. I think we really hit the target with the LDS 300."

Mr. Vaccari noted that the contract will bring the shipyard's employment count to over 500 jobs in Southwest Louisiana and extend its backlog well into 2015.

"Activity in Gulfcoast shipyards has significantly increased and the availability for shipyard slots is starting to disappear," he said. "With the Tier III phase out looming we can expect a bit more activity in the coming months."

Leevac is currently building two Z-Tech 2400 Class Escort Tugs for G & H Towing Company, one MMC 879 PSV for Tidewater Marine and two LDS 270 DE PVS for Aries Marine.

Leevac recently completed a major conversion on a tank barge for Enterprise Marine Service.