Tuesday, September 6, 2016

All-American Marine Lands Tour Boat Contract

By Mark Edward Nero

Bellingham, Wash.-based boat builder All American Marine and Seattle-based tour company Argosy Cruises have sealed a deal for AAM to build a 125-foot aluminum monohull for operation in Puget Sound’s Elliott Bay.

New Zealand-based naval architectural and engineering firm Teknicraft Design participated in the design of the vessel.

“The value of Teknicraft and All American Marine design teams working closely together to build us a quality boat, made the design and construction process absolutely seamless,” Argosy Cruises President & CEO Kevin Clark, said in a statement.

Argosy has said it intends to primarily deploy the new vessel on a route to ferry passengers between their Seattle waterfront location at Pier 55 and their long-standing concession at Tillicum Village on Blake Island State Park. The vessel will also be adaptable to provide private event charters.

The contract with Argosy Cruises will mark the first keel laid at All American Marine’s new shipyard, currently under construction in Squalicum Harbor at the north edge of Bellingham Bay. AAM says it expects to open the new state-of-the-art 57,000-square-foot boatbuilding facility in January 2017.

The Port of Bellingham is developing the new site to further support All-American Marine’s ability to take on and pursue larger vessel projects with hulls over 100 feet in length alongside their regular production of mid-sized monohulls and catamarans.

The new monohull will be certified under the latest US Coast Guard Subchapter-K regulations to carry 500 passengers. Two Scania DI 16-080M main engines will provide propulsion power, with auxiliary power supplied by Northern Lights 65kW and 40 kW generators.

“We have been working hard to reach this point and are truly excited about the comprehensive design and features that this new boat will offer to Argosy while moving the bar for our future designs,” AAM CEO Matt Mullett commented.