Wisconsin Ship Building

Bay Ship announced that they've secured a contract to build a couple of these boats.

This is a PSV - Platform Supply Vessel - to be built for delivery to the Gulf Coast supporting off-shore drilling activities.

Fincantieri Marine - the Italian owner of Bay Ship - is doing pretty well.  Sister company - Marinette Marine - is building ten of these.

This is an LCS - Littoral Combat Ship - built for delivery to the US Navy.  One of two LCS designs - this boat will support littoral (close to shore) operations.  It's a stealthy surface combatant capable of defeating anti-access and asymmetric threats with an emphasis on speed and flexible mission capability.

This puppy can move at a walloping 50 knots at sea!  That's a mouthful - but you can get the straight scoop here.

Then there is this vessel.

This is a 60 foot research vessel  - designed by naval architects at SeaCraft Design in Sturgeon Bay and built by Burger Boat of Manitowoc - for delivery to the State of Wisconsin.

Sturgeon Bay will be home port to the R/V Coregonus.  Duties will be conducting research in Lakes Michigan and Superior to support commercial and sport fishing. 

Sport fishing alone generates about $420 million annually and sustains 5,000 jobs.

The Coregonus will replace the the aging research vessel Barney Devine - originally a fishing tug - also built by Burger 75 years ago.

Research Vessel Coregonous is a thoroughly modern vessel.  Powered by a pair of Caterpillar C12 diesels its semi-planning hull will allow it to cruise at up to 20 knots.  It also sports modern safety features such as watertight bulkheads and compartments, an automatic fire suppression system in the engine compartment, heated rear deck (to prevent icing), cold water survival suits, a USCG-approved ten man life raft and emergency positioning beacon. 

Learn more about the Coregonus here and be sure to click on the videos detailing the assembly process.

Boat building in northeast Wisconsin appears to be doing fine.