Swiftships, Inc. of Morgan City, La., has contracted with L & P Boat Rentals of Gibson, La., to build two 166-foot steel supply cargo vessels. The vessels will be built at the Mangone-Swiftships yard in Houston, and the first will be ready for delivery this December.
According to Calvin LeLeux, Swiftships project engineer, "We're very pleased that L & P has enough confidence in our workmanship to order not one, but two of our most rugged and dependable boats."
The all-steel vessels will be powered by two GM 16V149NA marine diesel engines and will be capable of carrying fuel, fresh water, ballast and liquid and dry mud. Each boat will be certified to transport over 500 long tons of deck cargo in addition to a full load of internal stores.
L & P is a subsidiary of Bruce Boat, a $30-million company with 25 boats and 160 employees whose primary business is providing crewboats for oil companies needing rig supplies.