July 4, 2019 | International, Naval
MacGregor to supply deck machinery for two T-ATS vessels
MacGregor has received a contract from Gulf Island Shipyards to supply deck machinery equipment for two new US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) towing, salvage and rescue ships (T-ATS). Gulf Island Shipyards received a contract in May this year to build two additional T-ATS-class vessels for the US Navy. The navy exercised the first two options for the new ships under a previous contract awarded to Gulf Island Shipyards. The original contract includes a total of seven options for additional vessels. The company is building the two new T-ATS-class vessels at its facility in Houma, Louisiana, US. MacGregor will deliver the packages of deck machinery under the latest orders next year. The package includes a main towing and traction winch, in addition to an offshore crane, Triplex shark jaws, pop-up pins, and a stern roller. The company is also required to provide crew training, as well as integrated logistics support. With a combined value of around €8m, the orders come after MacGregor won the first contract in the fourth quarter of last year. MacGregor Advanced Offshore Solutions vice-president Høye Høyesen said: “We are very pleased that MacGregor has again been selected to supply deck machinery equipment for the two T-ATS class vessels, which further demonstrates Gulf Island Shipyards and US Navy confidence in MacGregor's solutions and services.” The company has the potential to win further orders if the navy chooses to exercise the option for a further five vessels. The new class of vessels are expected to replace the existing T-ATF 166 and T-ARS 50 class of ships. The lead vessel of the T-ATS-class will be named USNS Navajo and designated T-ATS 6, while each additional ship will be named after Native Americans or Native American tribes. Last month, the US Navy announced that the second vessel in this class will be named to honour the Cherokee Nation. The service will deploy these vessels for open-ocean towing, supporting salvage operations and submarine rescue missions worldwide. https://www.naval-technology.com/news/macgregor-to-supply-deck-machinery-for-two-t-ats-vessels/