MIAMI, March 19 (UPI) -- Italian marine company Fincantieri, through its U.S. subsidiary, is providing the U.S. Coast Guard with 40 utility craft.
The Response Boats-Medium will be delivered in the second quarter of 2013 but the order is part of a larger multiyear award for as many as 250 vessels. The order for the 40 vessels is worth $89.6 million. The larger contract is worth as much as $600 million.
Marinette Marine Corp. will be the prime contractor and program manager under the deal and will build half the vessels at its Wisconsin facility. MMC's teaming partner, Kvichak Marine Industries of Seattle, will build the remainder.
Response Boats-Medium are nearly 45 feet in length with a beam of 14.7 feet. They have a top speed of 45 knots and a cruise speed of 30 knots. The range of the vessels is 250 nautical miles.
They can be armed with machine guns.
"We are very proud we can keep on serving the U.S. Coast Guard," said Fincantieri Chief Executive Officer Giuseppe Bono. "This order confirms that the acquisition of our shipyards in the United States proved to be a winning strategy and allows our company to provide with top-quality vessels not only the Coast Guard but also the U.S. Navy, as well as a wide range of non-government customers."
Announcement of the order was made by Fincantieri at the Cruise Shipping Miami Conference and Exhibition.
