VT Halter Marine, ST Engineering's shipbuilding business in Pascagoula, Mississippi, has been selected by the US Department of the Navy as the prime contractor for the detail design and construction of a new class of polar security cutter (PSC) for the US Coast Guard (USCG).
The US$745.94 million fixed-price incentive-firm contract is a multi-year programme and a major system acquisition to acquire up to three vessels to recapitalise the UCSG's fleet of heavy icebreakers.
The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring its cumulative value to US$1.94 billion.
The first ship delivery is scheduled to occur in 2024. If the options are exercised, the second and third vessels are expected to be delivered in 2025 and 2027, respectively.
The vessels are 460 feet (140.2 metres) in length with a beam of 88 feet (26.82 metres) overall and a full load displacement of about 33,000 long tons (33,529 tonnes) at delivery.
VT Halter Marine has been involved in the design analysis study of the PSC since February 2017 and is currently in the production engineering studies support work since February 2019.