Singapore Technologies Engineering (ST Engineering), announced on 24 April that its shipbuilding business in Pascagoula, MS, VT Halter Marine, has been awarded the Polar Security Cutter (PSC – formerly known as the Heavy Polar Ice Breaker) contract by the US Department of the Navy for the US Coast Guard (USCG).
VT Halter Marine has been designated prime contractor for the detail design and construction of the USCG PSC under a $746 million (€665 million) fixed-price incentive-firm contract. The multi-year programme seeks to acquire up to three multi-mission PSC to recapitalise the USCG fleet of heavy icebreakers. If all options are exercised, the value of the contract could rise to $1.94 billion (€1.73 billion). Delivery of the first 460ft, 33,000t vessel is anticipated for 2024: if the options are exercised, hulls two and three are expected to be delivered in 2025 and 2027 respectively.
VT Halter Marine has been involved in the design analysis study for the PSC since February 2017 and is currently in the production engineering studies support work, which it began in February.
(Monch)