Spotlight on industry: Bollinger Shipyards Inc.

Sea Power, Aug 1999 by Peterson, Gordon I

Sea Power: Bollinger has served the marine industry since 1946 by building, repairing, and servicing a wide variety of vessels, platforms, and equipment. Could you briefly summarize the status of your principal sea-service product lines?

Bollinger: We have a variety of product lines. Since we started building patrol boats in 1984 we have been able to build all of the patrol boats that have been built for the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy. That, in itself, is a pretty big accomplishment.

In addition, we purchased a barge-manufacturing operation from McDermott and have built as many as 150 barges a year there. This facility specializes in the new construction of a variety of barges and marine vessels, as well as in the repair of drilling rigs, lift boats, and other support vessels. It is located adjacent to Bollinger Morgan City in Amelia [La.], at the intersection of the Intracoastal Canal and Bayou Bouef-so its 67acre fabrication facility is easily accessible to both inland and offshore vessels.

We have never, however, strayed away from our basic emphasis on tugs, supply boats, lift boats, and various specialty craft. You introduced a new member to the Bollinger team last year when you acquired the former Service Marine facility-how is this latest addition to your shipyard's repair capabilities progressing?

Very well, I'm proud to say. They had an excellent management team in place, and we were able to integrate them immediately into our operation. We already owned two shipyards next door to that operation, so logistically it was a perfect fit. We have enjoyed working with the new customer base we gained there and have given them the service they expect from all of the Bollinger repair yards.

Your work in building cutters and patrol boats for the Coast Guard dates back to 1984. What is the outlook for deliveries to the Coast Guard for the remainder of the year and for contracted work into the 21st century?

We have begun the rapid delivery of CPBs [87-foot Marine Protectorclass coastal patrol boats] for the Coast Guard. We are delivering one each month. That should continue for quite a while beyond 2000 as additional options are awarded.

Several of your Coast Guard designs incorporate features that improve safety or reduce manpower requirements-could you describe some of these features for our readers?

Our CPB currently incorporates a ramp into the stem of the vessel to accommodate the rescue boat. This eliminates the need to launch and recover the small boat with a davit. It also reduces the crew required to perform this task. More importantly, it makes smallboat launchings and recoveries significantly safer. Among other crew-reduction enhancements on the CPB are its unmanned engine room and the unobstructed 360degree visibility available to personnel on the bridge.

What is your outlook for meeting the Coast Guard's extensive recapitalization requirements associated with its deepwater mission areas?

The Coast Guard's deepwater assets are aging, and they must be replaced if they are to continue to perform the vital missions assigned to them. We feel that we have teamed with some of the best talent in the private sector to develop a proposal for the Coast Guard's modernization program.

With teammates like Lockheed Martin, Litton, Ingalls, and Bell Textron, we believe that the Coast Guard will be offered a system that will have significantly reduced total-ownership costs and vastly improved mission effectiveness.

What business philosophy guides the Bollinger Shipyards approach to achieving customer satisfaction?

I have always believed in customer relationships-know your customers, find out what they want and need, and then give it to them at the highest quality and at competitive prices. As we are fond of saying at Bollinger, "The quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten!"

Donald T. Bollinger

Chairman and

Chief Executive Officer