In a statemen VT Halter Marine said it has won a contract for the detailed design and construction of a second Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) center for the United States Coast Guard.
On December 29, 2021, the U.S. Department of Defense issued a statement saying, “VT Halter Marine Inc., Pascagoula, Mississippi, is awarded a $552,654,757 fixed-price incentive modification to previously awarded contract N00024-16-C-2210 to exercise an option for the detail design and construction of the second Coast Guard Polar Security Cutter. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Mississippi (61%); Metairie, Louisiana (12%); New Orleans, Louisiana (12%); San Diego, California (4%); Mossville, Illinois (4%); Mobile, Alabama (2%); Boca Raton, Florida (2%); and other locations (3%), and is expected to be completed by September 2026. Fiscal 2021 procurement, construction, and improvement (Coast Guard) funds in the amount of 485,129,919 (80%); fiscal 2020 procurement, construction, and improvement (Coast Guard) funds in the amount of $100,000,000 (17%); and fiscal 2019 procurement, construction, and improvement (Coast Guard) funds in the amount of $20,000,000 (3%) will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year”.
The Polar Security Cutter (PSC) is 460 feet (140m) long and has a beam of 88 feet (28m) and on a full-load has a displacement of 23,200 tons. Powered by diesel/electric engines it can accommodate 186 persons. It has a large flight deck to host helicopters such as the Sikorsky H-60 or the H53 King Stallion. Its hull is based on the design of the Polar 2 class icebreaker.
In 2019, the U.S. Department of the Navy had awarded VT Halter Marine a $745,940,860 contract for the detail design and construction of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Polar Security Cutter (PSC).
The PSC contract is a multi-year program and a USCG major system acquisition to acquire up to three multi-mission PSCs to recapitalise the USCG fleet of heavy icebreakers and replace the 40-year old Polar Star heavy icebreaker.
The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $1,942,812,266.
VT Halter Marine is scheduled to deliver the first ship in 2024.
If the options are exercised, the second and third vessels are expected to be delivered in 2025 and 2027 respectively.
