All American Marine is proud to announce that we have recently secured a contract to construct a research vessel for BLUETIDE Puerto Rico. This 73’ x 26.7’ aluminum catamaran, will be constructed to USCG Subchapter T standards for use on both near coastal and ocean routes. The twin-engine vessel will be BLUETIDE’S first vessel for their marine research, education, innovation, and conservation work based out of Puerto Rico. The mission of BLUETIDE is to “Influence, Innovate, Support and Increase the eco-responsible economic impacts of a sustainable “Blue Economic” in the US Caribbean,” and this vessel will help to achieve and grow their efforts in the region.
The semi-displacement catamaran hull for this vessel was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand, and is based on the R/V Shearwater. The Shearwater was also designed by Teknicraft and built by All American Marine in 2020 for Duke University Marine Lab. This proven vessel integrates the signature Teknicraft symmetrical and asymmetrical combined hull shape, bow wave piercer, and a patented hydrofoil-assisted hull design. The hull and hull components are designed to break up wave action and ensure reduced drag while enhancing passenger comfort. This design is proven to have both low-wake wash energy and increased fuel economy. This advanced hull shape was custom designed using digital modeling and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis testing. The vessel’s design offers all passengers and crew a smooth ride and great comfort as the hull provides a cushioned effect when encountering waves. For the operator, the most valuable feature of these vessels is the excellent fuel economy, which consumes approximately the same gallons per nautical mile throughout the estimated cruising speed of 18-24 knots, with a fuel-efficient survey operation speed of 3 knots. With a large fuel capacity of 1500 gallons, this fuel-efficient design will be able to hold up to 30-day passengers (up to 8 live-aboard) including crew. The propulsion package includes 2x fixed pitch propellers, powered by twin CAT C18 “D” ACERT, Tier 3 engines, rated at 803 bhp @ 2100 RPM.
“As islanders, we are conditioned to see the sea as a border that limits and isolates us, instead of viewing that resource as a territorial extension capable of providing us with food, energy, and economic sustainability. The acquisition of this vessel will give us another perspective of the sea as an asset and a resource to educate ourselves, explore and innovate in a collaborative way, spearheading a new economy for the region.” Guifre Tort, Bluetide’s Interim Executive Director
Onboard the vessel, passengers and crew have ample space and comfort in live-aboard quarters, wet and dry labs, as well as a range of the latest oceanographic equipment in which to conduct survey operations.
Bluetide Puerto Rico, Inc. is a 501(c)3, Non-Profit Organization based in Puerto Rico since 2018. Their objective is to plan, design, and implement initiatives to expand Puerto Rico’s and the U.S. Caribbean marine and maritime activities in an integrated and cross-collaborative manner by accelerating the future development of ocean dependent commercial activities. BLUETIDE supports marine-related specialized jobs by providing technical skills training, capacity building, and workforce development. We aid coastal communities by developing capacity for disaster impact mitigation and resilience safeguarding the “Blue Economy” business continuity. BLUETIDE builds sources of marine-related economic diversification and partnerships for business innovation, incubation, and acceleration.