Metal Shark Boats Explained

Metal Shark Boats is an American developer and builder of aluminum-hull vessels that operates shipyards in Jeanerette and Franklin, Louisiana.It offers a variety of vessels ranging from commercial transportation to specialized law enforcement and military applications.

History

The company was founded as Gravois Aluminum Boats in 1986, building primarily small recreational vessels. As sales declined Gravois incorporated Metal Shark in 2005 with the goal of attracting governmental and commercial clients.^{[1] [2]} The company operated out of its Jeanerette facility, building boats up to 60feet in length primarily for government agencies, notably a $192 million contract for almost 500 small response boats for the United States Coast Guard.^[3]

In January 2014, Metal Shark announced that it had purchased a 25acres site in Franklin, Louisiana on the Charenton Bypass Canal and planned to establish a second shipyard there with the capacity to construct vessels up to 250feet in length. The facility opened in July 2014.^[4] In December 2014, Metal Shark reached an agreement with the Damen Group to market and build Damen-designed ships.^[5] As of 2016, Metal Shark had built about a thousand vessels for operators around the world.^[6]

Metal Shark won the $54 million contract to build 13 Defiant-class patrol vessels, under the supervision of the US Navy, intended to be given the USA's Caribbean neighbours. The class of vessels is based on the Damen Stan 2606 design—the same design nearby rival Bollinger shipyards used for the US Coast Guard's very successful Marine Protector class of cutters.

Metal Shark manufactures a smaller class of 38feet patrol vessels, also called the Defiant class. Metal Shark delivered the first of several Defiant class vessels to Senegal and Cabo Verde in February 2018. Those vessels were gifts from the USA.

Operators

Operators of Metal Shark Boats:

• Bangladesh
  • ^[7]
  • ^[8]
  • ^[9]
• Cape Verde
  • Cape Verdean Armed Forces
• Djibouti
  • Djiboutian Navy
• Guyana
  • Guyana Coast Guard
• Senegal
  • • Ukraine
  • Military Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine^[10]
  • Ukrainian Sea Guard^[11]
• United States

See also

• GDFS Berbice
• Defiant-class patrol vessel

Notes and References

1. Web site: Metal Shark Boats Gets Louisiana Governor's Award . Marine Link . June 6, 2014. January 1, 2017.
2. Web site: About Us. Metal Shark Boats. 1 January 2017.
3. Web site: Metal Shark announces expansion plans . Workboat. March 19, 2013. January 1, 2017.
4. Web site: Metal Shark opens new Louisiana shipyard . Workboat. July 30, 2016. January 1, 2017.
5. Web site: Metal Shark to Build Damen Designs . Marine Link. December 5, 2014. January 1, 2017.
6. Web site: MN100: Metal Shark Boats . Marine Link. August 24, 2016. January 1, 2017.
7. Web site: U.S. Presents Shark Boats to Bangladesh Navy. Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet . 7 December 2020.
8. Web site: US hands over six patrol boats to Coast Guard. The Daily Star . 7 December 2020.
9. News: MRAP vehicles and Metal Shark Boats arrive from the US. Prothom Alo . 23 July 2021 . 24 July 2021.
10. Web site: U.S. Sending Metal Shark Maritime Combat Boats to Ukraine, Company Says. USNI News . 30 December 2022.
11. Web site: Ukrainian Sea Guard will receive Defiant and Fearless speedboats from the United States. Militarnyi . 30 December 2022.