NOAA contracts with Thoma-Sea for new ships
Two ships are set to be new oceanographic ships that will allow NOAA to modernize its aging research fleet.
By Michael McGrady, Maritime Direct Americas Correspondent
Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors LLC was awarded a $178 million contract for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to build new research ships.
According to NOAA, the awarded contract to Thoma-Sea was awarded through the U.S. Navy’s granting services under the Naval Sea Systems Command. Two ships are set to be new oceanographic ships that will allow NOAA to modernize its aging research fleet and further contribute to the development of crucial oceanic research.
NOAA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, intends to commission the first ship as Oceanographer and will be homeported in Honolulu, Hi. Discoverer is the second vessel set to be built with a homeport yet to be designated.
“We can all be proud that these two new NOAA ships will be built in the United States by highly skilled workers, and to the highest standards,” said Wilbur Ross, the outgoing secretary of commerce for the Trump administration. “The nation will benefit greatly from the information these state-of-the-art vessels will collect for decades to come.”
The two new research vessels will be manned by the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps and researchers within the agency’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations.
Thoma-Sea is a family of companies specializing in shipbuilding and repair. The company, based in Houma, La., won exactly $178,082,877 from the Navy’s award.
