US shipbuilder Bollinger Shipyards has forged its third contract to build floating assets tied to a major navy construction programme at General Dynamics' Electric Boat.
The latest deal will see Louisiana-based Bollinger build a pontoon launcher for the Connecticut shipyard in a deal that will support its construction of Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines for the US Navy.
"Bollinger Shipyards is excited to expand our ongoing relationship with Electric Boat and to continue to support the capitalisation and infrastructure improvements that Electric Boat has," Bollinger chief executive Ben Bordelon said.
Rhode Island-based Bristol Harbor Group was tapped to design the pontoon launcher, which will measure 496 feet by 95 feet (151 metres by 29 metres), with detail design engineering to be performed at Bollinger's facility in Lockport, Louisiana.
Bollinger is scheduled to deliver the launcher to Electric Boat’s shipyard in Groton, Connecticut, in 2024.
Electric Boat uses a pontoon launching system within its graving dock to float out submarines, with the Columbia-class programme requiring a size upgrade.
The submarine builder, a unit of military engineering giant General Dynamics, is the main contractor for the Columbia-class submarine, aided by Newport News Shipbuilding. Replacing the US Navy's Ohio-class ballistic missile subs, the full programme is expected to cost nearly $110bn.
"Electric Boat continues to expand and upgrade its infrastructure to support construction of the Columbia class, the nation's top strategic defence priority," said Joe Drake, vice president of real estate and facilities at Electric Boat. "Our partnership with Bollinger is an important part of that strategy."
Bollinger has already benefitted from the Columbia-class programme with two contracts.
In December, the company delivered the 400-foot by 100-foot oceangoing transport barge Holland to the builder to support the submarine series.
And in 2020, Bollinger won a deal to build a 618-foot by 140-foot floating dry dock for Electric Boat.
