All American Marine Inc. (AAM), Bellingham, Wash., has been awarded a contract from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TWPD) for the construction of an 80'x27' aluminum catamaran. The cat will operate in Texas state waters as well as offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.
The vessel will be constructed at All American’s new state-of-the-art 57,000-sq.-ft. facility on Bellingham Bay. All American is the exclusive builder for Teknicraft Design Ltd. catamarans in North America.
The new vessel will combine innovative design features critical to modern law enforcement on the water. One specific feature is Teknicraft’s revolutionary Rapid RHIB launching system. The system will increase safety and reduce both the time and manpower required to deploy the vessel’s rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB). This long-range hydrofoil-assisted catamaran will be powered by twin Caterpillar C18 engines with HamiltonJet HM521 waterjets. The vessel will be constructed to Subchapter T standards and designed as a patrol vessel for an 'offshore on an oceans route.”
“By taking advantage of Teknicraft’s unique hydrofoil and hull design, coupled with their Rapid RHIB deployment feature, we will assist the law enforcement division of Texas Parks and Wildlife, also known as the “Texas Navy”, to fully execute their mission,” All American Marine’s business development manager Ron Wille said in a statement.
TPWD is responsible for patrolling Texas state waters, out to nine nautical miles in the Gulf of Mexico. However, TPWD and Texas game wardens also patrol an additional 200 nautical miles into exclusive economic zones through a joint enforcement agreement with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA).
TPWD's Law Enforcement Division based in Austin provides a comprehensive statewide law enforcement program to protect Texas' wildlife, other natural resources, and the environment. The division also provides safe boating and recreational water safety on public waters by ensuring compliance with applicable state laws and regulations. Texas game wardens are responsible for enforcement of the Parks and Wildlife Code, all TPWD regulations, the Texas Penal Code and selected statutes and regulations applicable to clean air and water, hazardous materials and human health. Texas game wardens are the first line of defense in the state’s and nation's border security initiatives in the Gulf of Mexico.
The game wardens needed a vessel capable of operating in adverse sea and weather conditions to fulfill this mission. This new vessel will fill a vital role in the enforcement of environmental and patrolling responsibilities.
