Louisiana's Military Heritage:

     Bollinger Shipyards, Inc.

Bollinger Shipyards, Inc.

Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. was founded in 1946 by the Bollinger family along the shores of Bayou Lafourche.  Since that time, it has grown to include fourteen (14) shipyards scattered throughout south Louisiana and Texas.  These yards feature a total of 42 dry docks capable of handling vessels between 100 and 22,000 tons.

Between 1996 and 2000, Bollinger produced the Army Barge Derrick for the U.S. Army Transportation Corps.  The vessel is used for the loading and off-loading of heavy cargo that is beyond the capabilities of a ship's own cranes, as well as salvage operations and the clearing of port channels.  It is capable of lifting 115 long tons at 175 feet.

A side-launch places a new vessel in the

water at one of 14 Bollinger shipyards.

Photo courtesy of Bollinger Shipyards, Inc.

The Army Barge Derrick is the first ship of

her kind in the Army's fleet of vessels.

Official U.S. Army photograph.

A 110-foot Island-class patrol boat off the coast of Crete.

Official USCG photo by PA1 John Gaffney.

From 1982 through 1992, Bollinger built the 110-foot Island-class patrol boats for the U.S. Coast Guard.  The class is a modification of a highly successful British design, with excellent range and sea keeping capabilities.  The modified Bollinger design was so well received by the Coast Guard that the initial order of sixteen (16) boats was expanded to a total of forty-nine (49) vessels.  Island-class patrol boats were forward deployed to the Mediterranean and other overseas areas in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

A Cyclone-class patrol coastal vessel sporting her new Coast Guard paint scheme.  Official USCG photo.

The U.S. Navy contracted with Bollinger in 1990 for the production of sixteen (16) Cyclone-class patrol coastal craft.  Built for the Naval Special Warfare Command, the ships were designed for interdiction, reconnaissance, and support of special operations (embarking and delivering SEAL teams on-site).  In recent years, many of the Cyclone-class vessels have been transferred from the Navy to the Coast Guard to help supplement the latter branch's aging fleet in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The experimental USAV SPEARHEAD (TSV-1X) is the

first of the Army's new Theater Support Vessels.

Official U.S. Army photograph.

An 87-foot Marine Protector-class patrol boat passes

beneath the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

Photo courtesy of Bollinger Shipyards, Inc.

In the late 1990s, Bollinger was also tasked with the construction of the Coast Guard's new 87-foot Marine Protector-class patrol boats which will replace the forty-year-old 82-foot Point-class vessels.  In recent years, Bollinger has also been chosen to participate in the Deepwater Program which involves the conversion of the 110-foot Island-class patrol boats to the 123-foot Maritime patrol boat design.  The company is also involved in the construction of the U.S. Army's new Theater Support Vessels, a catamaran-design, aluminum-hulled vessel capable of traveling in excess of 40 knots.

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**Copyright 1997-2007 by Louisiana Naval War Memorial Commission**