With its vast engineering capability, mil-spec build processes, and considerable economies of scale, Metal Shark delivers precision vessels within tight production timeframes that few if any specialty yards can match. Best-known for the vessel fleets it produces for the U.S. Armed Forces and allies around the globe, today Metal Shark supports a wide range of commercial markets with custom aluminum and steel vessels up to 300’ in length, built at three fully self-contained shipbuilding facilities in Alabama and Louisiana, USA. Metal Shark’s core competencies make the company the ideal choice for offshore wind operators: Metal Shark is one of the nation’s most prolific builders are large aluminum catamaran vessels and maintains strong design partnerships with the world’s leading naval architecture firms. Metal Shark also boasts an experienced program management team well versed in recent relevant contracts. Perhaps most importantly for the offshore wind market, Metal Shark is currently offering 12-18 months for delivery from contract signing on most offshore support vessels, depending on the design. From a proud and proven track record of high-quality, on-time deliveries to ample capacity and a broad portfolio of fully engineered and proven, work-ready designs, Metal Shark is ready for the Offshore Wind revolution.

With the strength of its in-house engineering team and the proven track record of its production facilities and fully trained and established workforce, Metal Shark is ready to support operators in the Offshore Wind space with industry-leading turnaround time on windfarm support vessels. What’s more, clients may choose from a broad portfolio of designs from our renowned network of naval architecture firms. Metal Shark routinely partners with leading independent design firms and is adept at taking proven designs to the next level. For Offshore Wind, our design firm partners include Ad Hoc Marine Designs, Bar Technologies, BMT, Chartwell Marine, Damen Shipyards, DLBA Naval Architects, Incat Crowther, Marcello Penna Engineering, Nauti-Craft, and Windcat Workboats. Together with these experienced design firms, Metal Shark offers a portfolio of proven designs for the offshore wind market, offering the latest advancements in safety, operating economy, and environmental stewardship.

Since opening in 2014, Metal Shark’s Franklin shipyard has quickly grown into one of the nation’s busiest and most prolific privately owned shipyards, consistently producing a wide range of welded aluminum monohull and catamaran vessels for multiple markets.The yard has built multiple fireboats up to 75′ in length, including two 55-foot fireboats built for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and delivered in 2020. Metal Shark Franklin has also produced a number of patrol boat fleets for U.S. and foreign militaries. In 2018 work commenced on the serialized construction of up to thirteen 85-foot Near Coastal Patrol Vessels for the U.S. Navy. Franklin also routinely builds custom monohull and catamaran dive support vessels, pilot boats, and in 2020 the yard delivered a 158′ catamaran explorer yacht with global range. Notably, Metal Shark Franklin is also one of the nation’s most prolific builders of large aluminum catamarans: Between 2017 and 2020 the yard delivered over 30 catamaran passenger vessels, including an astounding 22 150-passenger and 350-passenger high speed aluminum catamarans for the NYC Ferry system.

 

Metal Shark offers the unmatched benefits of an in-house engineering team composed of over 60 naval architects and marine engineers. Metal Shark leverages this formidable resource to create its own highly specialized and thoroughly engineered vessel designs and also to interface seamlessly with outside engineering firms to assure precision results. Together with its global design partner network, Metal Shark offers technologically advanced vessels that are custom-tailored to meet exacting customer requirements. Metal Shark goes above and beyond, utilizing extensive 3D modeling to allow the project to be realized in advance, greatly facilitating planning, resource allocation, and an exact interpretation of each vessel’s design for precision, quality results. Metal Shark backs up this engineering strength with the support of highly capable, industry veteran project managers who are tasked with keeping each project on time and on budget. 

 

As a leading supplier of military vessel fleets that must be delivered within demanding timeframes, Metal Shark has established an engineering-centric approach that utilizes 100% digital design, cutting, and sheet metal bending for rapid and precise assembly. For each windfarm support vessel project, Metal Shark dedicates a team of project managers and project engineers to eliminate shop-floor engineering. Metal Shark enjoys unmatched economies of scale due to volume production, with multiple fleet builds underway at any given time, and leverages its strength to its customers’ advantage. Due to the diverse range of markets it serves, Metal Shark is never idle. Accordingly, there is no lag-time required to “ramp up” production. Instead, resources are allocated to each project as it is scheduled. Meanwhile, robust scheduling management tools assure on-time completion, even for the most demanding delivery timelines. Fully transparent QA systems developed in concert with US Navy and Coast Guard inspection teams yield “mil-spec” quality, and the extensive use of jigs and fixtures guarantee consistent, repeatable results within delivery timeframes that cannot be matched by many yards.

Metal Shark operates three shipbuilding facilities in Alabama and Louisiana. Primary windfarm support vessel construction takes place at the company’s Franklin, LA shipyard, which is a 25-acre waterfront facility capable of supporting the production of aluminum, steel, and composite vessels up to 300’ in length. Currently, the facility boasts a 60,000 square foot assembly building with four assembly bays each equipped with overhead crane, a dedicated 200′ x 80′ large vessel assembly building for weather-independent construction, a dedicated 180′ x 80′ blasting/paint structure, rigging bays for the simultaneous outfitting of multiple vessels, and a three-story office building for the yard’s management, engineering, project management, and administrative personnel. The yard is also equipped with wet slips, marine transporter, crane in/crane out capabilities, and ample drydock / outdoor storage capacity. Situated on the Charenton canal, Metal Shark’s Franklin yard offers direct unobstructed deep water access to the Gulf of Mexico. The yard is located immediately off Highway 90 for easy over-the-road transport of large components, and the site plan offers ample room for future growth. Learn more about Metal Shark’s Franklin shipyard.

Committed to Health, Safety, Security, and the Environment

From the top down, members of the Metal Shark team work to assure a safe and secure environment for the benefit of its employees and the greater good of the communities the company calls home. Metal Shark’s safety record is a source of evident pride among team members. As proof of its commitment to excellence, Metal Shark has been recognized by the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA), winning the SCA’s Award for Excellence in Safety for four consecutive years and counting. Click here to learn more.

Learn more about our Jeanerette Production Facility and Alabama Shipyard