Swiftships awarded $18M Navy contract

The Pentagon says two Louisiana companies have Navy contracts worth a total of $26.8 million, including an $18 million contract for Swiftships to maintain and support Iraqi vessels, according to an Associated Press article.
A news release Monday says Swiftships Shipbuilding LLC of Morgan City has a contract capped at $18 million to maintain and support Iraqi patrol boats, offshore vessels and defender boats, the article stated. The Naval Sea Systems Command says the work is to be done by October 2015 at Umm Qasr Naval Base, the Associated Press article stated.
“We do have people working on the patrol boats right now,” Swiftships Marketing Specialist Morgan Rhoades said.
The former ITSAM camp built by the U.S. Coalition Forces in 2009 recently raised a Swiftships flag to commemorate the transition to what will now be known as Camp Swift – Iraq, according to a Swiftships news release.
“We have been working around the clock to ensure the (Iraqi Navy’s) mission is kept at the highest order — ensuring the tasks for the Iraq Navy to keep its oil platforms safe are met,” Swiftships CEO Shehraze Shah, said.
The facility in Iraq has become the new residence for Swiftships employees and contractors in Iraq under Swiftships management, the release stated. The camp was a gift from the Iraq Ministry of Defense in response to Swiftships exemplary support in Iraq with U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command during the 35-Meter Patrol Boat Program, the release said.
The Iraqi Navy operates a total of 12 35-meter patrol boats, which were built and maintained by Swiftships. The head of the Iraqi Navy recently visited Swiftships’ team in Iraq to thank them for the great job they are doing and for standing by the Iraqi Navy’s side during the situation currently facing the Iraqi government, the release stated.
“With 12 of our vessels operating in Iraq, our maintenance team has stood by the Iraqi Navy’s side to support them during the trying situations currently facing the Iraqi government,” Rhoades said.
The other Louisiana company awarded a Navy contract was Offshore Service Vessels Inc. of Cut Off, according to the Associated Press article. The company is getting an $8.8 million, one-year extension to its charter of maritime support vessel MV C-Champion, the article stated. The Navy’s Military Sealift Command is exercising an option on its contract for the vessel, which is used to launch and recover, refuel and provision, and help with limited maintenance for small boats, the article said.
The Pentagon says the C-Champion works worldwide, the article stated.