Article Posted on : - Jun 28, 2010

Hydrographic Survey Vessel of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). A File Photo.

LOUISIANA (BNS): Thoma-Sea Shipbuilders of Lockport has been awarded a $7.3 million US Navy contract to build a Catamaran Hull Hydrographic Survey Vessel for the government of Oman.

This vessel will be built by Thoma-Sea as a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme.

"The employees and management of Thoma-Sea and Technology Associates are excited that the US Navy has placed their confidence in this team," Walter Thomasie, general manager of Thoma-Sea, was quoted as saying in the company news release.

Thoma-Sea’s partner in this proposal is Technology Associates Inc. (TAI) of New Orleans in Louisiana.

TAI prepared the proposal for Thoma-Sea and will be in charge of performing the Design, Program Management and Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) functions for Thoma-Sea.

The Sultanate of Oman will receive this 90-foot vessel, which is designed to conduct hydrographic and environmental surveys of harbors and bays, and will work in Oman’s territorial waters, according to the release.