OPC Hull 4 Fabrication

SLIDELL, LA – On April 25 2022 Bayou Metal Supply announced that the company is on the Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) team that was awarded the start of fabrication for the fourth United States Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC). ESG is the prime contractor of the initial build of four OPCs. Bayou Metal Supply’s skilled workforce of 100+ in Louisiana is actively building modular aluminum panels and parts to support the four ships now under construction and in fabrication.

“Bayou Metal Supply is honored to partner with ESG to supply the Aluminum and Modular panels and other metal parts used in the construction of the OPC. We are close to completion on mast construction for Hull 2 and shipping to the ESG shipyard. We have been integral to ESG’s streamlining of the build process with our modular aluminum superstructure manufacturing. With this approval for start of fabrication on Hull 4, we are proud to sustain our talented, dedicated, and focused workforce in Louisiana & Mississippi while we work closely with ESG to provide the OPC components to ESG and the United States Coast Guard,” said Christopher Fernandez, Owner, Bayou Metal Supply.

ESG awarded Bayou Metal Supply a contract in 2019 to provide material and labor to cut and fabricate aluminum superstructure subassembly panels for the four OPCs. The panels are then assembled by ESG into units that are erected onto the ship by ESG production crews. This exclusive partnership provides materials at a competitive cost and a streamlined production process proven successful in early construction. Bayou has secured the supply of all the aluminum plate and extrusions needed for all of the four ships now under construction and in fabrication.

Bayou Metal uses advanced cutting and fabrication process to build the modular panels and parts to allow ESG to complete final assembly at the shipyard. Bayou specializes in router cut aluminum and friction stir welding techniques in fully enclosed fabrication facilities. The geographically separate workforce allows ESG to tap into the Louisiana and Mississippi labor markets to execute core ship construction capabilities with greater efficiency while expanding the job market potential throughout the Gulf Region.

Eastern Ship Building Group