LM Workboats secures contract for 59-foot research vessel for Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Thomaston, Maine-based LM Workboats has secured a significant contract to construct a 59-foot aluminum research vessel for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). This vessel, designed to support scientific and field operations, will play a critical role in monitoring and protecting the Chesapeake Bay and nearby coastal waters.

The project, a collaboration between LM Workboats and Chartwell Marine, a UK-based naval architecture firm, aims to deliver a state-of-the-art, multi-mission platform capable of year-round operations. Measuring 59.06 feet in length overall (LOA) and 19 feet in beam, the vessel is powered by twin MAN diesel engines, designed to achieve a speed of 20 knots at 90 percent rated engine power. It will be equipped with a dynamic station-keeping system to maintain precise positioning during sampling and data collection, even in challenging tidal and current conditions.

A large aft working deck with integrated A-frame equipment-handling capability will facilitate the deployment and retrieval of sampling gear, buoys, and other mission-critical equipment. The vessel will be built to U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter T, American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), American Welding Society (AWS), and University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) standards, receiving a Certificate of Inspection for up to 20 passengers on inland and near-coastal waters.

"This project reflects the growing demand for highly specialized aluminum workboats," said Jonathan Egan, Division Manager of LM Workboats. "MDNR came to us with a complex brief, a vessel that had to serve as a research platform, meet rigorous Coast Guard and UNOLS standards, and operate reliably year-round on the Bay and near-coastal waters. That's exactly the kind of project our team excels at."

The vessel will be constructed in LM Workboats' 15,000-square-foot dedicated metal fabrication facility in Rockland, Maine, before final outfitting and systems integration at the company's Thomaston waterfront facility. This project adds to LM Workboats' extensive portfolio of advanced aluminum workboats delivered to government, municipal, and institutional clients across the United States.

Lyman-Morse, the parent company of LM Workboats, boasts a robust quality management system, with ISO 9001 certification for marine manufacturing operations. The company also maintains AWS-certified welding procedures, certified welding inspectors, ABYC-certified technicians, and rigorous material traceability and inspection protocols throughout construction.

"The Maryland DNR vessel is a testament to our commitment to delivering custom aluminum workboats that meet the highest standards of performance and reliability," Egan added. "We are excited to support the important work being done to protect and restore Maryland's water quality and habitat conditions."

This contract underscores the growing importance of specialized research vessels in coastal and marine science, reflecting the increasing complexity of environmental monitoring and conservation efforts in the region.