Bremerton company to build 8 boats for Ukraine

BREMERTON, Wash. — Bremerton-based SAFE Boats is signing a contract to send eight boats to Ukraine over the next few years to help strengthen the country’s naval capabilities.

The ship, named Mark VI, is 85 feet long, can reach speeds of more than 40 knots and has a range of more than 600 knots.

SAFE Boats received a $100 million contract to build the ship.

The company primarily builds boats designed for patrol and search and rescue, which means speed and maneuverability are crucial.

Chris Mogaveor trains SAFE Boats customers on how to operate boats. Now, due to a secured contract with the US Navy, specialists like Mogaveor will soon be training for the Ukrainian Navy.

“There are days when I feel guilty about taking my paycheck, because this is so much fun,” says Mogaveor. “As long as they follow what I teach them, they’ll go there and come back.”

SAFE Boats is currently building a set of military vessels at the Port of Tacoma.

The patrol boats are designed to be flexible and can perform a variety of tasks, such as escorting and protecting larger ships as well as deploying task forces.

CEO Richard Schwarz says this diversity in performance is important.

“Operating smaller boats allows a lot of that flexibility, you can operate in coastal waters, shallow waters where large ships cannot operate, so it just expands significantly,” he said. Range of tasks”.

SAFE Boats has sent ships to other countries in the past, but when the workers heard about the conflict in Ukraine, the workers were excited to help the war effort.

“Building ships for Ukraine right now is something the whole team is proud to do, an opportunity to contribute in some small way to something beyond our manufacturing facility and really do something much bigger than just us,” he said.

The company expects to complete construction of the first two boats this year, along with an expansion of its workforce to ensure these boats get to sea as soon as possible.