All American Marine Wins Contract for Second Semi-Displacement Glacier-Wildlife Catamaran

All American Marine of Bellingham, Washington announced on 23 February 2026 that it has been awarded the contract to build a second Glacier and Wildlife tour vessel for Phillips Cruises & Tours, LLC. The new vessel is a sister ship to the Chugach Express and is intended for daily glacier and wildlife eco-tours homeported in Whittier, Alaska, operating in Prince William Sound.

Naval architecture for the 84.5 foot by 30.7 foot aluminum passenger vessel comes from Teknicraft Design and Nic de Waal. The hull specified is a semi-displacement catamaran incorporating Teknicraft’s signature wave-piercing bow and a patented hydrofoil-assisted catamaran design. The design is presented as tuned to reduce drag and soften the ride in the variable sea conditions of Prince William Sound while minimizing wake wash.

Propulsion and machinery are specified down to model numbers: four MJP 350X waterjets driven by four Scania DI16 082M engines, each engine stated at 800 mhp. Fuel capacity is given as 1,600 gallons, and the builder describes the platform as a high-speed, long-range eco-tour vessel engineered to enable fuel-efficient and extended daily operations. The vessel will be constructed to U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter T passenger vessel standards.

Passenger accommodations are detailed for the sightseeing role. Capacity is listed at up to 150 passengers across two decks with fully enclosed seating, large viewing windows, and ample exterior areas for wildlife viewing. Interior appointments cited include premium seating, tables, and modern conveniences throughout, with full accessibility on the main deck to accommodate passengers with reduced mobility.

The announcement emphasizes performance and reliability as core objectives for the build, citing the Chugach Express as the proven predecessor and rationale for a sister vessel. The Teknicraft hydrofoil system is described as reducing power demand at service speed, which the builder says enables lower fuel consumption, reduced operating costs, and improved performance when fully loaded.

The press material did not disclose contract value, construction start or keel-laying dates, estimated delivery or launch dates, service-speed or fuel-burn figures in nautical miles, or crew complement and accommodations. Those operational and schedule metrics remain to be provided by All American Marine, Phillips Cruises & Tours, or Teknicraft. With the core specification set, 84.5' by 30.7', four Scania DI16 082M engines at 800 mhp, four MJP 350X waterjets, 1,600 gallons of fuel capacity, and up to 150 passengers, the project doubles down on the Chugach Express platform to expand daily glacier and wildlife tour capacity from Whittier while prioritizing reduced wake and passenger comfort in Prince William Sound.