Kvichak Marine Industries, Inc. (KMI), Seattle, WA was recently awarded a contract by Puget Sound Energy (PSE) to design and build one each 32’ and 38’ Marine Transport Vessels for PSE’s Baker River Hydroelectric Project.

The vessels will be used at a new downstream fish-passage facility PSE is constructing behind the utility’s Lower Baker Dam to further enhance fish populations in the Skagit-Baker watershed in northwest Washington.

The transport vessels will be utilized to transport personnel, equipment and collected juvenile fish in custom aluminum tanks designed to minimize any stress imposed on the fish. Constructed of marine grade aluminum alloy, the vessels are designed with a flat bottom and flat deck along with a pilothouse built to accommodate two persons. The 7,500 lb aluminum tanks sit on the deck of each vessel and transport captured fish from the innovative Floating Surface Collector PSE is building to the shore, where the fish are then transported around the dam by water truck before being placed back in the river for downstream migration.

Delivery is scheduled for Summer 2012.