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Thompson Marine’s Cat C7.1 Marine Diesel Engines Power Montenegrin Navy Patrol Boats
Thompson Marine’s Cat C7.1 Marine Diesel Engines Power Montenegrin Navy Patrol Boats
Thompson Marine partner, Silver Ships, Inc., produces high-quality aluminum boats for military, federal, state, and municipal governments as well as commercial applications through collaboration with highly skilled design, engineering, and production resources.
When Silver Ships needed a power train tough enough for a NATO navy’s new patrol fleet, they turned to Thompson Marine and Caterpillar’s C7.1 marine diesel engines. Our recent partnership reached a milestone: four Coastal Fast Response Boats (CFRBs), built for the Montenegrin Navy and powered by twin Cat C7.1 engines supplied by Thompson Marine, completed crew training and were officially handed over.
The two-week reactivation and crew familiarization program ended with a graduation ceremony attended by officials from the Montenegrin Navy, the Montenegrin Ministry of Defense, and the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. Ambassador, who presented training certificates to the crews.
What is a CFRB Used For?
The CFRBs will be used for coastal and harbor patrol, as well as law enforcement interceptor vessels patrolling Montenegro’s 183 miles of coastline along the Adriatic Sea. The CFRB platform is versatile and can be tailored to specific mission needs. The vessel includes a 46-foot deep-vee hull with cabin and WING collar system with specialized communications and navigation equipment. As part of NATO, Montenegro’s navy may be small, but these boats serve as a workhorse for its coastal patrol missions.
Why Thompson Marine:
Silver Ships needed a power train that could deliver speed and reliability for coastal patrol and law enforcement interception, without drawing attention to the vessel. Thompson Marine’s twin Cat C7.1 500 HP marine diesel engines were the perfect fit.
Power Train Specs:
- Twin Caterpillar C7.1 500 HP marine diesel engines
- Hamilton HJX-29 waterjets
- Efficient fuel combustion
- Quieter operation
- No visible smoke when running
The Partnership Behind the Build
Thompson Marine supplied the engines and transmissions for the project. Silver Ships’ COO Jason Powers credited Thompson Marine’s engineering team for their responsiveness throughout the build, calling the Thompson Marine team a dependable partner on this and future projects.
Thompson Marine General Manager, Richard Tremayne, pointed to the C7.1’s power-to-weight ratio, torque and ease of maintenance as reasons it’s a strong fit for the CFRB application and noted the partnership with Silver Ships has been built up over years of work together.
The CFRB vessels were procured under a contract award worth $6.12 million from the Naval Sea Systems Command. There are two variants in this project; the Montenegro and Guatemala variants, which differ mainly in their electrical systems which need to be compatible with in-country electrical grids. The vessels were designed and constructed as a part of the U.S. Navy Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
Why It Matters
This project is a strong example of Thompson Marine’s engineering and project management support in practice on a high-visibility military build: an engine choice suited to the mission’s specific demands, close collaboration with the builder throughout construction, and a power train that performed as expected once the boats were in Montenegrin hands. It’s also a powerful illustration of what the Cat C7.1 can do under demanding, real-world conditions, the kind of performance that matters.
