NOIA Member Spotlight
Founded in 1981 by Dwight S. Ramsay, Aries Marine Corporation is a privately held company that owns and operates self-elevating workboats (liftboats) and supply vessels (OSVs) in the Gulf of Mexico. Headquartered in Lafayette, LA, Aries’ fleet currently stands at 26 vessels, 16 liftboats and 10 OSVs. With a stellar record of safety, Aries is proud of its green light “A” plus status and enjoys a diverse mix of customers which include Major Producers, Independent E and Ps, International EPC contractors, the Military Sealift Command, and the U.S. Navy.
The fleet of liftboats support shelf activities such as workover operations, platform maintenance/repair, pipeline repairs, rig tending, P & A, and salvage operations. Beginning with the largest fleet of 130’ Class vessels in the GOM, Aries has steadily grown to include up to the 215’ Class which operates in water depths of 175’. Crane capacity ranges from 10 tons to 175 tons and deck load capacities extend to 1,250,000 lbs. The two newest vessels offer increased deck space, 36 available berths, and powerful maneuverability by enhanced ship’s propulsion systems. These advancements are grounded in leadership’s promise to uphold the company’s hallmarks of safety and vessel performance. Now headed by the founder’s son, Court Ramsay, Aries’ desire to distinguish itself among industry leaders extends throughout its fleet.
The Aries OSV fleet began with standard 180’ supply boats 35 years ago but has changed and evolved immensely over the years. An early adopter of Dynamic Positioning technology, Aries Marine built its first two DP boats twenty years ago. Z-Drives or 360 degree azimuth thrusters were also features of the early Aries boats, long before their widespread usage in OSV design, today. This new and evolving technology along with power management and integration offer superior performance with greatly reduced carbon emissions, and are features of the most recent additions to the fleet. For its early input on design and delivery from Eastern Shipbuilding of the first two STX “Tiger Shark” vessels, the M/V Dwight S. Ramsay and the M/V Betty Pfankuch, Aries was awarded Workboat’s Significant Boats of 2011. In addition, this now transformative class of the Ultra Deep was named Ship of the Year by American Ship Review.
Always committed to customer service and crew safety, Aries Marine has continued to distinguish itself by offering the very best designs. Award winning vessels alone do not make a successful marine service provider, though. It starts with a vision of efficiency and reliability rooted in the work ethic of the founder and followed through with a commitment to top quality well maintained equipment. Most importantly though - management and crews uphold a culture and desire to be the safest most motivated team in operation. Because of this intrinsic desire to do things right all the time, the company has established an excellent reputation. The experienced safety minded personnel are proud of their history and the numerous commendations received, such as Chevron’s President’s Recognition for Accomplishments In Safety and Environment, Exxon Mobil’s Development Global Drilling Gold Winner, Apache’s Contractor Excellence Award, the U.S. Coast Guard’s acknowledgments and appreciation for saving lives at sea, as well as USCG AMVER Awards.
To find out more about Aries Marine click here.
