All American Marine

All American Marine
Name	All American Marine
Type	Private
Industry	Shipbuilding
Founded	1996
Founder	John W. McLean
Headquarters	Bellingham, Washington, United States
Key people	John W. McLean (Founder), Gayle McLean (CEO)
Products	Aluminum vessels, high-speed ferries, patrol boats, research vessels
Num employees	60–120

All American Marine is an American aluminum boatbuilder based in Bellingham, Washington, known for designing and constructing high-speed aluminum vessels, passenger ferries, workboats, and specialized craft for commercial and governmental operators. The company gained recognition for aluminum monohull and catamaran hullforms used by ferry systems, scientific institutions, law enforcement, and military units. Its designs have been used in operations alongside entities such as United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and municipal ferry authorities.

History

All American Marine was established in 1996 by John W. McLean in Bellingham, Washington, a maritime hub near Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands. Early contracts included work for regional ferry operators and marine research groups tied to University of Washington and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Over the 2000s the company expanded into federal procurement, supplying vessels to United States Navy auxiliaries and to agencies operating in Alaska and the Arctic, engaging with procurement frameworks used by Defense Logistics Agency and regional procurement offices. The firm’s timeline includes collaborations with naval architects and marine engineering firms from San Diego to Seattle and participation in trade shows such as the WorkBoat Show and partnerships with suppliers in the Pacific Northwest shipbuilding sector.

Products and Models

The company’s portfolio emphasizes aluminum monohulls and catamarans configured as passenger ferries, pilot boats, patrol craft, research platforms, and crew transfer vessels. Signature designs include small high-speed ferries used by municipal systems and larger catamarans supporting vehicle and passenger routes similar to classes operated by Washington State Ferries and other ferry authorities. All American Marine has produced boats fitted with propulsion systems from manufacturers like Cummins, MTU Aero Engines, and waterjets from HamiltonJet and Rolls-Royce Holdings (marine systems). Specialized models have been outfitted for scientific customers such as Scripps Institution of Oceanography and for law enforcement agencies including state-level police and maritime patrol units in Alaska and California.

Manufacturing and Facilities

All American Marine’s primary shipyard in Bellingham, Washington houses aluminum fabrication shops, outfitting bays, and design offices. The facility sources raw materials and components from suppliers across the United States and Canada, and engages subcontractors in the Pacific Northwest marine supply chain. Fabrication techniques include CNC cutting, friction stir welding collaborations with maritime engineering groups, and modular outfitting approaches used by peers in the shipbuilding industry such as yards in Vancouver, British Columbia and Seattle. The yard’s proximity to deepwater access via Bellingham Bay supports sea trials and delivery transits to clients in the Salish Sea and beyond.

Military and Government Contracts

The company has fulfilled multiple contracts with federal and state agencies. Notable engagements include construction of vessels for the United States Navy auxiliary fleet, small craft for United States Coast Guard units, and research platforms for agencies like National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and university-operated research programs. Contracts have been awarded through acquisition channels involving Naval Sea Systems Command and regional procurement offices, and some projects complied with Buy American and domestic content provisions relevant to federal grants. The yard has also provided boats to municipal ferry systems and port authorities serving Alaska coastal communities and Pacific Northwest transit agencies.

Corporate Structure and Ownership

Founded and led by John W. McLean, corporate leadership has included family ownership and executive management rooted in the Pacific Northwest small business maritime sector. As a privately held firm, All American Marine operates with a compact executive structure typical of specialized shipyards, coordinating design work with naval architecture firms and contracting through prime contractors on larger defense procurements. The company’s business model emphasizes direct client relationships with transit authorities, research institutions, and federal program offices such as Department of Defense program managers for small craft.

Safety, Certifications, and Standards

All American Marine adheres to regulatory and classification standards applicable to aluminum craft, including compliance with the United States Coast Guard inspection regimes for inspected passenger vessels and commercial vessel documentation processes administered by United States Coast Guard regulatory divisions. Design and construction practices align with standards promulgated by classification societies and industry groups, and propulsion and electrical systems meet certification norms from equipment manufacturers and safety authorities such as National Fire Protection Association standards applicable to marine installations. For government contracts, vessels have been built to meet requirements for survivability, communications, and mission-specific equipment interoperability.

Notable Projects and Customers

Customers include municipal ferry operators, state maritime law enforcement agencies, federal research programs, and naval auxiliary programs. Notable projects have involved ferries used in route services comparable to those operated by Washington State Ferries, research platforms serving institutions like University of Washington and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and patrol or support craft contracted by United States Navy and United States Coast Guard components. The company’s output has supported operations in Alaska waters, Pacific coastal services, and academic oceanography missions tied to institutions such as Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and regional marine laboratories.

Category:Shipbuilding companies of the United States Category:Companies based in Bellingham, Washington