diately at the company's Vicksburg, Miss.,
shipyard with delivery expected during
the second quarter of 2007.
Danny McNease, Chairman and CEO,
said, "Since Rowan acquired LeTourneau
in 1994, we have looked forward to this
day with great anticipation. This rig will
be the first built by LeTourneau for an
outside customer since 1992. In the years
since, LeTourneau has stayed busy devel-
oping new jack-up designs, including the
Super Gorilla and Tarzan Class, and con-
structing such rigs for Rowan. We are
very excited for this opportunity and,
given the performance of the five
LeTourneau rigs built for Rowan since
1998, are confident that the arrangement
will be mutually rewarding."
Circle 1 on Reader Service Card
DHS Awards
$141M in Port
Security Funds
The American Association of Port
Authorities (AAPA) welcomed news that
the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) has opened up nearly $141 million
in funds to help America's seaports pay
for hardening security at their terminals
and making other needed infrastructure
upgrades in an effort to prevent terrorist
acts. However, considering Coast Guard
estimates in 2002 that ports would need to
spend $5.4 billion over 10 years to com-
ply with new mandated Maritime Trans-
portation Security Act (MTSA) enhance-
ments, AAPA continues to seek a much
higher level of security grants for U.S.
seaports. Past grant rounds have only
funded between 8 percent and 25 percent
of eligible applications.
"We applaud the Department of Home-
land Security for making available these
vital grant funds to help America's sea-
ports address their immediate security
needs and assessments," said Kurt Nagle,
AAPA president and chief executive offi-
cer.
"However, future funding is also criti-
cal. AAPA believes the money appropri-
ated for the grant program must be
increased to at least $400 million a year to
ensure the ability of U.S. seaports to pro-
tect themselves and their communities
against attack."
In the fifth round of its Port Security
Grant program, DHS has given eligible
port areas until June 10, 2005, to apply for
available grant money, which in the past
has been used to help pay for fencing,
lighting, truck gates, patrol boats and ter-
minal access controls. As a way to prior-
itize funding for seaports having the
greatest degree of perceived risk, DHS is
now limiting the number of eligible port
areas to 66, stating in its fact sheet, "…the
FY 2005 program will direct all available
funds to the Nation's highest risk ports,
thereby ensuring federally regulated ports,
terminals and U.S. inspected passenger
vessels receiving PSG funds represent
assets of the highest strategic importance
nationally." Also in its fact sheet, DHS
places strong emphasis on prevention and
detection of improvised explosive
devices, as well as chemical, biological,
radiological and nuclear devices.
Nagle said that while AAPA supports
making port security grants more risk-
based, "we believe that all ports that must
comply with the MTSA regulations
should be eligible to apply for funding in
the Port Security Grant program. The pro-
gram should ensure we don't leave a soft
underbelly of unprotected ports, which are
June, 2005 • MarineNews 11
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Circle 239 on Reader Service Card
Circle 232 on Reader Service Card
NEWS
(Continued on page 16)
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