Maritime Reporter, May 1991

<BODY> <div> dragger), which will be homeported in Peru. A 110-foot Alaskan crabber is well along in construction and a 150-foot long-line factory processor also will be joining the Alaskan fleet when completed. This company, founded in 1978, has within the past year delivered a 105-foot Alaskan dragger, a 116-foot Alaskan crabber and a 90-foot longliner to Hawaii. One of Master Boats most interest- ing past projects has been the con- struction of diving support vessels for the oil industry. John E. Graham and Sons, Inc., is a multifaceted company involved in building, leasing, and repair of oil- related vessels and equipment. After a slowdown resulting from the early 1980s economic downturn in the oil industry, Graham has gone into the production of oil supply vessels once again. This company, with over 150 major oil boats to its credit, appears once again to be heading toward the building heights previously achieved. Their capabilities include build- ing vessels of 230 feet, a marine haul-out way of 200 ton capacity, facilities for 30 boat simultaneous construction and repair along with related marine services. This giant among local boatbuilders has far-flung facilities along the entire Gulf Coast. Steiner Shipyard, Inc., is one of the oldest and most diversified ship- yards in Bayou La Batre. Started as a family operation in 1954 and under the guiding hand of Russell R. Steiner, it has become one of the major shipyards in the Gulf Coast region. Among the 306 vessels delivered to buyers in the U.S. and other coun- tries, 256 were shrimp trawlers, of which 137 were built exclusively for one company, Sahlman Seafoods, Inc. of Tampa, Fla. Twenty-nine, including 16 self-elevating work platforms, were built and delivered to oil industry facilities in the 70s and 80s, while more recently, three aluminum tour boats were built for Frederick L. Nolan III, president of Boston Harbor Cruises, Inc., in Boston, Mass. A research vessel was constructed for the State of California's Department of Fish and Game. Now under construction are two additional aluminum tour boats, two dredges and a 500-passenger, 190-foot steel pleasure boat. When the oil crunch in the early 80s began taking its toll on the ship- building industry, Steiner Shipyard undertook a repair and renovation program for inactive used oil boats. A total of 10, ranging from 180 to 200 feet in length, were either com- pletely repaired or rebuilt before being placed back in service. Giving Steiner its outstanding rank among shipyards of the Gulf Coast region is the highly sophisti- cated technological capability it possesses. Headed by Andrew Overstreet, who supervises the overall operation for design and fab- rication, these capabilities add a di- mension not usually found in ship- yards. Its auto/CAD program is a gen- eral purpose, computer-aided de- sign/drafting system used for vessel drawings and interior design plan- ning. Auto/SHIP, another state-of-the- art concept, assists naval architects in developing architectural draw- ings of all types. The features avail- able with this system are too numer- ous to mention here, but basically their purpose is to eliminate error probability in design planning and to accommodate whatever changes may occur at any stage of construc- tion. Replacing an old plasma shape cutter is a new ESAB GXB 1200 CNC oxyfuel machine, which is used in conjunction with the Auto/CAD system for precision cutting steel plates into the shapes and forms needed to construct a vessel. It ensures complete uniformity of components and results in stan- Circle 275 on Reader Service Card dardization of production proce- dures which, in turn, generate ap- preciable cost savings for buyer and builder. Richard Lowery oversees all functions involving the shape cutting machine. A wheelbrator (blasting machine) provides protection from corrosion for all steel used in vessel construc- (continued) When Your Offshore Dependability is Everything Glen Fornell, president of Sea- cor Marine, says "auxilliary machinery is a vital part of the vessel... we choose Cummins and are extremely satisfied with their performance and dependa- bility." Depend On Cummins Power >•• JTXT U i*. • v mJ - - c ' I '-> i'j g— Whether it's generating electricity, pumping liquid mud or maneuvering with a bow thruster, Cummins is the answer in today's offshore industry. Seacor Marine's second of three offshore supply boats the "Discovery Island" built by Steiner Shipyards of Bayou La Batre, Alabama is the pioneering proof of the rugged dependability of Cummins diesel power. Cummins Alabama Inc. of Mobile, Alabama was proud to supply the NT855MG engine rated 355 hp @ 1800 rpm to power all auxilliaries aboard the "Discovery Island." Contact us today for details on your power requirements for new or existing vessels and join others in the secure feeling of owning Cummins dependable power. CUMMINS Cummins Alabama Inc. 3422 Georgia Pacific Avenue Mobile, Alabama 36607 (205)452-6421 (205)453-6651 fax May, 1991 21 </div> <span id="lblContents"></span> <br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.digitalwavepublishing.com/" title="Digital Magazine">Digital Wave Publishing</a> </BODY>