Defense Authorization Bill To Strengthen U.S. Industry
Based on the language of the FY
1994 Defense Authorization Confer-
ence Report, the reality of a stronger
U.S. shipbuilding base took another
step forward. Established by the
bill, under SEC. 1352, is the Na-
tional Shipbuilding Initiative, which
is "to be carried out to support the
industrial base for national security
objectives by assisting in the rees-
tablishment of the United States
shipbuilding industry as a self-suf-
ficient, internationally competitive
industry." Laid out in this initiative
are financial incentive programs to
provide loan guarantees to initiate
commercial ship construction for do-
mestic and export sale and to en-
courage shipyard modernization.
For additional details on the U.S.
market, including a five-year
newbuilding projection as well as
the latest legislative news, turn to
page 30.
WE S K
100 SHIPS
ST YEAR.
And we may have saved
hundreds of lives doing it.
The ships we sank were
designs tested with our PC
computer-based programs that
simulate the real-life experience
of ships at sea.
For instance, our new ABS
SafeHull® System helps optimize
the distribution of steel in a
ship's structure by indicating
where the steel is needed most
to resist stresses. By doing so,
ABS SafeHull greatly improves
ship safety.
Another ABS SafeHull
feature is its revolutionary
fatigue-assessment capability.
This can reduce the instances
of fatigue-related problems,
including the effects of corro-
sion, yielding and buckling.
FOUNDED 062 i
AMERICAN BUREAU OF SHIPPING & AFFILIATED COMPANIES
HIGH TECH FOR THE HIGH SEAS
NEW YORK 212 839-5000
HOUSTON 713 873-0700
SINGAPORE 65 353-5713
LONDON 44-71 247-3255
With SafeHull and other
computer programs, ABS brings
high tech to the high seas.
Located in over 155 ports
around the world, we survey
ships in service or under con-
struction. Our surveyors and
engineers are thorough, experi-
enced, and technologically
advanced. And our standards
are unmatched.
Design and specification
analysis. Rules development.
Classification and certification.
A host of advisory services.
Whatever your marine or off-
shore demands, look to us for
immediate response and cost-
efficient service.
For more information
about our services, contact your
nearest ABS office.
Circle 216 on Reader Service Card
NSRP Syposium Tackles
Technical Topics
The National Shipbuilding Re-
search Program's (NSRP) recent
Ship Production Symposium, held
in early November in Williamsburg,
Va., featured the presentation of 25
papers examining a variety of topics
of interest to a wide sector of the
shipbuilding community. Sponsored
by the Hampton Roads Section of
the Society of Naval Architects and
Marine Engineers (SNAME), the
three-day technical symposium ad-
dressed everything from integrated
ship design, to Naval ship
affordability through modularity, to
a comparative study of computer
aided manufacturing in small ship-
yards.
Jonathan M. Ross of Ross-
McNatt Architects gave his presen-
tation on "Integrated Ship Design
and Its Role in Enhancing Ship Pro-
duction." The presentation was a
comprehensive look at the abilities
of eight integrated ship design pro-
grams, including: HULLTECH,
AutoSHIP System, FORAN,
HICADEC, IMSA, TRIBON, NAPA
and NAVSEA CAD-2. Mr. Ross
concluded that trendy in the field
include further integration through
product models, enhanced commu-
nication with third-party programs,
increased user friendly interfaces
and extension of program capabili-
ties into early stages of design and
into production.
The conclusion of a study of com-
puter aided manufacturing in small
shipyards in the U.S. and the U.K.
was that these yards face a difficult
task in effectively employing com-
puters, based mainly on a shortage
of capital for computer hardware
and software (for more details, see
related story page 59).
Aside from the conference, fes-
tivities included a keynote luncheon
address by U.S. Coast Guard Com-
mandant Adm. J. William Kime,
who also presented the Kennedy
Award, the Elmer L. Hann Award,
and the Technical and Research
Award.
American Pacific, Unitor In
Distribution Discussions
At press time, rumors regarding
a partnership in which Unitor AS of
Norway would distribute American
Pacific's Halotron fire suppression
products in Unitor's markets, were
just that: rumors. The fact is, the
two companies are currently dis-
cussing such an arrangement, ac-
cording to American Pacific Corp.
(Las Vegas), and American Pacific
is optimistic that the current discus-
sions will be successfully concluded
soon. For more information on the
products and services of American
Pacific,
Circle 120 on Reader Service Card
For more information on Unitor,
Circle 121 on Reader Service Card
6 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News
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