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1971 Marine Technology Show Draws 2,800 Attendees- Next Conference Date Set The 7th National Conference and Exposition of the Marine Technology Society attracted a record audience of 2,800 marine scientists, inter- ested corporations, academicians, and profes- sionals. The major attraction of the three-day marine conference, the only one permanently held in Washington, was the Society's Exposition, fea- turing more than 100 prime U.S. and foreign marine, scientific, and manufacturing firms' wares and services. Among the companies represented at the Expo- sition were General Dynamics, Neyrpic Canada Ltd., Ocean Recovery Systems, Inc., Seatech Corporation, U.S. Steel, Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Unisuit USA, NUSonics Corpora- tion, ITT Cable Division, Hermes Electronics Ltd., and Humble Oil and Refining Company. Delegates who toured the exhibit hall repre- sented major buyers in marine engineering and science in the U.S. and Canada. The Marine Technology Society is the inter- disciplinary organization of 5,000 professionals engaged in marine and oceanic studies. MTS members study and develop the resources of the earth's watery environment with an eye toward feeding increasing populations and making the seas work for mankind. MTS technical committees covered the entire spectrum of oceanic interests, including economics, agriculture, conservation, law, and fossil fuel re- quirements, The Society has announced that next year's Conference and Exposition will be held at the Sheraton Park Hotel, September 10-13, 1972, in Washington, D.C. Lockheed Promotes Robert N. Waters Robert N. Waters, wbo has been executive vice president-administration of the Lockheed Shipbuilding & Construction Company, Seat- tle, has been promoted to assistant treasurer of Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, the parent Lockheed Corporation, in line to succeed treasurer W. Neal Brown on Mr. Brown's re- tirement next January. An Idaho native, Mr. Waters grew up in Everett and was graduated from Whitman College in 1942. After service as a navigator with the Navy and several airlines, he returned to school in 1948 to earn a degree from George- town University. Mr. Waters has worked for Lockheed since 1954 and went to Seattle in 1966 as project manager for the fast deployment logistics ship. He stepped up to administrative director of the shipyard in 1967 and to vice president-ad- ministration in 1968. 313,000-Dwt Is New Size Of Shell Tankers In Belfast A revised order iby Shell International Marine Limited makes four tankers contracted for with Belfast's Harland & Wolff shipyard the largest ever ordered in the United Kingdom. Last April, Shell ordered five 256,000-ton tank- ers from the Northern Ireland shipyard. It was recently announced that four of the five ships are to be expanded to 313,000 tons. The four ships will have the same overall carrying capacity as the original five, and the fifth tanker will not be built. The cost of the ships remains about the same— $180 million — and delivery will take place, as previously scheduled, during 1974 and 1975. "It means," said a company executive, "that Harland & Wolff is really in the big leagues of big shipbuilders. These ships are the largest on order for Shell anywhere in the world. Our new facilities can build the biggest ships afloat and this order proves it. It's a breakthrough." Finding Oil And Gas Around Britain's Shores Sir David Barran, chairman of The "Shell" Transport and Trading Company, speaking in Harrogate in Northern England, said that Britain's energy requirements were expanding at a rate which would call for the maximum effort by all concerned if they are to be satis- fied. Sir David, who was speaking to the Institute of Purchasing and Supply Conference, stated that the national fuel policy must hencefor- ward take account of the new factors which had emerged since the White Paper of 1967. These were: (1) the proven availability of natural gas from the North Sea, and the pros- pective availability of indigenous oil from the North Sea and other parts of the continental shellf around the U.K. shores ; (2) the certainty that the days Of very cheap oil are over and that oil costs will continue to rise; and (3) the consequent improvement in the competitive- ness of at least some of the country's coal re- serves. Wherever coal could be economically pro- duced, it should.be, having regard to the rising costs of imported oil. Every effort should be made to help nuclear energy to become more efficient and more economical, although Sir David did not think it could take over a much larger share df the energy burden before the 1980s. Moreover, all fuels should be burned in the most economical way to reduce waste. "Future generations may well be appalled at the wanton improvidence with which we have squandered our energy resources in re- cent years," said Sir David, "unless we use the time we still have to mend our image for posterity." Turning to the oil industry, Sir David said that the maximum effort should be made to de- velop oil and natural gas resources in U.K. waters, both in the interest of security of sup- ply and to help the balance of payments. "The North Sea is full of promise," he went on, "and there is a tremendous incentive for further work." But only a continous, difficult and costly drilling program can decide for cer- tain what oil is there. "Depending on the suc- cess df current and future exploration, the North Sea may by 1980 be producing enough oil as well as gas to provide a significant pro- portion of the U.K.'s requirements. The im- portance of success on this scale would be con- siderable, not only in terms of the balance of payments but in helping to restrain the produc- ing governments in the Middle East and else- where from unreasonable demands." The national fuel policy should therefore give the utmost encouragement to the oil com- panies to get on with the job. "It would be tragic if future development of the North Sea's evident potential in hydrocarbons were to be hamstrung by idealogical Objections and un- realistic protests about 'excessive profits.' All the industry is asking for is the rate for the job." The best way to ensure the highest pos- sible level of future exploration activity for gas under the North Sea was for producers to know that they would get the competitive market value for that gas. As far as oil was concerned, Sir David said that the present system of granting licenses provided no guarantee that exploration effort was optimized. There should be a bar on specu- lators who made a bid and then sat on their acreage in the expectation that in due course they would be able to farm out their blocks to a genuine operator who had worked hard and found something next door. "North Sea exploration should not be treated as a lottery," said Sir David. "What the U.K. energy economy requires is oil, not rent—oil in the shortest possible time to improve the balance of payments and security of supply position. I believe that this objective would be better served if applicants were required to tender exploration work programs, supported by promissory notes as a guarantee of good faith." "In these relatively deep and turbulent wa- ters the successful search for oil will depend increasingly on know-how and the availability of advanced engineering. The physical chal- lenge is prdbably greater than anywhere else in the world. It is no place for beginners, but for prospectors with the technology, zeal and financial muscle to back their intent." IDEAL HOME FOR SHIPPING EXECUTIVE No. 1, U.S.A. First house on your left entering N.Y. Harbor—finest view site in N.Y. Every ship passes your windows. Thoroughly modernized Geor- gian Colonial, Den, L.R., D.R., 5 Bdrms., 4 Baths, 2-car garage—on almost an acre of superbly land- scaped grounds. SECLUDED but convenient to everything—$125,000 firm, terms flexible. Shown by appointment only. For color brochure call (212) 448-8935 SHIPYARD MANAGER Experienced general manager of repair and con- struction yard seeks similar position with challenge. Graduate naval architect with background in de- sign, estimating, purchasing, production, personnel, cost accounting. Experienced with tugs, fish boats, most types of small commercial vessels, waterfront construction. Box 1101 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News 107 East 31 Street New York, N.Y. 10016 POSITION WANTED—Chief Marine Draftsman and/or Asst. Naval Architect. Experience includes 10 years with all types and sizes of marine craft, new designs and con- versions, including offshore drill rigs and vessels. Also light naval architecture, construction supervision and ma- rine surveying. Prefer shipyard or boat yard drafting offices but will consider consulting office drafting super- vision in a challenging responsible position with innovative progressive organization. Will relocate. Salary require- ments open because of salary differential due to geo- graphical location. Box 1003 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News 107 East 31 Street New York, N.Y. 10016 BARGES FOR LEASE ON GULF COAST OF FLORIDA MISENER BARGE AND BOAT RENTAL, INC. St. Petersburg Beach, Florida 813-360-7033 November 1, 1971 57