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U.S. Shipyards Lead In LNG Carrier Construction The important role U.S. shipyards have as- sumed in the construction of liquefied natural gas carriers (liNGs) is described by Edwin M. Hood, president of the Shipbuilders Coun- cil of America, in the 1973 annual report of the organization. American yards account for half the JjNiGs of 120,000 cubic meters or more presently under construction or on order throughout the world. Three years ago, the U.S. totally lacked ca- pacity to build this type of vessel, Mr. Hood pointed out, but today four yards have on order 15 LiN'Gs, and it has been forecast that another 20 will be ordered within the next five to seven years. The rapid advance the U.S. has made in LNG construction capacity is matched by a similar increase in the ability to build big tankers, Mr. Hood noted. 'Four years ago, no very large crude carriers (VLOCs) over 150,000 deadweight tons were under construction in 'the U.S., while today construction of 225,000 and 265,000-ton VLCCs is under way in two yards, he pointed out. Three yards and possibly a fourth will soon be alble to build ultra large crude carriers, ves- sels in the 400,000 to 600,000-ton range, Mr. Hood added. The expansion of U.S. merchant ship con- struction, which began with passage of the 1970 Merchant Marine Act, accelerated in 1973, Mr. Hood noted. Commercial shipbuilding contracts for the year covered 41 vessels of 1,907,200 gross tons, with the aggregate value of the orders amount- ing to more than $1.8 billion. About 40 percent of the contracts were sup- ported by Federal subsidy funding, Mr. Hood reported. The level of subsidy per contract has been declining consistently, Mr. Hood pointed out, noting that in all cases it has been below the ceiling prescribed in the 1970 Act. "In the case of LNG carriers, the subsidy has been far below the ceiling, and one con- tract covering four LNGs awarded in late 1973 involved only Federal ship mortgage guaran- tees," Mr. Hood stated. Energy-oriented ships composed much of the 'U.S. shipbuilding industry order book in 1973, and will be a major influence on the market over the next few years, in Mr. Hood's view. American shipbuilders are gearing up for demands which may be imposed on them, he observed. "More than $500 million have been author- ized or committed for new or improved fa- cilities for both merchant and Naval shipbuild- ing," he said Most of the projects involved are well under way,.he added. In regard to tanker production specifically, he noted that output capacity is1 expected to rise from the present 2,000,000 tons to consid- erably more than 3,000,000 by 1978 and later. Astilleros Espanoles Orders Foster Gates For Two New Graving Docks In Cadiz This view of a Foster Gate shows the valves in the gate which provide the flooding for the basins, eliminating costly flooding chambers in the side walls. Christopher J. Foster, Inc., naval architects and engineers with offices in New York, Wash- ington and Florida, received contracts for design and supervision of construction of two Foster (Patented) Gates, one to be used for the building dock, and the other for the repair dock now under construction for Astilleros Espanoles, S.A. in Cadiz, Spain. The size of the building dock will be 1,719 feet long, 328 feet wide, by 51 feet deep. The repair dock, located on the south side of the Bay of Cadiz, will be 1,243 feet long, 218 feet wide, by 56 feet deep. The Foster Gates will be the ninth and tenth installation. A Foster Gate was chosen because it is the most economical to build and operate, has less maintenance, can be operated with minimum of personnel, and is raised and positioned in place in 10 minutes. The standard floating caisson gate—which Fos- ter also designs—is being replaced, since the enor- mous sizes of the new shipbuilding and repair docks require massive concrete abutments, foun- dations, electric shore power, controls, pumps, valves, towboats and other equipment to float, re- move and reset the gate. Valuable mooring space to store a floating gate while the ship is being drydocked or launched is required, including the problems of maintaining stability and properly seating the gate to avoid excessive water leakage at the seats. This leads to additional initial construction cost and later high maintenance and operational costs for the caisson gate, versus the economical Foster Gate. ^CTCP YEl^B^ ^^F Lim Han Ho is more than ready. Because Lim Han Ho has spent Mr I fall b^v I •Hllv Wr his entire working life with Keppel to offer you the specialised 11 I^RVIN^ 1111*1"LI V expertise that comes from a lifetime of experience wywmi 1VI mi I n ntrrEL t at the job. And in Lim Han Ho's case, he's truly a I UAH LfO PC/irfcVspecialist. A navigational aid technician who specialises in •II11 nHIl nv » KKHI/I ship's gyrocompass equipment. But Lim*Han Ho didn't 11 EOD VJ^^I I develop his expertise just by staying around Keppel Shipyard. IV^ wVrKIl rV/K Like other Keppel specialists, we sent him abroad.To Germany and France, So that he could study first-hand how the equipment is developed, manufactured and installed. In other words, so that he-would know everything there is to know about ship's navigational systems. Yet for all this, Lim Han Ho is no exception. Because working with him are 3,000 other highly qualified personnel. So that our customers are guaranteed any service they may require. Like ship repair and maintenance, conversions, annuals and specials, for every conceivable type of vessel. Next time you need shipyard services, think of the experienced men like Lim Han Ho. It's Keppel men like him, who, along with our comprehensive and established facilities, have made Keppel one of the finest shipyards in Asia. B Keppel Shipyard (Private) limited. P.O. Box 2169, Singapore. Tel: 631711, Cable: Keppeldok, Telex: RS 21367. 30 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News
