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U.S. SHIPBUILDING (cunt inued) tract for the Navy are two ocean surveillance ships at a total cost of $28.5 million. Southern Shipbuilding Com- pany in Slidell, La., is building a non-self-propelled dipper dredge for Great Lakes International scheduled for completion later this year. The big news around Beaumont, Texas, is the opening of Bethle- hem's new Sabine repair yard in Port Arthur last August. This facili- ty operates a 64,000-ton lifting ca- pacity drydock that is one of the country's largest. The eight-section dock, formerly at the Navy Yard in Pearl Harbor, can accommodate vessels up to 1,000 feet long. It is leased by Bethlehem from the Port of Port Arthur, and has maintained an approximate two-month backlog of repair work since opening. Beth- lehem's Beaumont yard, mean- while, completed the conversion of the second of two Maersk Line ves- sels for the MSC's charter program last September. Todd's Galveston, Texas ship- yard recently completed the first of two T-AVB conversions for the MSC. The USNS Wright (T-AVB- 3) left the yard on May 1 this year. The contracts for these two aviation logistics ships totaled $30 million. Up from Galveston, on the Houston Ship Channel, is the Houston Ship Repair yard. This facility is a complete topside repair yard, with a berth that can accommodate ships up to 780 feet long. West Coast Yards Lockheed Shipbuilding in Seattle recently completed the sec- ond of three dock landing ships for the Navy. The yard is the lead con- tractor for the LSD-41 Class. The third vessel of the class, the Fort McHenry (LSD-43), under con- struction at a cost of $271.5 million, will be commissioned in 1987. Lock- heed has also opened a repair divi- sion, Lockport Marine, in the Port of Portland, Oregon's ship re- pair complex. Todd's Seattle yard has a Navy contract to construct an ARDM floating drydock, and has a $235- million ongoing contract to overhaul five U.S. Coast Guard cutters through 1990. Several smaller yards in the Seat- tle area are doing well. MARCO, well known for its fishing vessels, recently received a $2-million con- tract to convert a cargo ship to a state-of-art reefer vessel. Foss Shipyard division of Seattle's Foss Launch & Tug Company has its dry- docks in full service from last Octo- ber through April for repair work. One of the busiest West Coast shipyards in the merchant ship re- pair sector is the Port of Port- land. The Port operates the largest drydock on the West Coast, shared by Northwest Marine Iron Works, Gunderson, Inc. (former- ly FMC Corporation), Dillingham Ship Repair, Daniel Construc- tion (Fluor Corporation), and the recently formed Lockport Ma- rine. The Port has reduced tariffs on military projects, ship repair con- tractors have cut their management costs to the bone, and the metal trades unions have cut their basic wage on military contracts by 26 percent—all this in an effort to compete more favorably on military and commercial contracts. A $2.8-million offshore module launch system and wharf structure were completed at PSRY recently. The Portland yard complex repre- sents a $200-million investment, and the battle to keep the port's repair facility is aggressive. Todd's San Francisco ship- yard, is leased from the San Francis- co Port Commission. Lately, work has been mostly repairs and over- WANTED? If you're in the market for services of a reliable, experienced and efficient ship repair yard, we've got what you're looking for. Todd has four modern, fully-equipped shipyards that are eager to do the job for you. We're specialists in all types of ship repafr, with particular expertise in conversion and instruction. We would ,be happy to discuss^your requirements with jbu. / You can reach us for fast courteous servicKflfany of our locations at any time. ** Executive Offices - (212) 6 Galveston Division - (409) San Francisco Division - (4 Los Angeles Division - (21 Seattle Division - (206) 1 Evertrust Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07302—(201) 434-0200 30 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News
