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Southwest Marine Drydocks Two Navy Vessels Simultaneously For Extensive Repair Work Portland Ship Repair Yard Posts Successful Year Yard, Contractors Report $140 Million In Business Southwest Marine, Inc., San Die- go Division, recently drydocked the Navy vessels USS Thach and USS McCluskey together for extensive repair work. The dual docking oc- curred in accordance with tight Navy schedules in order that the two vessels could rejoin the fleet as quickly as possible. Southwest Marine, owner of one of the most technologically ad- vanced floating drydocks ever de- signed, was the successful bidder for the repair work for the two Navy combatant frigates, which are simi- lar to the USS Stark. According to Capt. Richard Ames, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, U.S. Navy, San Diego, "This dual docking of both ships at once required excep- tional cooperation and coordination of efforts between Southwest Ma- rine and the Navy." Southwest Marine is one of the largest ship repair firms in the U.S., with yards in San Diego, San Fran- cisco, San Pedro and American Sa- moa. Eldec Corporation And Dunlop Limited Form Joint Venture Company Eldec Corporation, based in Lynnwood, Wash., and Dunlop Limited of England have completed formation of Dunlop-Eldec Elec- tronics, Ltd., a new joint venture company that will operate out of Coventry, England. The company will design and manufacture electronic equipment and systems for commercial and military aerospace, military ground- based, marine and other high per- formance markets. During the start-up phase, Dun- lop-Eldec Electronics will manufac- ture some of the already existing electronics products of Dunlop Avi- ation, a division of Dunlop, and Eldec. A primary mission of the new company will be to develop new markets and products that benefit from the synergism of both compa- nies' markets and products. Dunlop Aviation is a leader in air- craft brake control systems, deicing systems and turret position control systems for fighting vehicles. Eldec is an expert in electronic sensing, control and monitoring systems, and power conversion equipment for aerospace and defense. "The new company will benefit both parent companies," Max Gel- lert, Eldec CEO, said. "For Eldec, a European base is important in gain- ing better market access and in- creased participation on European aerospace and defense programs. In turn, Dunlop will benefit from our advanced electronics technology and manufacturing know-how." Navy frigates USS Thach and USS McClus- key were drydocked simultaneously, allow- ing ships and crew to remain in San Diego. For free literature containing full information on the facilities and ca- pabilities of Southwest Marine, Circle 101 on Reader Service Card Mr. Gellert added, "The joint venture expands the capabilities of both companies, and we expect to be better positioned to take part in the emerging industry trend toward in- tegrated systems." For further information and free literature, Circle 53 on Reader Service Card Samson Tug & Barge Awarded Navy Cargo Pact Samson Tug and Barge Company, Sitka, Alaska, has been awarded a contract for transporting supplies to the Aleutian Island U.S. Naval Base located at Adak, Alaska. Seaworthy Systems Wins $7.1-Million MSC Contract The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC) awarded a cost- plus-award-fee contract worth about $7.1 million to Seaworthy Systems, Inc., Centerbrook, Conn., to provide maintenance, material readiness and engineering informa- tion systems development services for Military Sealift Command ships in support of the Shipboard Auto- mated Maintenance Management and Engineering Administration Systems (SAMM/EASy Systems). SAMM/EASy is a product of the combined effort of the MSC's Engi- neering Office and Information Sys- tems Office. The contract performance period is for one year with two one-year options. A dozen years ago, the Port of Portland (Oregon) and its tri-coun- ty citizens gambled that an $84-mil- lion shipyard expansion program— including giant Drydock 4, which was specifically designed to serve the VLCCs in the Alaskan trade— would keep Portland a competitive ship repair center into the next cen- tury. Now, after more than 300 dock- ings on Drydock 4, Portland's ship repair expansion can be declared a major success. "There appears to be two reasons for our growth . ..," said Guy Al- vis, Portland Ship Repair (PSRY) manager. "First, Drydock 4 and the Portland Ship Repair Yard's sec- ond-to-none facilities appear to be the 'better mousetrap' that is at- tracting more and more repair busi- ness to Portland. "Credit should also be given to Portland's quality labor force and the aggressive ship repair contrac- tors at the yard." PSRY reports that 70 percent of its work lies in the tanker sector, 5 to 10 percent in cruise ship sector, and 25 percent in the military. West State, Inc., one of the con- tractors in PSRY, recently docked the 987-foot Exxon Long Beach, the 300th ship to go up on the blocks at Drydock 4. The ship is being over- hauled under a $5.5-million con- tract. Since it went into service in March 1979, Drydock 4 has been responsible for the creation of 750 jobs per year and earned an esti- mated $500 million. Other important additions during the $84-million expansion include: a 3,000-foot-long pier and outfitting berth on the river side of the ship- yard; a battery of heavy-lift cranes that serve Drydock 4; and a ballast water treatment plant for handling the oily wastes off ships that come into the yard. During 1988, PSRY and its three ship-repair contractors, Cascade General, Inc., Northwest Marine Iron Works, and West State, Inc., reported that they did $140 million worth of business. In 1988, PSRY The amphibious assault ship USS Okinawa (LPH-3) is undergoing a $15-million over- haul at Northwest Marine Iron Works. had 86 dockings on its three active drydocks—six more than recorded in 1987. Northwest Marine Iron Works, the oldest and largest ship-repair contractors at PSRY, recorded an excellent year. The company, which serves the U.S. Navy, military sea- lift, cruise ship and tanker repair market, reported that it repaired 197 vessels during a recent 12- month period. Northwest Marine Iron Works is currently overhauling the U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Oki- nawa (LPH-3) under a more than $15-million contract. Cascade General, which pur- chased the assets of liquidated Dil- lingham Ship Repair Company in 1987, recently completed an approx- imately $2.5-million overhaul of the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Polar Star. Business Base Expanded During 1988, PSRY expanded its PSRY FACILITIES Maximum Ship Size In Feet (LOA-Beam) Land Level Position 475 x 100 810x108 Floating Drydocks 650 x 84 550 x 88 810x108 1,150 x 181 Aerial view of the Portland Ship Repair Yard. Ackroyd Photography 34 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News
