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Southern Marine (continued from page 22) wheel casinc/dinner boats from the Steamboat Development Corpora- tion. The contract is an outgrowth of new legislation permitting river- boat gambling in the state of Iowa. Colette Murray, marketing di- rector for Freeport Shipbuilding & Repair, said, "We are extremely busy. We have had several inquir- ies about riverboat gambling ves- sels. I am very optimistic about the future." The Freeport, Florida, yard has four vessels in various stages of construction. Two, a 110-foot pri- vate steel yacht for a Texas owner and a 65-foot paddlewheeler for a New Jersey owner, are scheduled for delivery this month. Jacksonville Reopens The recently reopened Jackson- ville Shipyards, Inc. (JSI) has com- pleted a major dredging project to deepen the berths of its two large floating drydocks of 33,000 and 30,000-ton lifting capacity. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company performed the work. The deepened docking berths will permit JSI to accommodate larger vessels, includ- ing Florida-based cruise ships. Since resuming operations in Au- gust of last year, the Jacksonville facility has completed a number of repair jobs for major ship operators. Hvide Shipping's reconstruction of the 46,300-dwt chemical carrier M/V Seabulk America was under- taken by two Southern yards, Nor- folk Shipbuilding & Drydock Com- pany (NORSHIPCO), Norfolk, Va„ and North Florida Shipyards, Jacksonville, Fla. The project in- volved the fitting of a forebody from a barge onto a wrecked tanker. Other Southern yards, particu- larly Bender Shipbuilding & Repair in Mobile, Ala., and Eastern Ship- yards, Panama City, Fla., have also been busy as of late with a number of extensive conversion and repair projects in the commercial fishing, passenger, and Navy sectors. East- ern Shipyards is constructing two molten sulfur tankers for the U.S.- flag fleet and recently completed a major conversion of a 308-foot Circle Line dinner boat, the nation's larg- est. Bender has been extremely active in the commercial fishing vessel conversion market, deliver- ing several vessels to Arctic Alaska Fisheries, among them the 190-foot fish tender Arctic V. In neighboring Mississippi, Homeport Marine Services, located at Moss Point, recently signed a $3- million contract to build a 152-foot all-steel crabber for the North Pa- cific and Alaska commercial crab fisheries. The firm also launched a 195-foot, 78,000-cubic-foot-capacity fish tender for AASC Shipping, Inc., a subsidiary of Arctic Alaska Fish- eries, Inc. The Navy has been a steady sup- plier of new construction work to builders Newport News Shipbuild- ing, Newport News, Va., Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., and Textron Marine Systems and Avondale Industries, Inc., both of New Orleans. Newport News Ship- building is involved in the Navy's aircraft carrier and attack subma- rine programs, Avondale, the fleet oiler, dock landing ship, minehun- ter and deep ocean survey ship pro- grams, Ingalls, the cruiser, destroyer and amphibious assault ship proj- ects, and Textron Marine delivers air cushion landing craft. On the commercial side, Avon- dale's Boat Division, Westwego, La., and Harvey Quick Repair, located at Harvey, La., have been the bene- ficiaries of inland waterways work. Late last year, the Boat Division secured separate contracts to build three Viking Class towboats for National Marine and a 3,900-hp tugboat for E.N. Bisso & Son. Suppliers Benefit As Well With the rise in construction ac- tivity, the fortunes of equipment suppliers to the yards improved as well. Karl Senner, Inc., for example, supplied two Reintjes model WAV 4450 reverse reduction gears, 4.75:1 ratio, with internal hydraulically actuated propeller shaft brake for the Caterpillar-powered towboats under construction at Avondale. Senner also supplied Rexroth (WABCO) pneumatic remote con- trols for each vessel. Another Southern equipment sup- plier, Marine Gears, Inc., benefited from the resurgence in construction and repowering activity. "There has been a pick-up in activ- ity," said Kyle Haley, vice presi- dent and general manager of the Greenville, Miss., company. "Nine- teen-ninety was a good year, but po- tentially, 1991 can be absolutely tremendous," stated Mr. Haley. "We have as many bookings in January 1991 as we had in all of 1990." Marine Gears, Inc. was involved in supplying a number of new con- struction and repowering projects. The firm supplied six Haley RV2835 reverse/reduction gears for 4:1 ra- tios for three EMD-powered twin- screw towing tugs constructed for Bay-Houston Towing Co., Houston, Texas, by Houma-based builder Main Iron Works. Marine Gears also supplied Haley auxiliary drive units which power deck-mounted cap- stans, towing winches, etc. Marine Gears also supplied equipment for another Main Iron Works project, (continued) After .Our Reputation for Inniovation A company's reputation is it's most valuable asset...in a family owned business, with three sons whose futures ride on that reputation...it's essential to maintain the highest of standards. When you need innovation...Gulf Craft has set the standards for years. From designing and building the first quad, five and six screw crewboats, and the world's first two largest crewboats in the industry...to developing catamaran dinner and cruise vessels...Gulf Craft engineers have the expertise to custom design a vessel to fit your requirements. ana iL^xceiiomco When you need experience...the Gulf Craft craftsmen have over 470 years of combined skill and have been a part of Gulf Craft for many years. The stability of our company means you can depend on every one of us. When you need a vessel...call us...we'd like to do business with you. Gulf Craft, Inc...A Family Tradition of Vessel Excellence...Now A Gulf Craft, Inc. 3904 Highway 1 82 • Patterson, LA 70392 Phone (504) 395-5254 • FAX (504) 395-3657 Member NAPVO - 74 Circle 332 on Reader Service Card Maritime Reporter/Engineering News
