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Artists conception of the Navy's T-AGS 60-class oceanographic vessel, now under construction at Trinity's Halter Marine shipyard. Trinity's Halter Marine Wins $46.2 Million Option From Navy To Build Third Research Ship The U.S. Navy has exercised a $46.2 million (ceiling) option with Moss Point, Miss.-based Halter Marine, Inc., a member of the Trin- ity Marine Group which is owned by Trinity Industries, Inc., to build a 328.5-ft T-AGS 60 class oceano- graphic survey ship.Total ceiling contract value for the three research ships is approximately $145 mil- lion. The company was awarded a con- tract for the detail design and con- struction of the first two ships in January 1991, the USNS Pathfinder and USNS Sumner, now under con- struction at Halter Marine. John Dane III, president of Trin- ity Marine Group, said: "We know our original design was a winner and this contract indicates the Navy's confidence in our ships and the people who design and built them. And, speaking of people, this contract, along with the other two T-AGS 60 ships, will keep 300 people working at Moss Point through 1996. It will also provide work at an- other Trinity shipyard, Equi- table Shipyards, Inc., in New Orleans, which will provide con- struction support." The approximately 4,700-ton T-AGS 60 ship is capable of per- forming oceanographic survey operations in coastal and deep ocean areas. It is configured to perform oceanographic survey operations in the following ar- eas: physical, chemical and biological oceanography; multi-disciplinary envi- ronmental investigations; ocean engi- neering and marine acoustics; coastal hydrographic surveys; marine geology and geophysics, and bathymetric, grav- ity and magnetic surveys in deep ocean and coastal areas. The new class ships have been de- signed to meet specific mission objec- tives including: a comprehensive die- sel-electric propulsion system; a mini- mization of hull vibration; low radiated noise emissions; excellent seakeeping characteristics; a high degree of ma- neuverability; and the ability to launch, recover and tow a variety of scientific packages. In general, the T-AGS 60 class ships will be capable of conducting extensive environmental investigations through- out the world's oceans. According to Mr. Dane, Trinity is the leading de- signer and builder of specialized oceano- graphic ships for the Navy, citing Trinity's experience in buildingT-AGOS 13 through 18, oceanographic surveil- lance ships, T-AGS 51 and 52, hydro- graphic survey ships, and AGOR-23, an oceanographic survey ship. For free literature about the services and facilities offered by Trinity Marine Group, Circle 24 on Reader Service Card UASC Plans $900 Million Shipbuilding Program It has been reported that the United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), jointly owned by six Middle Eastern govern- ments, is planning a major ship order worth up to $900 million. Mohammed Al-Rayyes, chairman of the company, stated that UASC's directors had agreed to build "nine or ten" containerships. While delivery dates have not yet been specified, tenders for the new ships will be issued before the end of 1992 and the final contract price for each vessel is expected to be be- tween $75 million and $90 million. According to shipyard experts, UASC will probably present require- ments for 3,500-TEU capacity ves- sels. The company's current fleet consists of containerships of around 1,500 TEU and 2,000 TEU. Mr. Al-Rayyes said that 30 per- cent of financing for the new vessels would be supplied by the company and the remainder borrowed on the international market. Edison Chouest Offshore Awarded $15.8 Million Contract From MSC The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command Central Technical Activ- ity has awarded a $15,797,760 firm fixed-price contract (with cost reim- bursable element) to Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO), Inc., of Galliano, La., for the charter of the deep sub- mergence support ship M/V Laney Chouest. The contract covers the basic 17- month contract period as well as two additional 17-month option pe- riods, and is a direct continuation of the present contract MSC has with ECO. M/V Laney Chouest will support deep ocean search and recovery op- erations under the direction of Sub- marine Development Group One in San Diego, Calif. 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