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General Dynamics Quincy Yard Will Build Four Containerships For USL At Cost of $341 Million A contract between General Dynamics and United States Lines, Inc. calls for the construc- tion of four big containerships at a total cost of $341,236,000. Gen- eral Dynamics will not only build the ships, at its Quincy yard, but will also own them and charter them to USL. The vessels will be powered by fuel-efficient, slow-speed diesel engines. Each will have a capacity of 1,200 40-foot containers. They will operate in U.S. foreign trade. Four General Dynamics sub- sidiaries—Concord I, II, III, and IV Maritime Corporations—have applied to the Maritime Admin- istration for Title XI mortgage loan insurance to aid in financing the vessels. The application stated that delivery of the first ship would be in the fall of 1986, with the three others following at three-month intervals. U.S. Lines has not announced the intended deployment of the vessels. The vessel is named in honor of the man who was president of the University of California from 1930 to 1958. It will be used primarily along the California Coast and in the Gulf of California. Home port of the Scripps fleet is the Nimitz Ma- rine Facility on Point Loma in San Diego Bay. Scripps Institution Acquires Another Research Vessel The University of California at San Diego has purchased the 125- foot supply/geophysical survey ves- sel Midnight Alaskan from Mid- night Boat Company of Berwick, La., for operation by the world- famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, Calif. The research craft will be renamed the Robert Gordon Sproul, and will be one of four vessels and two research platforms operated by Scripps, which is the oceangraphic branch of UC San Diego. Funds for the purchase were provided by the University of California; brokerage was handled by Marcon Interna- tional, Inc. of Seattle. The Midnight Alaskan is a modi- fied Gulf Coast workboat design, built by Steiner Fabricators of Bayou La Batre, Ala., in 1981. It has been working on rig site, geophysi- cal, pipeline, and sonar surveys for the major oil companies. The Sproul will undergo a num- ber of modifications for scientific outfitting, including the addition of laboratories, winches and booms, and a variety of electronic and re- search instruments. Main propul- sion is by twin GM Detroit Diesel 12V149 engines totaling 1,400 bhp, driving Coolidge propellers through Twin Disc 5.1:1 reduction gears. RDI's Satcom I Communications System Approved By INMARSAT RDI's Satcom I Maritime Satel- lite Communications System has been awarded complete type ap- proval following extensive testing by INMARSAT of London, the In- ternational Maritime Satellite Com- munications Organization. This type approval designation allows RDI to install its system on ships, fishing boats, and pleasure vessels worldwide. RDI, San Leandro, Calif., is one of a handful of companies throughout the world that have been awarded this approval. They have been an innovative force in the maritime electronics business for over 10 years, creating advanced products incorporating patented technologies so valuable that they are now part of international maritime regulations. Their success is made possible by unique funding through tax-advan- taged R&D general partnerships. The Satcom I system was developed with funds raised through the Mari- time Reseach Group (MRG) III partnership. onnson duramax Sleeve and Flanged Bearings • Molded Rubber—Securely Bonded to Naval Brass Shell. • They Meet Military Specification MIL-B-17901A (Ships) Class II Full-Molded Type. • Easy to Install — Easy to Replace Less Shaft Vibration — Quieter Running — Non Polluting Full Range Of Sizes From 3/4 Through 6 Inches In Sleeve Bearings — And From 2 Inches Through 15 Inches In Flanged Bearings. WRITE FOR BEARING CATALOG DURAMAX' MARINE division of The Johnson Rubber Company ®T.M. Reg. Punted in USA NAVAL TOUGH BRASS NITRILE SHELL RUBBER SHAFT WATER GROOVE Middleheld, Ohio 44062 U S A Area Code: 216/632-1611 Telex: 21-2564 JRCM UR Cable: DURAMAX Dependable Products For Ships Throughout The World 6-2010-283 The Satcom I provides full telex and telephone communications to ships at sea via a satellite system accessible almost anywhere on the globe. Other available services in- clude data fascimile, computer-to- computer data transfer, and slow scan television. Unlike traditional maritime communications, the Sat- com I allows instant telex and voice communications in complete priva- cy with quality equal to that of ter- restrial-based telephone systems, and is unaffected by any adverse atmospheric conditions. The Satcom I offers the most advanced features at an affordable price of $29,995. Full screen CRT word processing, automatic dialing procedures and instantaneous transmission of memory telexes are some of the advantages offered by the Satcom I. It is the easiest to use satellite communicator on the mar- ket with a unique prompting soft key design that provides one-key operation for almost all functions and prevents invalid commands. All operating functions may be per- formed at a remote telephone, pro- viding full system operation at re- mote locations, independent of the operator's console. The single cable between the electronics unit and the antenna contributes to Satcom I's one day installation, saving ship- owners valuable time. In anticipation of INMARSAT type approval, Satcom I systems have been installed on two ships of the Dansk Esso fleet, the Esso Elsi- nor and Esso Danica. Future instal- lations include a system at AWA Australasia. Shipments began in September of this year. The INMARSAT system consists of three satellites in geostationary orbit 22,370 miles above the equator kept in fixed position relative to the earth's surface by special control and command facilities. Each of the three satellites has a fixed zone of coverage together forming three communications regions, the Atlan- tic Ocean Region (AOR), Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and the Pacific Ocean Region (POR). One of the developments in the INMARSAT System is the Future Global Maritime Distress & Safety System (FGMDSS). This system coordinates the Distress Coordina- tion Center of each ocean area and the ship polling (automatic informa- tion gathering) feature that collects and stores information from each ship such as its position, course, speed and local weather. When any distress call is made the ship's posi- tion is determined and the closest vessel to the ship in distress is auto- matically alerted and the two ships are connected. RDI's Larry Anderson says, "We are committed to R&D, be- cause we realize our customers rely on our equipment and systems for precise safe and economical ship handling. That concept is respected and reflected in every piece of equipment that carries the RDI name." For further information on RDI's Communications System, Circle 15 on Reader Service Card 18 Circle 300 on Reader Service Card Maritime Reporter/Engineering News
