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U.S. Flag Cruise-To-Nowhere Vessel Headed Te Florida Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co., Inc., Mobile, Ala., has con- tracted with Atlantic Cruise Lines, Inc. to deliver 450-ft. (137.2-m) U.S.-flagged entertainment vessel M/V Latin Quarter for operation in southwest Florida's cruise-to- nowhere trade. Latin Quarter is the first vessel owned by Atlantic Cruise Lines, Inc. of Florida. The company has wide ranging plans for future growth, including the addition of several similar entertainment ves- sels that will operate from selected U.S. ports in the cruise-to-nowhere trade. "We hope to operate out of Port Everglades because we will have the only five-star cruise-to- nowhere outfit in Florida," said Atlantic's spokesman William D. San Hamel. "We consider Port Everglades to be the nation's pre- eminent cruise port, home base to many of the world's leading luxury cruise ships. Because of our five- star status, Latin Quarter belongs with the premier cruise ships. We expect to bring credit to Port Everglades." Guido Perla & Associates has been named Latin Quarter's naval architect. Paul Steelman Archi- tects of Las Vegas will create the interior design using an art-deco theme. Delivery of the vessel is expected in December 1996. For more information on Bender Circle 62 on Reader Service Card tions. It was first instituted on Sea Goddess I in October 1994. Shortly after, Royal Viking Sun, Vistafjord, Sagafjord, and Sea Goddess II added the Com- munications Concession to their portfolios. For more information on COMSAT Circle 63 on Reader Service Card SAFEHULL 96. IN SHIP SAFETY. ABS HAS BROADENED THE APPLICATION OF ITS SAFEHULL"' SYSTEM. MORE FLEXIBLE AND USER FRIENDLY, IT NOW INCLUDES: • CONTAINER SHIPS, TANKERS, AND BULK CARRIERS •THE ENTIRE VESSEL •WINDOWS PC AND WORKSTATION OPERATING ENVIRONMENTS • IMPROVED FINITE ELEMENT MODELING CAPABILITIES • TRANSLATORS TO CAD SYSTEMS AND FEA SOLVERS • NUMEROUS HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ENHANCEMENTS • LATEST IACS REQUIREMENTS FOR BULK CARRIERS. SAFEHULL 96. You NOW HAVE MORE REASON THAN EVER TO DEPEND ON THE ABS SAFEHULL SYSTEM. New York (212)839-5000 FAX (212) 839-5130 • London (44-171)247-3255 Singapore (65)276-8700 FAX (65) 276-8711 • Houston (713)873-0700 FAX (44-171) 377-2453 FAX (713 ) 874-9 5 51 COMSAT Offers Communications Concession To Cruise Lines COMSAT Mobile Investments has announced the launching of a program under which cruise lines can reportedly expand their telecommunications facili- ties while turning the radio room into a profit center. Communications Concession is a turnkey program in which COMSAT creates and adminis- ters a total maritime telecom- munications service package for cruise ships. This includes hiring personnel, purchasing new equipment, passenger call accounting, providing satellite services for ship business and all other aspects of radio room operations. Together, the cruise line and COMSAT will evaluate current communications equipment on ships to decide what combina- tion of technologies are most highly suited to ships' require- ments, while maximizing rev- enues and business efficiency. COMSAT provides the addi- tional capital required for the new equipment, and is also responsible for maintenance and repairs. The cruise line does not have to make capital investment for new equipment. COMSAT reportedly hires a qualified GMDSS-certified radio crew for each ship. COM- SAT trains the radio officers in Inmarsat A,B,C and M systems, as well as specialized credit billing services and onboard accounting systems. Initial trials of the Com- munications Concession took place on several Cunard ships, according to Kathryn Y. Hol- man, vice president of sales, COMSAT Mobile Communica- 28 Circle 202 on Reader Service Card Maritime Reporter/Engineering News