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St.Nazaire when the electric motor overheated. No passengers were aboard, and the ship returned to St. Nazaire under its own power. A team of Royal Caribbean technicians and representatives of electrical equip- ment supplier Cegelec assembled at Chantiers de l'Atlantique to review the damage and estimate repair time. On May 23, Rhapsody made cruise history when it traversed the Panama Canal. At 915 x 105.6- ft. (278 x 32.1-m), the 78,491-ton vessel is the largest cruise ship ever to transit the canal. At this time the month-old ship was mid- way through its maiden voyage which began in Miami and conclud- ed in Los Angeles on June 1, at which time the vessel was officially named. Rhapsody was scheduled to begin its regular season June 14, with seven-night sailings out of Vancouver, visiting Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, Ketchikan and Misty Fiords in the Inside Passage. Joining sistership Legend of the Seas, which has sailed Alaskan waters since 1995, Rhapsody will be the largest cruise ship operating in Alaska. The ship cruises at a speed of 22 knots, and is equipped with two bowthrusters, one stern thruster and two stabilizers. New Ferry Stability Rules Enter Force New ferry and passenger ship safety regulations from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and directly resulting from the loss of the Estonia in 1994, recently became effective. Amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, concentrate particularly on the stability of RoRo ferries. But the stability requirements for existing vessels are being phased in so ships with 85 percent of a sta- bility value set by the IMO will not be required to comply fully until October 1, 1998. Ships already reaching 97.5 per- cent of the AAmax mathematical stability formula will be required to comply fully by October 1, 2005. A new regulation has also been introduced for RoRo passenger ships carrying more than 400 pas- sengers, intended to ensure vessels can survive without capsizing if two compartments are flooded after damage. An artist's rendering of Grand Princess. The ship was launched in late May at Fincantieri. For more information, see story onprevious page. July, 1997 27 • he non frying revolution is here. Forget '—' about using shortening ever again. RoFry cooks perfect fries and other foods without expensive shortening. No more filtering hot oil, employee burns, or expensive fire extinguisher systems. RoFry's unique two stage (Staking systlih matches the production of traditional deep fat fryers. RoFry delivers perfect product from either fresh blanched or frozen fries. The fries hold longer and taste better than fries cooked in oil. Since there is no deteriorating oil to worry about, RoFry produces a consistent product. RoFry produces a healthier, great tasting fry with fewer calories, less cholesterol, and NO shortening. 1400 Toastmaster Drive • Elgin, IL 60120-9272 © 800/323-2210 • FAX 800/635-4725 ^ft' http://www.middleby.com Call today for a demonstration of this incredible innovation at 1-800-323-2210, ext. 260. Circle 294 on Reader Service Card