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30 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News FSL Docks Frigate Fleet Support Limited (FSL) started work on the latest Royal Navy Type 23 frigate to enter its facilities for mainte- nance. The docking of the Plymouth- based HMS Portland is a five-month pro- gram to upgrade the 1999-built ship. The enhancement package includes a com- plete upgrade of the ship's aviation facili- ties that will enable her to operate the Merlin helicopter, and the fitting of the Surface Ship Torpedo Defense suite, improving its employability around the world. This is coupled with extensive refurbishment work of both hull and liv- ing accommodation. FSL Engineering Director Mal Lewis said, "HMS Portland will be another opportunity for us to demonstrate our growing expertise in work on Type 23 frigates and to develop our aspirations towards becoming a cen- tre of excellence for this class of ship." KING-GAGE ® LevelBAR Tank Level Indicator Analog LED column graphically displays tank level as total volume and/or depth. Replaces fluid-filled gages Stainless steel housing Greater reliability • Tank Gauges • Draft Measurement • Air Control Stations • Compressed Air Filters • USN Service KING-GAGE Marine Systems ® KING-GAGE ® LevelPRO Multiple Tank Level Processors Continuous measurement of multiple ballast and shipboard service tanks. Total volume and/or tank depth Durable corrosion proof housing Digital communications output KING-GAGE ® LiquiSeal Liquid Level Transmitter Rugged marine liquid level sensor for ballast/cargo/service tanks or draft measurement. Electronic or pneumatic output Proven air purge principle Externally mounted Tank Level Indication for the Marine and Offshore Oil/Gas Industries D-2 Orca MSD’s are designed for vessels from 24 to 500 persons. Orca is very light weight with fully automatic microprocessor control panel. All models are USCG / IMO / EC certified. EVAC NORTH AMERICA INC. 1260 Turret Drive Rockford, Illinois 61115-1486 Tel. +1 815 6548300, fax +1 815 6548306 marine@evac.com - www.evac.com - www.zodiac.com Shipbuilding Technology VT Loads Out Destroyer Bow Section The bow section of the second Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer, HMS Dauntless, was loaded out from VT Shipbuilding's facility in Portsmouth Naval Base for transport to Scotland. The 1,000-ton steel section sailed from Portsmouth on a four-day voyage via the English Channel and Irish Sea to the Govan yard on Clydeside of Type 45 program prime contractor BAE Systems Naval Ships. HMS Dauntless' bow was carefully wheeled out on powerful trac- tor conveyor units and transported some 100 yards to the barge VT Woolston moored adjacent to the main VT shipbuilding hall in a three-hour operation. The structure is 164 ft. (50 m) long and 46 ft. (14 m) high, and has taken nearly 20 months to build. "The lessons learned on ship 01 mean that we have significantly reduced the number of man hours required to build the section for ship 02," said VT Type 45 Project Director John Richardson. "The level of outfit has also been considerably higher as a result of the design evolving and maturing." The bow section of HMS Dauntless is loaded out from the VT Shipbuilding Assembly Hall in Portsmouth. MR AUGUST2006 #4 (25-32).qxd 8/2/2006 5:45 PM Page 30
