Page 8: of Marine Technology Magazine (July 2006)

news 8 MTR July 2006

VT Halter Marine Inc. and the National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently celebrated construction milestones for two new vessels at the Moss Point, Miss., shipyard. A traditional keel laying ceremony was conducted for NOAA ship Pisces, which was preceded by the initial cutting of steel for the fourth and final vessel in the series. The sister ships will join NOAA ships

Oscar Dyson and Henry B. Bigelow, which were also built by VT Halter Marine.

Annette Nevin Shelby, wife of U.S.

Senator Richard Shelby, was the sponsor of

Pisces, and attended the ceremony as the keel-laying authenticator. With assistance from a shipyard welder, Shelby engraved her name on the keel plate, which will be incor- porated into the ship during construction.

On the same day, construction of the fourth new fisheries survey vessel began with the ceremonial cutting of steel.

A team of five seventh-grade students and their teacher from Sacred Heart School in

Southaven, Miss., won the "Name NOAA's

New Ship" contest with the name "Pisces."

NOAA, VT Halter Celebrate New

Vessels

Main Particulars

Owner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NOAA

Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fisheries Survey

Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208 ft. (63.6 m)

Beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 ft. (15 m)

Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 ft. (8.65 m)

Maximum Draft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 ft. (5.9 m)

Main Propulsion

Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .DHT 900 Z73 FD4 SCO/60H

Manufacturer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ansaldo/Siemens

HP@RPM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3,016 hp/ 2,250 kW @ 134 rpm

Ship's Service Power

Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Two 3512/ Two 3508

Manufacturer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Caterpillar

KW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Two @ 1,360 KW/ Two @ 910 KW

Propellers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rolls Royce

Diameter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.3 m

Pitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.15 m

Number of blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Five

Propeller material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NAB

Steering system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rolls Royce

Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Knots

Hull Construction . . . . . . . .Steel Hull/Aluminum Deckhouse

Crew Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Passenger Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .N/A

Electronics / Navigation Equipment . . . .Seacoast Electronics

Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .350 mt

Ballast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .375 mt

Fresh Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 mt

Trawling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rapp Hydema

Gantry and Side Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Huber Stern

Centerboard Handling System . . . . . . . . . . . .National Oilwell

Bowthruster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Elliot White Gill

Classification ABS - A1, AMS, ACCU, DPS-1, and Ice Class

COUSCG Subchapter USOLAS

Delivery Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .January 2008

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