Page 35: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (July 1969)

Largest Canadian-Built Crane Barge Commissioned At Burrard Dry Dock Deck view of the huge offshore construction crane barge built by Burrard Dry Dock Company Limited for Raymond International. It is 350 feet long and 100 feet wide. One of the largest offshore con-struction crane barges in the world was commissioned recently in a special ceremony at Burrard Dry Dock Company's North Vancouver (Canada) yard. The 350-foot-long by 100-foot-wide giant was officially named the William Denny and turned over to the owners, Raymond Internation-al Inc. Fabricated and assembled in a unique cooperative effort of west-ern Canada's largest shipyards? Burrard Dry Dock Company in North Vancouver and Yarrows in Esquimalt?the $4.5-million vessel is the largest of its type ever built in Canada. Its construction is related to the recent formation by Raymond, a major worldwide construction com-pany, of an offshore construction division which is specifically ori-ented to the petroleum industry's needs. The William Denny will be assigned to the new division. The barge was fabricated at the Burrard yard in three sections and the sections were towed to Yar-rows where they were assembled in the large graving dock. The 'married' vessel was then towed back to Burrard for final outfitting, including the erection of the huge 500-ton diesel-electric revolving crane. Raymond officials attending the commissioning ceremony praised the Burrard-Yarrows companies and Canadian workmanship on the huge, all-steel welded barge. Mrs. William Denny, the vessel's sponsor, performed the traditional breaking of a champagne bottle on the auxiliary hook of the vessel's crane. It is named after William Denny, senior vice-president of Raymond. J. W. Hudson, executive vice-president of Burrard, welcomed the guests and introduced the two speakers, Clarence Wallace, presi-dent of Burrard, and Henry F. Le Mieux, president of Raymond In-ternational. E. D. Grandle, manager of Ray-mond's Offshore Construction Di-vision, accepted the vessel on be-half of the owners, and Canon Stan-ley Smith blessed the vessel. Other senior executives of Raymond In-ternational in the official party were H. C. Boschen, chairman; R. R. Helen, vice-president, and Mr. Denny. The barge is not self-propelled and requires towing from job site to job site. The huge crane towers about 300 feet above the deck from a position towards the after end of the vessel. The crane has a 500-ton capacity at 70-foot radius and 100-tons at 215-foot radius. Hoisting power is provided by two 560-hp diesel engines. The crane boom is about 245 feet in length. The crane weighs 1.157.-000 pounds. The rigging for the crane has over three miles of steel cable. Power to rotate the crane through 360 degrees is provided by two 150-hp electric motors and it is also equipped with a 750-hp boiler to power the steam pile-driving ham-mers up to a rating of 125,000 foot-pound. The barge has a pipe ramp on the starboard side and is capable of laying pipelines up to 48 inches in diameter. Complete welding fa-cilities will handle both structural and pipeline work. Completely air-conditioned quar-ters for the crew are located below the main deck leaving it clear as a hel iport and for work space. Space is provided for a two-month supply of fuel and provisions. The anchoring system has eight 25,000-pound anchors. Olsen Gresser Assoc. Relocates Office The Singapore marine consulting firm of Olsen Gresser Associates (Pty.) Ltd. has announced that it has relocated its offices at the In-dustrial & Commercial Bank Build-ing, 2 Shenton Way, Singapore. The firm serves as naval architects, marine engineers and marine sur-veyors for the industry. Sidney Newell loins Albina Engine Staff Sidney W. Newell Sidney W. Newell, former rep-resentative for Union Diesel En-gines, has joined the engineering staff at Albina Engine and Machine Works as assistant director of en-gineering under Claude Butler. For the past two years, Mr. Newell has been working in the San Francisco area as a consulting engineer on a worldwide basis. A graduate of Webb Institute of Naval Architecture, Mr. Newell will oversea general engineering work at Albina. Sperry Purchases Doppler Sonar Line From Kollsman Ind. Sperry Rand Corporation's, Sper-ry Marine Systems Division has announced that it has purchased the doppler sonar product line of Kollsman Instrument Company of Syosset, N.Y., a subsidiary of Standard Kollsman Industries, Inc. The doppler sonar system is a highly sensitive speed and distance measuring device for commercial and military ships. It can material-ly improve the docking and navi-gation capabilities of large ocean-going and lakes vessels. The price of the purchase was not disclosed. Key technical and marketing personnel on the doppler sonar program have transferred from Kollsman to Sperry Rand. The doppler sonar system will be added to the product lines of Sperry Marine Systems Division, a leading supplier of maritime navigation and control systems. Headquarter-ed in Charlottesville, Va., Sperry Marine Systems has more than 30 offices in the United States and Canada and is part of a worldwide network for the sale and service of Sperry marine products. Johnson Marine Div. Names Schwartz Mgr. International Marketing Laurence C. A. Schwartz Laurence C. A. Schwartz has been appointed international mark-eting manager for the Marine Di-vision of the Johnson Rubber Com-pany, Middlefield, Ohio. He will be responsible for establishing world distribution for the division's products in underwater propulsion system components that include rubber propeller shaft bearings, de-mountable bearings, torque-journal hub propellers, and stuffing boxes for commercial vessels and work-boats. Main Iron Works To Build Twin-Screw Tug For Humble Oil Main Iron Works, Inc., Houma, La., is scheduled to build a twin-screw tugboat for the Humble Oil & Refining Co., Houston, Texas. Designated Hull No. 225, the tug will measure 95 feet (BP) by 27 feet by 12 feet 4 inches, and will be equipped with 1,500-total-bhp diesels. July 1, 1969 11