British Shipbuilders And SSS Corporation Sign License Agreement

B r i t i s h Shipbuilders, London, and the Semi-Submerged Ship C o r p o r a t i o n (SSSCO), Solana Beach, Calif., have signed an agreement under which British Shipbuilders will be licensed to market and build high-speed semisubmersible vessels designed by SSSCO. Signatories were Jolyon Slogett, managing director offshore for British Shipbuilders, and Thomas Lang, inventor of the S3 and president of SSSCO.

The twin-hull semisubmersibles are expected to be widely adopted as supply vessels and personnel t r a n s p o r t s in the offshore oil areas, although the craft will have a wide range of other uses, including as ferries. The S3 motion relative to a platform will be much less than that of a conventionally designed ship.

Two parallel, torpedo-like hulls below the surface are attached to streamlined struts which support an above-water platform, on which various configurations of accommodation and equipment can be installed. In particular, vessels of this type will be extremely stable in rough seas, and able to travel at high speeds, possibly up to 35 or 40 knots. A 200-ton, 25- knot range support ship of similar design, the Kaimalino, has been operated successfully by the U.S.

Navy in rough seas off Hawaii since 1975.

Apart from offshore personnel and supply duties, the S3 concept would be suitable for diving support operations, oceanic research, helicopter support, ferry services, fishing, and other uses for which improved seakeeping is important.

The newly signed agreement gives British Shipbuilders exclusive rights throughout Europe and the Mediterranean countries to build and supply ships of this design. British Shipbuilders will also sponsor and assist SSSCO in conducting various studies and design work. SSSCO will provide m a r k e t i n g s e r v i c e s in Europe through Manderstam T e c h n i c al Services of London and Aberdeen.

The British Shipbuilders agreement is an expansion of the activities of SSSCO, whose U.S.

marketing is handled principally by Stable Ship Development Company of San Diego.

Maritime Reporter Magazine, page 36, Jul 1980

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