Keel Laid At Sun Ship For Second Waterman RO/RO Ship

The keel of the Thomas Heyward, the second in a series of three combination roll-on'roll-off (RO/RO) container vessels being constructed by Sun Ship, Inc. for Waterman S t e a m s h i p Corporation, was lowered into place during a brief ceremony at the Chester, Pa., yard recently.

The design of the Waterman vessels provides for transporting wheeled vehicles and containers as well as unitized and palletized cargoes. A modification of this design is currently under consideration as a part of the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF).

The ship is equipped with a full-slewing ramp on the stern, a side cargo port, plus a self-sustaining container crane, for ease of cargo loading and discharge.

Sun Ship is a world leader in the design and construction of RO/RO-type ships. They pioneered the RO RO concept and built the first large-scale version in 1968.

Sun has delivered 10 RO/RO ships, all of which are in service today—two in the Alaska/Pacific Northwest trade, several in use on the Hawaii-San Francisco route, and the balance in service between Puerto Rico, Florida, and Mid-Atlantic States.

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