Page 39: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (May 1997)

SHIP REPAIR & CONVERSION work on 147,273-dwt Liberian tanker Sea Empress, which was severely damaged last year in

Milford Haven. Work is progress- ing on schedule, and the vessel is expected to be redelivered to owner Seatankers Management next month. Spain's Astilleros

Espanoles' Cadiz shipyard is cur- rently carrying out three conver- sion projects. The first involves 132,995-dwt Liberian tanker

Independence, which is owned by

Conoco Shipping Company (USA), and is being converted into a FPSO unit. Work includes forward and aft mooring systems; export and import systems; installation of process facility modules; construc- tion and installation of flare tower; modification of pipe system and accommodation areas; new deck crane, emergency fire pump and helideck facilities; and hull, deck, superstructure and tank coatings work. The second and third con- versions involve an offshore rig and another tanker/FPSO conver- sion, both for Petrobras. Work on rig Petrobras XXVI involves con- version of accommodation bulk- heads and lagging pipework on deck, and 282,750-dwt Brazilian

VLCC Cairu (to be renamed

Petrobras XXXIII) will be made into a FPSO. All three conversion projects are scheduled to be com- pleted this month. Antwerp

Shiprepairers' regular drydocking and repair contract with

Switzerland's Mediterranean

Shipping Co. (MSC), in place since

March 1995, has provided the yard with a great deal of work during recent weeks. Approximately 40 ships, mainly containerships, for this company were repaired last year, including 30 dry dockings.

The volume of MSC work at the yard was expected to lessen this year, although the yard has already been involved with some ships, all of which regularly call at

Antwerp. The 38,686-dwt MSC

Edna recently underwent four- week long alongside repairs on hatch covers and container arrangements; 30,934-dwt MSC

Laurence, ex-Dragon Komodo, was recently in for a four-day quick drydocking; MSC Veronique under- went a mini-docking; and 38,984- dwt MSC Alice arrived for repairs similar to those performed on

Edna. There has been some reor- ganization in Finland following the closure of Kotka Ship Repair Yard on the country's southern coast.

Turku Repair Yard, which includes facilities at Turku and Nantaali, is to take over the Kotka yard, which in the future, will be open for sum- mer months only. Two of the yard's floating docks are to be retained (2,500 dwt and 5,000 dwt capaci- ty), as well as office buildings, stores, machine shops and various yard equipment. Meanwhile, the largest floating dock currently at

Kotka, which has a lifting capacity of 12,000 tons, has been sold to

Denmark's Frederecia Vaerft for a price believed to be in the region of $3.5 million.

THE NAVIGATOR 24

The First 24 Channel DGPS System

The Navigator 24 uses the GPS & GLONASS constellations simultaneously, to provide the answer to the worldwide vessel high precision position & speed requirements. ~~• Position Accuracy 50 CM (15 inches) in differential & 8 meters (25 Ft ) anywhere else in the world. • Speed Accuracy . 02 Knt in differential, . I Knt anywhere else in the world. • Makes present ECDIS Navigation worldwide a reality, not just 15 miles off the coastal U.S. • Shows all depth markings & bottom contours. • Add / Delete Nav Aids. • Worldwide Vector Digitized Chart Database. • Voyage Recorder. • Vessel Traffic Surveillance Capability. • Automated Dependent Surveillance.

The highest accuracy position & speed platform in the marine industry just got better.

ELECTRONIC MARINE SYSTEMS, INC. 800 Ferndale Place

Rahway • New Jersey • 07065 • USA • 908 • 382 • 4344 • FAX • 908'388 >5111 •

GET THE NOZZLE SYSTEM

THAT WON T DRAG YOUR BOAT

RICE SPEED NOZZLE

KA-SPEED PROP.

MORE THAN 400 SYSTEMS WORKING IN AMERICA

FROM 40" UP TO 140" DIAM.

TOTALLY 11YDRODIN AMIC SECTION * MAXIMUM FUEL SAVING * 6% MORE THRUST * 10% MORE FREE RUNNING

OYER KORT 19-A NOZZLE

RICE PROPELLERS

AV. RIOS ESPINOZA # 88

MAZATLAN, MEXICO 82180

TEL: 011(526)983-6552

FAX: 011(526)984-2533

May, 1997

Circle 233 on Reader Service Card Circle 235 on Reader Service Card 49