Page 36: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 15, 1970)

Southeast Regional

Propeller Clubs Hold

Three-Day Convention

A prediction that America's mer- chant marine is heading for far bet- ter days and a plea for stepped-up action to complete the Cross-Flor- ida Barge Canal highlighted the annual convention of the Southeast

Regional Propeller Clubs in Mo- bile, Ala.

With some 160 persons regis- tered from ports throughout the southeastern part of the country, the representatives of various fa- cets of the maritime industry heard an optimistic report from United

States Maritime Administrator,

Andrew E. Gibson. "Legislation under sponsorship of President Nixon," said Mr. Gib- son, "will restore the United States as a major and viable maritime power." "It will insure," he asserted, "that our merchant marine, now threatened with near extinction by the preponderance of obsolete,

World War II-Vintage ships, will be one of the most modern and efficient in the world by the end of this decade."

Maritime policy makers have de- cided the United States no longer will be content as a fifth-rate mari- time power, Mr. Gibson declared, adding, "we will no longer be satis- fied with the crumbs that fall from

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British maritime interests, he warned, already are raising ques- tions over the "wisdom" of new

United States plans to construct 30 ships a year over the next decade. "They are claiming," he said, "that this could produce serious over- tonnage on United States foreign trade routes." He added, "Such claims are both presumptuous and inaccurate.

G.A. Brunelle, of Son Juan, newly elected

Southeast Regional vice-president is con- gratulated by Andrew E. Gibson, United

States Maritime Administrator. "These remarks," he declared, "are viewed by some as a growing effort to persuade the United States to turn away from its determina- tion to rebuild its merchant marine —to abandon the advantages of the

American-developed technological revolution in total transportation systems. I am here to announce we will not do that."

The convention went on record as urgent "earliest possible com- pletion" of the Cross-Florida Barge

Canal. Member ports were asked to use their influence to insure im- mediate appropriations by Con- gress for that purpose.

Emphasizing the importance of the canal to the shipping industry, the Propeller Club delegates claim- ed opposition to the canal emanates primarily from conservationists with limited interest. Any impeding of the canal project, they said, will "be to the detriment of the entire nation."

The convention named G.A. Bru- nel'e, president of the Propeller

Club of San Juan, Puerto Rico, as its regional vice-president. Jack

Campbell of Mobile, Ala., is the outgoing regional vice-president.

State docks director, Houston H.

Feaster, was general convention chairman. The major ports on the

East and Gulf coasts from Wilm- ington, N.C., to Mobile, Ala., were represented at the three-day con- vention. The 1971 convention will be in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Towboat Contract

Awarded To Brent

National Marine Service, Inc., St.

Louis, Mo., has placed an order with Brent Shipyard, Greenville,

Miss., for a twin-screw river tow- boat measuring 80 feet by 24 feet by 9 feet.

To be named the Beaver Island, the vessel will be powered by Cat- erpillar diesels of 760-tota!-bhp. 38 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News