Page 6: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 1973)

Newport Yard Awarded $1,966,000 Contract

By NSSC For 2 LCUs

The Naval Ship Systems Com- mand, Washington, D.C., has awarded a contract in the amount of $1,966,- 000 to Newport Ship Yard, Inc.,

Newport, R.I. to build two steel self- propelled LCUs. The specifications of these modified versions of World

War II LCTs are: overall length, 134.9 feet; beam, 29 feet, and a draft of 6 feet. Displacement will be 200 tons light, 375 tons loaded, and the power will be four 250-bhp diesel engines with Kort nozzle propellers.

U. S. Navy - designed CASDOS (Computer Aided Structural Detail- ing of Ships) computerized system will be used. The vessels will accom- modate a crew of 12 to 14, and will have cargo capacity for three M103 or M48 tanks.

The U.S. Navy is administering the contract for Saudi Arabia, and the LCUs, to be constructed at New- port Ship's new Fleet Landing site, will be delivered to the Navy and then to Saudi Arabia.

Kinsman Marine Transit

Requests Title XI

For Two Bulk Carriers

Application for Title XI mortgage and loan insurance has been received by the Maritime Administration from the Kinsman Marine Transit Co.,

Cleveland, Ohio, in connection with two 19,000-dwt self-unloading bulk carriers, each to be 630 feet long and have a speed of 16 mph. Kinsman's parent company, American Ship

Building Co., will build the carriers at an estimated cost of $29.4 million.

United States

Salvage Association

Elects Robert Gross

Robert E. Gross

Robert E. Gross has been elected president of the United States Sal- vage Association, Inc., internation- al marine surveying and technical organization with headquarters at 99 John Street, New York City.

Mr. Gross succeeded retiring presi- dent John R. Lindgren.

The Association's new president has been in its employ for almost 21 years. He returned to New York last year as executive vice presi- dent, from the European area office in London, which he had headed for a decade as principal surveyor.

During that time, he supervised

Association activities at many ma- jor marine casualties overseas. In 1967, he was the first American surveyor to board the stranded tanker Torrey Canyon, represent- ing the interests of United States underwriters.

A native of Lewistown, Pa., and a 1936 engineering graduate of the former Pennsylvania State Nauti- cal School, Mr. Gross has devoted his entire career to marine en- gineering, surveying and claims work. He served at sea in merchant and naval vessels from 1936 to 1945, and was then employed by the U.S. Maritime Commission and Maritime Administration until 1952, aside from a year as assistant port engineer to the now-defunct

American-flag Sword Line.

Joining the United States Sal- vage Association in 1952, he work- ed as a surveyor in the New York and Houston offices until his ap- pointment as resident surveyor in charge of the Chicago office at the start of 1956. After seven years in this post, he was reassigned to

London, in charge of all European,

North African, and Middle Eastern operations.

Mr. Gross belongs to The Society of Naval Architects and Marine

Engineers, and the Maritime As- sociation of the Port of New York.

He is an associate member of the

Association of Average Adjusters, and serves on the special ship op- erations committee of the Ameri- can Bureau of Shipping. His club memberships include India House and the Drug and Chemical Club.

JACUZZI BROS. INC. 8 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News