January 1977 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News

Two Farrell Lines Containerships Being Lengthened 144 Feet By Avondale

The Austral Entente, a recently built vessel operated by Farrell Lines, is now being fitted with a new mid-section by Avondale Shipyards, Inc., and when completed will provide increased service by the line on its trade route between the U.S. Gulf, Australia and New Zealand.

According to Norman W. Lee, v i c e president-marine superintendent, Farrell Lines, New York, the 144-foot-long by 90-foot-wide section was completed and recently launched. The Austral Entente has gone into an Avondale Shipyards drydock where it has been cut into two sections, the forward section then having been floated out. The new midsection has been floated in and aligned with the aft section. Then the forward section was refloated back in. All three sections are now being rejoined. Estimated completion date of the project is February.

A second vessel, the Austral Envoy, will proceed to Avondale Shipyards after the completion of the work on the Austral Entente, where it too will receive a new mid-section. Completion date for the conversion is set for June, Farrell Lines officials said.

"Increased container capacity, from 974 to 1,712 twenty-foot equivalents, will be the major advantage of the conversion, which includes expanding the refrigerated container capacity approximately two and one-half times its present size," said Francis Sharp, Biehl & Co., Gulf Line manager for Farrell Lines.

The vessel will be able to maintain the same design speed after the new addition, Mr. Sharp said.

The Austral Entente cruises at a speed of approximately 22 knots over a range of 18,400 miles.

Length overall converted will be 813 feet. Total deadweight will be approximately 27,350 long tons with a 33-foot draft.

Farrell Lines also has two new containerships under construction, identical to the two vessels after lengthening, which will give them four ships of equal capacity for the service.

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