Mitsubishi Receives Tug Barge Systems' License To Build

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Tokyo, a major Japanese shipbuilding company, has received a license from TBSI Limited to construct rigidly connected tug-barge units, utilizing the patents owned by Tug Barge Systems Inc., New Orleans, La., it has been announced by Edmund L. Hukill, president of Tug Barge Systems Inc.

The TBSI System, a relatively new concept in deepsea shipping, permits an unrestricted ocean towing vessel and an unmanned barge to be joined together by employing a patented rigid connection, which permits no relative motion between the tug and the barge. The TBSI System has the added advantage of being able to disconnect the tug from the barge almost immediately.

Mr. Hukill also stated that the primary term of the license is for a period of five years, and that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

obtained the right to sublicense the utilization of the TBSI patents to any of the Mitsubishi affiliated shipyards located in Japan.

Signing the agreement on behalf of Mitsubishi was T. Ishikawa, deputy general manager, Shipbuilding Business Planning Department of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Tokyo. Mr. Ishikawa said that Mitsubishi has seven shipyards throughout Japan, and that this TBSI license will be used primarily at their Nagasaki and Kobe shipyards.

Mr. Ishikawa expressed great pleasure in signing this license agreement, stating that his company expects to use the agreement to its best advantage in expanding their sales market.

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