SNAME Philadelphia Discusses Conceptual Design Of A Nuclear-Powered Icebreaking Transport System

The Philadelphia Section of The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers' last technical meeting of the 1977-78 program was held on May 19, at the Engineers Club in Philadelphia, Pa.

Sixty-five members and guests attended the meeting, which was preceded by a dinner and cocktails.

Section chairman Fred W. Beltz Jr. introduced Kent Thornton, J . J .

Henry Co., Inc., as meeting coordinator.

Mr. Thornton opened the technical session with a brief resume of the technical background of A.O. Winall, Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., and Dr. Zelvin Levine, Maritime Administration, co-authors of the evening's presentation titled "Conceptual Design of a Nuclear-Powered Icebreaking Transportation System." Dr. Levine, using graphic slides as a part of his presentation, briefly described the concept set forth in the 41-page report. The paper, based on a study performed for the U.S. Maritime Administration, Office of Advanced Ship Development, by Newport News Shipbuilding, had as the principal objective the evaluation of trade routes, development of conceptual designs for the icebreaking tanker and related facilities, all of which comprise an overall "transportation system" for the movement of crude petroleum from Alaska's North Slope to the East Coast of the United States. A major oil company's marine division assisted in the study by providing ship operator/owner information and guidance in the assessment of suggested trade routes and alternative transport sites. Technical assistance, ice technology and icebreaker performance analysis was provided by Arctec Incorporated under subcontract to Newport News.

The paper includes the proposed location of the northern northernmost cargo terminal, as well as selections to be considered for the southern terminal site of the trade route. The terminal at the northern end, due to the topography of the site selected, will consist of a large offshore mooring and oil transfer tower with onshore oil storage and pumping facilities. The paper notes that transferring the cargo from icebreaker tankers to conventional tankers for the ice-free port of the voyage will permit the use of existing East Coast port facilities and/or future offshore terminals.

The report also includes selection of trade routes, terminal design criteria and design requirements requirements and concepts for nuclearpowered icebreaking tankers.

The paper had originally been scheduled for presentation at the January meeting, but due to a severe snowstorm, was postponed.

Discussions on the subject were presented by Hector T. McVey of the Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Michael D. Comens, Gulf Trading & Transportation Co., J.M. Dempsey and David C. Weong, both of the J.J. Henry Co., and Samuel S. Morse of Atlantic Richfield Co.

Both authors received a certificate of appreciation from chairman F.W. Beltz Jr.

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