Orders For Vessels Built To American Bureau Class Surged In 1980

Orders for vessels to American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) classification increased by a healthy amount during 1980, William N.

Johnston, chairman and president, reported at the recent annual meeting of the members at ABS Headquarters in New York. Mr.

Johnston said: "The increase can be attributed to three factors: first, a 40-percent increase over 1979 in contracts for large cargocarrying vessels, including 83 tankers, 51 bulk carriers, 38 general cargo vessels, and 33 vessels of other types; second, a very sizeable increase, approximately 120 percent, in contracts for mobile offshore drilling units; and third, the continued strength in contracts for small self-propelled vessels." During 1980, ABS received requests to class 1,066 new vessels of 9,025,000 deadweight tons or 5,515,000 gross tons. "I think it is significant the classification contracts for vessels that ABS received last year exceeded new vessels classed by 28 percent in numbers and over 50 percent in deadweight and gross tonnage," Mr. Johnston stated.

These contracts enabled the order book to climb to a year-end figure of 1,980 vessels contracted to be built or building to ABS classification in 44 countries. The vessels totaled 18,009,000 deadweight tons or 11,770,- 000 gross tons. ABS classed 818 new vessels of 5,188,000 deadweight tons or 3,323,000 gross tons during 1980. Also during the year, ABS classed 91 existing vessels of 3,055,000 deadweight tons or 1,680,000 gross tons.

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Maritime Reporter

First published in 1881 Maritime Reporter is the world's largest audited circulation publication serving the global maritime industry.