M/V Ogden Dynachem Christened At Avondale

Avondale Shipyards, Inc., New Orleans, La., a subsidiary of Ogden Corporation, held christening ceremonies for the M/V Ogden Dynachem, the first of two 42,000- dwt chemical product carriers currently being built for Ogden Marine, Inc.

Mrs. Doris Bricker, wife of William H. Bricker, chairman and chief executive officer of Diamond Shamrock Corporation, served as sponsor of the Ogden Dynachem.

Principals of the M/V Ogden Dynachem christening ceremony were Albert L. Bossier Jr., president of Avondale Shipyards, Inc., presiding over the ceremony; and William H. Bricker, chairman and chief executive officer of Diamond Shamrock Corporation, delivering the principal address.

Miss April Dawn Chauff, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lowell G. Chauff, served as flower girl, a role traditionally filled by the daughter of an Avondale Shipyard's employee. Miss Chauff's father is an electrician specialist at the main plant.

The new ship will cost approximately $70 million and is the first conventional chemical ship to be built in the United States in over a decade.

Designed for the transportation of caustic soda, Type II and Type III chemical products, and Grade A petroleum products, the M/V Ogden Dynachem will operate in the United States domestic chemical trade, refined oil products trade and Alaskan crude oil trade, serving the Gulf and East Coast ports.

The M / V Ogden Dynachem will be time-chartered by Diamond Shamrock Corporation for 15 years with two five-year extension options. Under the contract agreement, Diamond Shamrock Corporation's Ocean Systems Department will handle all commercial arrangements while Ogden Marine, Inc. will own and operate the vessel.

Through Diamond Shamrock's Houston-based Ocean Systems Department, the Ogden Dynachem and a sister vessel will subcharter tank space to transport products for other companies as well. The Ogden Dynachem more than doubles Diamond Shamrock Ocean System's combined vessel capacity to over 97,000 deadweight tons and more than doubles cargo capacity to over 1.3 million tons yearly.

Powered by a fuel-efficient, twin-bank Hitachi B&W 2 X 8K45GT slow-speed diesel and having a service speed of 15.5 knots at 12,800 bhp, the Ogden Dynachem is 629 feet long, has a beam of 106 feet, depth of 60 feet and scantling draft of 43.5 feet.

The engines turn a single 23.5- foot-diameter four-blade propeller.

Construction of the Ogden Dynachem began in June 1980 at Avondale, which is a subsidiary of the Ogden Corporation.

In addition to a broad range of chemicals, the 629-foot vessel's 18 cargo tanks in 12 segregations allow the Ogden Dynachem to also transport crude oil, refined petroleum products and vegetable and animal oils. The Ogden Dynachem's multiproduct cargo system and ship configuration were designed for transportation of 50 percent solution caustic soda, Grade A petroleum products and Type II and III chemicals having specific gravities up to 1.62.

The tanker will be among the safest at sea, fitted with many advanced design features and built to meet or exceed the latest USCG and IMCO requirements for bulk carriers of hazardous materials.

The Ogden Dynachem incorporates state-of-the-art technology including electronic gaging and control systems, inorganic zinccoated and hi-build epoxy-coated tanks to assure cargo integrity, an independently generated combustion- preventive inert gas system in the cargo tanks and fully segregated cargo handling and control systems.

A full double bottom and the size and number of cargo segregations provide for full compliance with pollution prevention regulations for outflow, tank length and tank volumes as well as provide defensively positioned, segregated discharge ballast. The cargo tank area is further protected by an alcohol-based polar solvent foam system, intrinsically safe electric equipment, automatic high-level shutdown filling valves and stringent material restrictions.

The vessel's fuel-efficient, closed-loop control inert gas generator is a low velocity displacement system with a common distribution header and check valve isolation into each cargo segregation.

Independent high-level alarms afford additional overfill protection.

A Frank Mohn submerged, hydraulic pumping system with individual cargo pump per tank allows segregated handling of chemical and petroleum products of a wide range of specific gravities, vapor pressures and viscosities.

An electronic cargo control system integrates into a single remote cargo control panel the central hydraulic system operation, cargo pump control, hydraulic valve actuation, cargo tank level gaging, tank temperature monitors, inert gas control system, ballast system operation and gaging and emergency shutdown system.

In his review of a paper detailing the Ogden Dynachem's design presented to The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers bv the ship's naval architects, USCG Comdr. D.F. Bobeck said: "To say that the vessel's design is unique and worthy of special consideration is surely an understatement.

To design a vessel to meet only the owner's requirements would test the mettle of most naval architects and marine engineers.

To design a vessel to also incorporate many novel features and meet the new regulations promulgated by the Coast Guard is indeed a noteworthy achievement." Commander Bobeck also noted the Ogden Dynachem includes design features not presently required by the Coast Guard but likely to be instituted in the future.

Accommodations for a complement of 36 are provided in the single tower, which also includes lounges, a gymnasium, conference room, ship's office, dining room and other facilities. Each of the regular 24 crew members is housed in an individual stateroom having private toilet and shower.

A six-man dormitory is available for technical support personnel making intermittent voyages.

The Ogden Dynachem is classified as an American Bureau of Shipping Maltese Cross A-l E Chemical Carrier; Oil Carrier; and Maltese Cross AMS, Maltese Cross ACC.