Page 56: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (October 1981)

Bergeron Plans New Yard

To Build Hopper Barges

Bergeron Industries Inc., New

Orleans, La., announced recently the firm will begin construction soon on a new $8-million ship- yard to build river hopper barges.

The yard, the company's third, will be located at Demopolis, Ala., on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Wa- terway.

George Schiro, vice president, said the company decided to di-

To adjust and balance en- gines - slow or medium speed - is not easy by con- ventional means.

The Autronica MIP calcula- tor is the tool you have been looking for.

Easy to install on new or e easy to operate and service

Besides calculating the MIP ( pressure), typical pressure shown on the digital instri time/pressure curve on an < scope.

The new option, at a reason connect the injection pressi lator and oscilloscope, there user to control also the in

Further options include polari and printer unit. versify from their traditional deck and tank barges because of the strong demand recently for hop- per barges to move coal.

Bergeron, with yards in St.

Bernard, La., near New Orleans, and Port Bienville, Miss., is re- portedly the largest builder of deck barges for the offshore oil industry. The firm constructed 58 deck barges in 1980.

The new firm will be called

Bergeron Barges Inc., a subsid- iary of Bergeron Industries. Con- 'MIP calculator NK-4' ting vessels, ;an indicated 'ametres are 3nt, and the ional oscillo- le price, is to to the calcu- enabling the tion system, type camera struction on the yard is scheduled to begin soon. Production is set to start in March 1982 of large hopper barges with a cargo ca- pacity of about 3,000 tons, or ap- proximately twice the capacity of normal river hopper barges.

Edward L. Shearer, vice presi- dent of sales, said the yard will initially produce about 10 barges per month.

Florida Barge Lines Corp. of

New Orleans, a subsidiary of Cen- tral Gulf Lines, filed an applica- tion last week with the Maritime

Administration for vessel con- struction loan and mortgage in- surance for nearly $93 million worth of tugs and barges. The carrier intends to build 116 hop- per barges and 12 tugs, with

Bergeron scheduled to construct the barges for delivery in 1982 and 1983, its first contract.

Studies show the demand for river hopper barges in the U.S. is already greater than the cur- rent capacity of the shipbuilding industry, noted Mr. Shearer. He added that the barges to be built by Bergeron could be used to carry grain, if covers are added.

Mr. Schiro said several factors entered into the decision to choose

Demopolis for the new shipyard.

Demopolis is located on the Ten- nessee-Tombigbee Waterway, which is scheduled for comple- tion in late 1986. The waterway will generate a demand for more hopper barges to move coal, and will also create a need for barge repair and maintenance facilities.

Mr. Schiro said the new yard will eventually engage in repair work too.

He noted that the Tenn-Tom will provide cost-efficient water transportation to carry raw ma- terials to the new yard. Finally, he said, the Demopolis area has a readily available labor force with a record of high produc- tivity.

Publish Radiotelephone

Handbook For Mariners

A new 104-page handbook to aid in the proper use of marine radiotelephones has been pub- lished by the Radio Technical

Commission for Marine Services.

Entitled "Marine Radiotele- phone Users Handbook," the easy- to-understand book was produced primarily for the new marine radiotelephone owner, although it contains valuable reference in- formation for all marine radio users.

The handbook was written by a task force representing radio- telephone manufacturers ; the

F.C.C., U.S. Coast Guard and other marine-related government agencies; the U.S. Power Squad- rons ; U.S. Coast Guard Auxili- ary ; the marine radio services of

A.T. & T.; boating writers; and professional shipmasters.

Included are sections on obtain- ing radiotelephone licenses, in- stallation instructions, selecting and using the correct channels for VHF FM, single-sideband ra- dios for long-range communica- tions, routine and emergency op- erating procedures with sample scenarios for ordinary and dis- tress calls, and procedures to place a call to or from a vessel underway.

The book costs $5 and is avail- able from marine electronics and boat equipment dealers. Quantity discounts are available for deal- ers and for group purchases from

RTCM, c oF.C.C., P.O. Box 19087,

Washington, D.C. 20036.

IF YOU

ARE DEALING

IN SHIPPING WEAREAPART

OF YOUR

We can help you to operate your diesel engine in an economical way!

Autronica for safety and economy

UTRDNIC

A/S NORSKE TELEKTRON Drammensveien 126. Oslo 2, Norway

Telephone: (02) 554695 - Telex: 16274 Telek N - Telegrams: Telekas

Agent: The PYROMETER INSTRUMENT CO., INC P. (20)768-2000

PAMTIFR v#r%IM I ICn

NAVALI

RIUNITI

SHIPBUILDING

SHIPCONVERSION

SHI PREP AIRS

HEAD OFFICE:

GENOA (Italy) via Cipro 11

Tel. 010/59951 • Tlx, 270168

SHIPREPAIRING YARDS:

Genoa • Tlx. 270645

Palermo • Tlx. 910041/720674

MGN • Tlx. 270370

SHIPBUILDING YARDS:

Ancona • Riva Trigoso • Palermo

Main Agents:

LONDON : Compass Shipping & Trading Co Tx 884108 COMPAS G

USA : Overseas Shipyard Inc. Tx 423975 MKM

NORWAY : Ebbe C. Astrup A S - Tx 71612 EBAS N

GREECE : P. Wigham Richardson (Heilas) Co - Tx 212332 PWR G

GERMANY : H. Glahr & Co - Tx 245537 GLCO D £

FincAnTiera 62 Write 286 on Reader Service Card Write 144 on Reader Service Card Maritime Reporter/Engineering News