April 1983 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News

MacGregor Comarain Cargo Access Equipment Ordered For Five T-AKX Ships

Orders for the cargo access equipment necessary to convert five existing 29,000-dwt R 0 / L0 vessels for use as prepositioning ships (T-AKX) by the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, have been awarded to MacGregor Comarain Inc., the U.S. member of the International MacGregor Organization based in Cranford, N.J. The orders are the largest ever received by the MacGregor organization.

To be converted by Bethlehem Steel Corporation, the five ships were known as "Caroliners" for which the owner, Maersk Line Limited of New York, recently secured long-term charters from the Navy. Built at the Odense Shipyard in 1979/80 as 830-TEU multipurpose vessels for A.P.

Moller of Copenhagen, they were equipped for cargo access at that time by MacGregor Denmark.

Some of that existing equipment will be retained — though relocated — on the conversions.

For their new role, the alterations to be made — involving stretching by 48m, raising the upper deck and the insertion of two new decks — are so extensive that most of the MacGregor equipment will be new.

Two Bethlehem yards are involved — three vessels will be converted at Sparrows Point, Md., the other two at Beaumont, Texas Texas.

Delivery of all five is scheduled between August 1984 and September 1985.

The set of a c c e s s / t r a n s f er equipment to be supplied by Mac- Gregor Comarain comprises eight watertight bulkhead doors; one semi-slewing stern ramp; one reversible inclined ramp / hinged deck; two sideport platforms; and two portable ramps to be used in conjunction with sideport platforms.

* Also two upper deck hatch covers—folding type; eight main deck hatch covers — pontoons; eight first deck hatch covers — pontoons; two second deck hatch covers — folding; plus modification and relocation of six existing upper deck hatch covers of the folding type.

MacGregor will, as far as possible, deliver all items assembled and pre-tested and, together with the shipyard, will install, test in situ, and commission each installation.

A total of four electrically driven hydraulic power packs will be used to operate the MacGregor equipment. Three existing units will be utilized plus one extra, to be supplied. In converted form each 230-meter-long by 27.5- meter-beam vessel will have a total area for RO/RO operations of 11,156m2, with capacity for 332-TEU containers.

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