Construction Underway On ACL's Five 36,000-Dwt "Leader Ships"

Construction of Atlantic Container Line's (ACL) "Leaderships" has progressed past the first major milestone, according to Otto I.M.

Porton, president, ACL-USA. Shipyards in Sweden, the U.K., and France began building five RO/RO-containerships early this year.

Mr. Porton said the main sections of the first vessel—expected to be delivered in February— have been lifted from the main fabrication hall into the building dock at Kockums Shipyard, Malmo, Sweden. Kockums, part of the Swedyards Corporation, is building three of the five 36,000-dwt ships. The three vessels will be delivered to ACL's Swedish shareholders: Wallenius Line, Transatlantic and Brostroms.

The remaining two vessels are also under construction. One is being built at the U.K.'s Swan Hunter Wallsend-on-Tyne Shipyard for the Cunard Steam-Ship Company. The other will be built at the France-Dunkerque Shipyard in Dunkirk, France, for Compagnie Generale Maritime. All five vessels are scheduled to enter ACL's fleet between February and August.

The new ships will each be powered by a single-screw B & W diesel engine of 23,800 hp. Each will have a total capacity of 2,300 TEUs and each has been designed by ACL for maximum flexibility of operation and cargo configurations.

They will be powered by single screw economical 23,800 hp Burmeister and Wain diesel engines.

Major features include a large quarter ramp, permanent cell guides on the weather deck, capacity for 600 cars in the stern superstructure, 1,140 TEUs of containers on the weatherdeck and in cellular holds, and three decks for normal, heavy, or outsized RO/RO cargo.

In addition, these RO/RO decks will incorporate hoistable car decks. The ships will be fitted with 150 reefer points—double the existing capacity on current ACL ships.