Page 95: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 1985)

World Transport Coordinates

Wet Tow Of Western Oceanic Rig

In late 1984, Western Oceanic of

Houston, Texas sought bids for the transport of their rig, Western Pace- setter II, and support cargo from

Falmouth, U.K. to Sabine Pass,

Texas. The Western Pacesetter II is a large semisubmersible offshore drill rig which was scheduled for overhaul in the U.S. Gulf at Sabine,

Texas.

World Marine Transport & Sal- vage, Inc., and their sister company,

Marinus Shipping Americas, Inc., both of Houston, Texas, submitted a complete package bid for trans- port of the rig and support cargo from Falmouth to the U.S. Gulf.

World Marine arranged for the 16,000 hp tug, Abeille Provence, owned by Les Abeilles Internation- al, to wet tow the rig from Falmouth to Sabine. Additional support cargo and equipment was shipped ahead by Marinus Shipping on the deep sea vessel, M.V. Inga Bastian, to await the rig's arrival.

The concept of a joint venture package of a wet tow for the rig and the ship transport for support cargo is not a new one for World Marine

Transport/Marinus Shipping. The companies hope to demonstrate again to the offshore market the practicality and advantages of such transports as more drilling compa- nies move their rigs worldwide. For additional information on the ser- vices offered by World Marine

Transport/Marinus Shipping,

Circle 323 on Reader Service Card

Marinette Marine Installs First DWB

Ship Transfer System In North America

Marinette Marine Corporation in

Marinette, Wise., is the first ship- yard in North America to install a dual walking beam (DWB) ship transfer system as part of its contin- ued upgrading of facilities and em- phasis on state-of-the-art technolo- gy. The 1,600-ton transfer system, manufactured by Total Transporta- tion Systems of Norway, will be used to move the wooden MCM minesweepers from Marinette's new 70,000-square-foot ship erection building to the outside launch area. "With the DWB system, we're able to get the most out of our indoor facility because there is no longer a need for heavy cranes or separate covered building berths outside. This way, we build every- thing we can inside, obtaining maxi- mum efficiency, then use the DWB system for moving the ship to the final staging area for launching," says Larry N. Hairston, vice president of marketing for MMC.

Installation of the TTS system is part of the shipyard's moderniza- tion program, which includes the most sophisticated engineering ca- pabilities in American shipbuilding today, according to Mr. Hairston. "We clearly see that we've got to maintain pace technologically if we're going to remain competitive in one of the world's most cost-con- scious industries," he says. "The

DWB project, together with Ma- rinette Marine's investment in people, production equipment, and computer-aided design, enables us to participate in this highly compet- itive market," he adds.

Besides the cost savings, MMC is impressed with the DWB system's flexibility. Using eight dual walking beam units, the system can move large sections or complete ships in any direction, over surfaces such as sand, gravel, and concrete, without any rails or major preparations re- quired.

Similarly, TTS is impressed with its first U.S. customer for the DWB system. "Marinette Marine is a great shipyard with a lot of forward- looking people," says Steinar

Draegebo, president of Total

Transportation Systems Inc. of

Newport News, Va.

For more information on TTS ship transfer systems,

Circle 96 on Reader Service Card

Cassa Appointed Chief

Marine Engineer At

J.J. Henry Company

J.J. Henry Company, Inc. recent- ly announced the appointment of

George C. Cassa as chief marine engineer at their New York office.

He will report to Charles H.

Gross Jr., vice president and man- ager of that office.

Mr. Cassa joined the company as a marine engineer in 1974. He grad- uated from the U.S. Merchant Ma- rine Academy and received a mas- ter's degree in management science from Stevens Institute of Technolo-gy-

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June, 1985 93