Page 21: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 1985)

Vessels readied for launching at Humboldt

Boat Service, St. Louis, Missouri. docked for engine cooler repairs.

One new 600-bhp boat was com- pleted at the end of 1984.

The yard's electrical department installed several sets of barge con- nector winches and new xenon searchlights, and completely re- wired a boat for generators.

Activity in the machine shop was brisk. The shaft welding and metal- izing equipment was kept busy full time, while machining work was performed for other boat repairs.

Some new equipment was pur- chased to increase production and efficiency. A major installation was two new winches for the yard's 400- ton haulout ways.

Humboldt is looking forward to another good year, and has tentative plans to begin building a new stock boat late this summer.

JEFFBOAT

Circle 14 on Reader Service Card

As America's largest inland ship- builder, Jeffboat, Incorporated of

Jeffersonville, Ind., continues to pursue other market areas in which to diversify. The company's current construction reflects this marketing approach: a 280-foot, 25,000-barrel coastal tanker for Sun Transport; a 300-foot, passenger sternwheeler for

Opryland, USA; a 207-foot cruise vessel; lock bulkheads for the U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers; and warping tugs for the U.S. Navy.

The shipyard consists of 90 acres along the Ohio River. Production buildings include 21,700 square feet of machining, 50,000 square feet of storage, and 43,500 square feet of assembly. Four major building ways and one 500-foot launch way com- prise the major component assem- bly area. Yard capabilities include

Wheelabration, optical burners, 38 material-handling cranes (up to 50 r tons), and computer-aided material and production control.

The Marine Repair division maintains four drydocks, the largest being 3,000 tons, and a 50-ton- capacity floating crane. Repair ca- pabilities include machining, pro- peller work, and repowering.

Recent major capital investments include an additional automatic blast and paint steel processing unit, a 15-ton magnetic steel-han- dling gantry crane, and a new 40- foot shaft lathe that expands the yard's machine shop capabilities.

Jeffboat's engineering and naval architecture staff is continually up- dating and expanding its studies into fuel economy and towing effi- ciencies. The engineering depart- ment is currently utilizing IBM computers to assist in developing designs and systems for all types of vessels constructed at the yard.

Even though "special" vessels have provided a substantial backlog for Jeffboat, the yard has contracts to deliver one 2,800-bhp retractable pilothouse towboat, one 6,200-bhp towboat, one dock and service barge, four deck barges, and a quan- tity of 195-foot covered hopper barges.

Future plans have Jeffboat ex- panding its heavy industrial fabrica- tion capabilities, while upgrading production facilities to meet changes in market demands. The company's diversity of products and the flexibility of its manufacturing facilities has enabled the yard to take advantage of market opportu- nities and remain a strong leader in the shipbuilding industry.

MARINETTE MARINE

Circle 15 on Reader Service Card 1984 was a good year for Ma- rinette Marine Corporation, and 1985 looks even better, according to

Larry N. Hairston, vice presi- dent-marketing for the medium- sized shipbuilder located at Ma- rinette in Northeastern Wisconsin.

Last year MMC began construc- tion of two wooden Mine Counter- measure (MCM) vessels and won

Navy contracts for 13 wooden Yard

Patrol (YP) boats and 52 workboats.

In addition, a number of Torpedo

Weapons Retrievers (TWR) are nearing completion and will be de- livered later this year.

MMC began construction of the

YPs in May this year and plans to deliver the first craft by July 1986, thereafter turning out one 108-foot vessel per month beginning in Au- gust. Already valued at $57 million, the YP contract could reach $78 million when the Navy exercises its (continued on page 22)

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Circle 214 on Reader Service Card

August 1, 1985 1 1

Fraser Shipyards located on Howards Pocket in the Superior, Wisconsin harbor.